While New Brunswick produces plenty of potatoes, the province isn't well-known for its Olympic athletes.
Enlarge Photo But a farm near Harvey Station sprouted Catharine Pendrel, one of just two Canadian women competing at the Beijing Olympics in mountain biking.
It's cliché to say "they grow 'em big on the farm," but in Pendrel's case, it wouldn't apply anyway.
At five-foot-five and 109 pounds, her coach Dan Proulx says she's a small package of power that just keeps getting better at her sport.
"She's tiny and she's absolutely a powerhouse," says Proulx. "She's all racer, just built for climbing."
The two first crossed paths in 2002 when Pendrel moved to study at the University of Victoria. She joined the triathlon club as a way to meet people, and ended up meeting both Proulx, and her husband Keith Wilson, who she married in December, 2006.
But Proulx hasn't always thought so highly of Pendrel's ability.
"I was starting a pro women's cycling team and had to pick a sixth rider. I had a choice between two girls on the triathlon team and Catharine just wasn't strong enough so I couldn't pick her," laughs Proulx. "She went from not being strong enough to make that squad to one of the best in the world. Obviously, she had the genetics the whole time and just needed some help to bring that out."
The 27-year-old's athletic bloodline includes grandfather John Pendrel and his brothers Fred and Roy, who were champion speedskaters in Ontario in the 1920s.
Her first major influence in cycling was her older brother Geoff, who gave her an old bike back in high school. Geoff, now a world-class downhill racer, encouraged her to try a race in the New Brunswick Cup series.
"It was a lot of fun," Catharine Pendrel recalls. "People were really great, everybody's camping out of the back of their car, road trips every weekend. "¦"‰Then I realized once I actually started to get good at it, it was fun on a competitive level as well."
Pendrel has been riding for a long time, just not necessarily a bike. She grew up around horses on the farm in Smithfield Settlement and in her younger years, equestrian was her sport of choice.
"As a baby she would sit on the back of a pony," says her father, Bruce Pendrel. "I think without even realizing it she was quite athletic, and the other thing about equestrian is, there's a lot of discipline. You spend 10 times the amount of time taking care of the horse as riding it and having fun."
After changing from hoofs to wheels, Catharine went from the New Brunswick Cup to the 2001 Canada Games in London, Ont., where she finished sixth. But she really didn't get serious about training until she met Proulx.
"When I was in New Brunswick I just rode for fun and did what I thought I had to do," said Pendrel, who now lives in Kamloops, B.C., where the trails are plentiful and her husband teaches high school math.
Proulx introduced her to much more scientific methods, from working on technical mountain bike skills to long-distance endurance rides to interval training, which consists of intense bursts followed by periods of rest. She cracked the national team in 2004, and has continued to squeeze her tiny frame onto an ever-shrinking squad: there were seven Canadian women at the 2004 world championships, compared to just two at this year's Olympics.
Pendrel, a member of the Luna professional team, is ranked eighth in the World Cup standings, and she finished second in a World Cup event in Mont-Ste-Anne, Que. last month. She was behind only Canadian teammate Marie-Helene Premont, who won a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Pendrel competes on Aug. 22, and won't be heading to China until Aug. 17, skipping the Opening Ceremonies to limit exposure to heat and pollution. She has been working with a physiologist to develop strategies to manage the intense heat during the two-hour race. The team will also have anti-pollution masks available at the Games, although Pendrel doesn't think she'll use one during competition.
She's shooting for a top-five finish, which Proulx says is realistic.
"Every year she's improved at least one big step, from being competitive in Canada Cups a few short years ago, to competing at nationals and world championships. Olympics are the next thing," says Proulx. "She's going to be a top-five, top-six competitor and (if she goes on to the 2012 Olympics in London), she'll be in the medals for sure."
Her husband and parents will be in Beijing, along with Adrian Gill, a cousin who lives in England. Her mother says, if she sets a goal, she'll figure out a way to reach it.
"This is a girl who was brought up in Harvey Station, a community of (350). We live on a farm. And she's been able - through determination and a lot of support - to go all the way to the Olympics," says Bertin. "It's really motivating for kids who think the Olympics are just a dream that's totally unattainable."
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Wrubleski wins battle of Olympic-bound cyclists
Saturday, July 5, 2008 | 9:42 PM ET CBC Sports Alex Wrubleski and Leigh Hobson can only hope they duplicate Saturday's performance at the Canadian national cycling championships when they go to the Beijing Olympics in August.
Erinne Willock led out her professional cycling teammate Wrubleski until the final kilometre, when the Regina native went to the front and outkicked Hobson at the line in the women's road race.
