Gallery: Canadian Masters start snowy Silver Goose weekend on the podium
Pan-Am masters first championship titles to be awarded in Midland, Ont.
A snowy Day 1 of Silver Goose racing is underway and already Canadians have earned several Pan Am championship titles.
Canada’s masters racers are making good use of all those days they walked to school uphill, both ways, in a snowstorm*, to earn Pan-Am wins and podiums in categories from 35-44 all the way up to 65+.
The women’s 55+ and men’s 65+ events were the first championship races of the day, after early morning youth and sportif racing. Laird James and Patricia Konantz were the first Canadians to kiss the Silver Goose and wear a Pan Am jersey. James won the 65+ men’s race, while Konantz won the 55+ women’s championship. In the women’s 45-54 championship race, New York’s Marit Sheffield finished ahead of Ontario’s Marcie Girouard.
Masters Women – 2019 Silver Goose Pan-American Cyclocross Championships
Sarah Gilchrist ascends Silver Goose's infamous granite stairs. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Gilchrist is the women's 35-44 Pan-Am champion for 2019-2020. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Kathy Eggenberger is second in Women's 35-44. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Caitlin Callaghan finishes third behind Gilchrist adn Eggenberger. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Alana Heise, 2nd in women's 45-54. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Stacy Barbarossa is the 2019 women's 45-54 Pan-Am champ. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Lisa Holmgren was third in women's 45-54. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Carolyn Smith of the Waterloo Cycling Club. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Vélocolour's Suzanne Carlsen. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Sarah Gilchirst (ERTC) Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Nathalie Mousseau. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Joanne Beattie (4th, W35-44) Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
One more of Gilchrist ring in Maple on her way to a Pan-Am win. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Sarah Gilchrist of Edmonton, Alta. was the next to take a championship title for the home team. Gilchrist led a Canadian sweep of the women’s 35-44 championship race, ahead of Kathy Eggenberger (Ont.) and Caitlin Callaghan (Alta.).
In the women’s 45-54 race, New Jersey’s Stacey Barbossa bested Calgary’s Alana Heise and Ontario’s own Lisa Holmgren by a narrow 13 second margin.
The men’s 55-64 category went to the Americans, with New York’s August Andrew leading a quartet of visitors. Robert Orange of Quebec was the top Canadian finisher, 31 seconds behind Andrew in second.
In men’s 45-54, it was Canada’s turn to sweep the podium. Jean-Francois Blais (Que.) takes the win, and Pan-American championship, after a close race with Robert Holmgren (Ont.). Vancouver Island’s Sean Lunny completed the sweep in third.
Masters Men – 2019 Silver Goose Pan-American Cyclocross Championships
A sizeable field of Masters lined up for their chance to win a continental championship, and kiss the Silver Goose. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Jean-Francois Blais climbs to a win in men's 45-54. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Robert Holmgren drops in on his way to second in M45-54. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Sean Lunny in third. Next year, CX Nationals will be closer to home for him, on Vancouver Island. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Robert Orange wore the maple leaf jersey on his way to second in M55-64. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Jake Wells races in stars and stripes on his way to winning M35-44 in Midland, Ont. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Sam Whittingham, maker of Naked Bicycles, racing M45-54. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Noah Rosen (Véloclour) chases Eric de Groote (Ride with Ryan). Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Frederic Auger was 6th in M35-44. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Dave Caughlin (Véloclour) drops in. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Louis-Michel Menard (Northeast Trek Ambassadors) leads Jeff Nielson (Terrascape Racing). Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Alberta's Craig Fraser on his way to 5th, M55-64. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Canadian Cycling Magazine's own James Cook on his way to 8th in M55-64. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Men 34-44 dismount into one of Silver Goose's run ups. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Bob Bergman (Canadian Cycling Magazine) rides to 9th in M55-64. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
John Vieira (Lakeside Storage / Bicycles Plus) racing M55-64. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Chris Drummond, third in M35-44. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Kurt Schmid (New England Development) dives into the sand during the M45-54 race. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
N.Y's Craig Mattern leads David Hildebrand of Connecticut up the granite stairs. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Kurt Schmid (New England Development). Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Mark Herbst of Newmarket Eagles CC racing the M55-64 event. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Jake Wells of Colorado is the winner of the men’s 35-44 championship category. Frederic Auger of Quebec was the top Canadian finisher in sixth.
Saturday’s racing continues with the UCI C2 races for junior men, elite women and elite men. Championship racing for the elite, under-23 and junior men and women will take place Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019. It will be the first time Pan-American championships will include a junior women’s category.
*This author also walked to school in many snowstorms, though it was a mostly flat route, and can’t wait for that to start paying off on the cyclocross course.
