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Olympian cross-overs, cyclocrossers, and slippery rocks: Weekend Review

Squamish Gryphon gets rowdy while the Coal Town Classic gets muddy

Squamish Gryphon

While the generally eastern parts of Canada were busy racing the most recent Canada Cup XCO round at Horseshoe Resort, everywhere west of Ontario had its own array of racing going on. From the Squamish Gryphon Enduro, one of only a handful of Canadian qualifier rounds for the Enduro World Series, to a soggy XC Marathon in Cumberland and a provincial XCO series race in Saskatchewan, there was plenty of racing happening across Western Canada over the weekend.

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Squamish Gryphon Enduro (EWS Qualifier) – Squamish, B.C.

Canadian Olympic silver medallist in Ski Cross Brittany Phelan (Juliana Bicycles) showed her skills off the slopes, winning the Pro Women’s category at the Squamish Gryphon Enduro, while Rocky Mountain/Race Face EWS veteran Remi Gauvin took the Pro Men’s side ahead of Squamish local Rhys Verner (Kona Enduro Team) with Lee Jackson following in third. Christina Chappetta and Jo Peters rounded out the Women’s Pro podium behind Phelan. Julia Long earned her EWS points in the U23 division, winning in a time that would have put her third in the Pro Women’s category, while Max McCulloch wun U23 Men’s with a time that would have put him ninth overall. Full Gryphon results here.

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Coal Town Classic XCM – Cumberland, B.C.

Canada’s top Junior racers showed they’re not just fast for their ago group, with Cumberland’s Carter Woods and Holden Jones taking a break from the Canada Cup circuit to race the Coal Town Classic, with Woods (Dodge City Cycles/Rocky Mountain/CyclingBC) winning in his home town and Jones (Pendrel Racing) finishing third behind Kona’s Cory Wallace of Jasper, Alta. The muddy race saw two multi-disciplinary XC/Cyclocross riders on the podium, with Mical Dyck (Julian Bicycles) winning ahead of multiple time national cyclocross champion Wendy Simms (Frontrunners), while Jessica Dulong crossed the line third.Full Coal Town Classic results here.

Sask Cup #4 – Buffalo Pouner XCO – Moose Jaw, Sask.

Saskatchewan’s cross country racers had one final chance to hone their race chops before provincial championships when the fourth round of Sask Cup racing charged through Moose Jaw over the weekend. David Vaughn won the elite Men’s race over Bradley Kerr and series leader Alex Vanneste, while Erica Musyj and Renee Stuckel placed 1-2 in the Women’s race, continuing their back-and-forth points battle in that series points race. Full Buffalo Pounder XCO results here.