Less than a month away from the Enduro World Series' (EWS) first two-day race here in Whistler, organizers are already planning to stick with the extended format.
In its 2020 schedule release on July 22, next year's Canadian Open Enduro is slated for Aug. 8 and 9.
The Whistler contest will be the sixth of the season. The preceding races will take place in: Manizales, Colombia (March 28 and 29); Lo Barnechea, Chile (April 4 and 5); Montagnes du Caroux, France (May 23 and 24); Val di Fassa, Italy (July 4 and 5); Petzen, Austria and Jamnica, Slovenia (July 11 and 12). Meanwhile, the season will conclude with contests in Zermatt, Switzerland (Aug. 29 and 30) and the Trophy of Nations race in Finale Ligure, Italy (Sept. 26 and 27).
"We're really proud to announce our seventh season with a calendar stacked with iconic venues—it's one of our strongest to date. We have developed some great and long-standing partnerships now with these organizing groups and it's exciting to see the sport go from strength to strength," EWS managing director Chris Ball said in a release.
Madsen third at Beaver Creek
There have been three consecutive weekends with three consecutive podiums for Whistler triathlete Karsten Madsen.
Madsen's latest medal came at the Xterra race in Beaver Creek, Colo. He made a late comeback, posting the fastest run time of the day to jump from fifth to third and beat American Mike Meehan by 27 seconds for bronze. Madsen finished three minutes and 53 seconds (3:53) back of winner Josiah Middaugh and 1:12 behind runner-up Sam Osborne of New Zealand.
"I'm super elated, because to be honest, I never thought I would see myself on the podium here at Beaver Creek," Madsen told xterraplanet.com.
Ertel wins at Golden
Whistler's Amy Ertel cruised to victory in Canada Cup downhill action at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden on July 21.
Ertel bested Sechelt's Gracie Hemstreet by 7.27 seconds and Squamish's Madison Skrypnek by 20.18 seconds to win the UCI Junior Women's category.
Meanwhile, Vanessa Michaud Bouffard was second in the UCI Elite Women's category, one minute and 42 seconds (1:42) back of winner Rachel Pageau of Chicoutimi, Que. In the U17 expert men's division, Pemberton's Christopher Beaton hit the podium in third, 12.89 seconds behind winner Drew Mozell of North Vancouver. Beaton nicked fellow Pembertonian Samuell English for third.
Meanwhile, in the elite men's category, Garrett McIntosh took fifth, exactly 15 seconds back of champion Samuel Thibault of Chambly, Que.
Complete results are available online at www.cyclingcanada.ca.
Pemberton paddlers excel at B.C. Championships
Pemberton Canoe Association athletes took home a dozen medals from the B.C. Championships at Kamloops' Shumway Lake on July 20.
Landon Drain took two, earning a win in the U16 K-1 200-metre race and a third in the 6000m while Brenna Nott took third in both the U16 C-1 200m and 1,000m.
George McLeod took a trio of second-place finishes in the junior men's C-1 events, the 200, 500 and 1,000 m contests.
Also on the individual side, Kieran Nott took three top-10 finishes, including a best result of sixth in the U16 K-1 6,000m.
In the team contests, Kieran Nott, Drain, Austin Burt and Taika Auger won the K-4 500m event. As for the duos, Drain and Nott won the K-2 1,000m race while in the junior men's division, Kai Auger and McLeod topped the C-2 500 and 1,000 m events while taking second in the 200m.
In the next day's BC Cup, Burt took second in the U13 K-1 1,000m and third in the 200m, while Auger was third in the U13/U14 C-1 200m.
In the team events, Burt, the Augers and Will Taylor were third in the U14 C-4 500m, Burt and Taika Auger were third in the U14 K-2 500m and Kai Auger and Taylor took third in the U14 C-2 500m.
McLeod, Drain, the Notts and Burt will attend next month's nationals in Regina. The Augers qualified but opted not to compete.
Full results are online at www.canoekayakbc.ca.
