For the third consecutive year, Squamish's Neal Kindree won the Orecrusher race but a young local served notice that he's hoping to nip away at Kindree's heels.
Kindree set a new course record at the event on Saturday (May 11) with a time of 1:49:19, edging out Sechelt's Kris Sneddon by one minute and 34 seconds. In third and reaching the podium as an adult for the first time at a local race was Squamish's Quinn Moberg, who finished the race in 1:53:23.
It was a hard race, he said, noting the Orecrusher is a very different style of race than others in B.C. I wanted to be a major player in this race and it's nice to get on the podium.
Moberg said that Kindree separated from he and Sneddon at the second prime and Sneddon pulled away shortly thereafter. He said he's had a great winter and is looking forward to the coming months.
I'm really stoked on mountain biking right now, he said. I've put on some growth and am getting bigger. Corsa has also really helped me out a lot this offseason.
He said he's developed a bit of a friendly rivalry with Kindree and said next month's Test of Metal should be a battle.
I've got my eyes on the Test of Metal, he said. I want to take his title belt. He has to get that title fight for the Test and I think I can give it to him. I really want to win that race.
Kindree said he enjoyed the race.
Wicked day of racing at the OreCrusher XC battling with Kris Sneddon, he tweeted following the race. It was a legit bike race... nothing easy about it. Thanks Vollies!
Moberg said he's going to continue focusing on training for the Test of Metal but is eyeing participation in Pemberton's Nimby 50 race on May 25.
Coquitlam's Sandra Walter was the top female, with a time of 2:05:00. It's the second straight win at Orecrusher for Walter, who had also won the last two JABR's.
Walter said she was battling with Maple Ridge's Jean Ann Berkenpas early on but eventually pulled away.
She [Berkenpas] got the first prime and after that I got around her and went really hard, she said. I love riding in 麻豆社国产and just love the technical aspect of riding out here. It was a really good race today and the weather was awesome.
A total of two primes were added to the race by race director Armand Hurford and were won by Squamish's Greg Day and Kindree for the men, with Berkenpas and Walter winning for the women. All four racers received $100 for their efforts.
Other top ten local overall finishers included: Greg Day (fifth), Dwayne Kress (sixth) and Rhys Verner (10th).
It was a good day for Verner, who also won the men 14 to 19 division with a time of 2:00:11. He beat out Whistler's Austin Reith and Squamish's Luke DiMarzo to win the category.
Other local division winners included: Jeff Riemer (men 30 to 34), Kress (men 40 to 44), Mikayla Martin (women 14 to 19), Zoe Dawson (women 20 to 29), Sarah Greenwood (women 35 to 39), Barb Cooke (women 50 to 54) and Judy Roberts (women 60 to 69).
For complete results from the race, visit www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=8786
