Rise Racing announces 2017 roster
Six-women roster includes two juniors and four elite riders who will compete across North America
Southern Ontario-based Rise Racing have announced their six-women roster for the 2017 road season. Founded in 2014 by Ashley Barson and Jamie Gilgen, the team has raced with success on the Canadian and U.S. circuit for the past two seasons. For the 2017 season, the elite team includes returning member and co-founder Barson, and new signings Karlee Gendron, Miriam Brouwer and Carrie Cartmill. Two junior riders have been added to round out the roster with the signings of Ruby West and Kassandra Kriarakis.
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The team will continue to focus on races across Canada and the U.S., the American Pro Road Tour calendar, UCI-level competitions in North America and the Canadian National Championships in the team’s third season.
Barson placed fourth overall in the USA Crits Pro Championships series in 2016 and competed at the cross country mountain biking world championships. As a member of the Focus CX Team Canada, Barson also races at the North American rounds of the cyclocross World Cup and at UCI events in North America and Europe.
As a under-23, Karlee Gendron raced with Team Canada in Europe. Following a season of injuries, Gendron returns to the road for 2017 after also having competed in mountain biking with Trek Red Truck. Carrie Cartmill comes over the Rise Racing after five seasons with the Ottawa-based team Cyclery-Opus. Miriam Brouwer has won road racing, time trial and cyclocross Ontario provincial titles. After a season with the Cyclery-Opus during which she finished fourth at the Tour of Whiterock she comes over to Rise Racing.
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The junior team brings on Ruby West who races with Cannondale powered by Cyclocrossworld.com during the ‘cross season. West earned the most aggressive jersey at the 2016 Tour de la Releve International de Rimouski and was 2015 U23 Canadian national cyclocross champion earning a place to represent Canada at the 2015 cross worlds. Kassandra Kriarakis is eligible to race as a junior for two more seasons and is a powerful track and road athlete. She earned a silver medal at the 2016 junior track national championships in the team sprint, individual pursuit and match sprint. She also took two bronze medals at track nationals in the 500-metre time trial and elimination race.
