Jenn Jackson leads Canadians in return to European XCO

With World Cup cross country racing just weeks away, Canada’s fastest are making their way back to Europe. Jenn Jackson led the charge in Austria, at a pre-World Cup C2 event during the weekend. With little lead-in time and long quarantining requirements for travel, the weekend’s C2 was unusually well-attended.

Jackson leads at “Rund um den Roadlberg”

Jackson was the top ranked of the Norco Factory Racing’s riders, placing fourth in the elite women’s race on Sunday. The new NFT signing just missed the podium, finishing behind Austria’s multi-discipline junior women’s world champion, and 2019 U23 women’s silver medallist Laura Stigger. Jackson’s summer training with Catharine Pendrel in Kamloops, B.C. seems to be paying off.

The U.S.’s Erin Huck finished second, followed by Janika Loiv of Estonia.

Haley Smith of Uxbridge, Ont., finished 11th, just behind U.S.A.’s Haley Batten.

Young Carter Woods top Canuck in the Elite Men’s race

Carter Woods, one year out of the junior men’s category and also freshly signed to Norco Factory Team, led the Canadians in the elite men’s race. Woods placed seventh, behind New Zealand’s top-ranked Anton Cooper and Italian World Cup winner Gerhard Kerschbaumer.

Canadian elite men’s national champion Peter Disera was 10th, with two-time U23 champ Sean Fincham close behind in 11th. Quinton Disera and Andrew L’Esperance rounded out the Canadian entries, crossing the line in the same time for 16th and 17th.

Other North American’s in the race were Specialized’s Christopher Blevens, in fourth, and Keegan Swenson in eighth.

World Cup XCO starts Sept. 29 with a double round in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic.

Elite Women

Elite Men