The 114-kilometre event was a race of attrition, with the field of 60-plus riders whittled down to 12 shortly before the halfway point after a series of attacks by favourites, including Wrubleski, Hobson (Cambridge, Ont.), Willock (Victoria) and national time trial champion Anne Samplonius (Montreal).
The group stayed intact until the final few kilometres, when it began to splinter under constant attacks by Willock and Wrubleski.
"Erinne was so strong," Wrubleski said from St. Georges, Que., site of the Canadian championships. "She had me hurting on the climbs. We had discussed a couple of strategies before the race, and we knew that if it came down to a sprint that Erinne would be working to set me up.
"It worked out perfectly. I think it shows that we have a strong team for Beijing."
Felicia Gomez of Fredericton finished third in the sprint to take the bronze medal.
Julie Beveridge of Calgary was seventh and won the under-23 age category title.
With files from the Canadian Press
Canadian Olympic Mountain Bike Team Announced
Catharine Pendrel becomes the second Elitewave athlete to be officially named to the Olympic Team. Congrats Catharine!!!!
The Canadian Cycling Association has formally released the names of the two men and two women who will represent Canada in the mountain bike events at the Beijing Olympic Games in August. There are no surprises: it will be Geoff Kabush and Seamus McGrath for the men, and Marie-Helene Premont and Catharine Pendrel for the women.
"All four have a history of strong performances at the international level," commented Sean O'Donnell for the CCA. "It is a strong team, a very experienced team, and we feel there is good medal potential."
Both Premont and Pendrel have been on the podium during the World Cups this season, with Premont the current World Cup leader. Premont was the silver medalist at the Athens Games in 2004.
"I knew that I will be on the team for a while, so it's not a big surprise," commented Premont. "But I'm very happy about the team, I think we can do great things at the Games."
This will be Catharine Pendrel's first Olympics. The Kamloops-based rider moved into the ranks of top-10 contenders last year, and has now stepped up to top-5.
"What does being named to the Olympic team mean? That's a big question. It means so many things. It's an incredible honour to go for the number 1 ranked country in women's mtb. I feel like it is my way to give back to the people that have helped me get here. My coach, Dan Proulx, my husband Keith, my parents Bruce and Johanna and my brother Geoff, and many great sponsors present and past: Luna and ClifBar, Norco and the Bike Barn. I know it is going to be an amazing experience."
"As for my Goals & Expectations: Last year the CCA stated that their goal for the women was to earn one medal and one top 5. I have prepared this year with that goal in mind. I didn't just want to make it to the Olympics, but wanted to go, knowing I could do a top 5 there. My goal will be to ride the best race I can. After racing the test event I think I can have a strong performance on that course and after two great Worlds I know I can be competitive when the other women are on the top of their game."
On the men's side, it is a second trip to the Olympics for both Kabush (Sydney, 2000) and McGrath (Athens, 2004). Each finished 9th, and each is looking to improve upon that results.
"It has been eight years since my first somewhat unexpected trip to the 2000 Olympics and since then it has been my primary goal to return to what is the biggest stage in sport," explains Geoff Kabush. "The last couple years have been great but I never take anything for granted; it is a great honor to finally see my name down on paper representing Canada at the Olympics again."
"Since my last trip I have matured a lot as an athlete and I am excited to be heading to Beijing as I am coming into my prime. Team Maxxis has provided me with incredible support leading into this year and I feel very strong mentally and physically as the Games get closer; I feel like I have been saving a little bit of my batteries for this final push in the next couple months."
"I respect my competition but I am not intimidated and I feel like I can really compete at the front of the race if everything comes together on August 23rd. It is a lot of fun racing my bike and I want to say thanks to everyone who has supported my career along the way."
Seamus McGrath, who is about to start the BC Bike Race on Saturday, spoke with us from Victoria. "It's awesome. I'm totally excited about it, and glad to get the call. Obviously, when you go to the Olympics there's a lot of pressure because everyone is looking for a medal. But when I look back now, 9th was a very good result. Now, a top 5 finish is a goal that I have."
"To prepare I will be doing the BC Bike Race to revisit my base; it will be good, hard training. After that I will focus on good rides in Mont Ste Anne and Bromont (World Cups); the timing is very good for my preparation. And the fact that I am used to the summer heat, being from Ontario is definitely going to be a big factor, I hope."
The Canadian Cycling Association has formally released the names of the two men and two women who will represent Canada in the mountain bike events at the Beijing Olympic Games in August. There are no surprises: it will be Geoff Kabush and Seamus McGrath for the men, and Marie-Helene Premont and Catharine Pendrel for the women.
"All four have a history of strong performances at the international level," commented Sean O'Donnell for the CCA. "It is a strong team, a very experienced team, and we feel there is good medal potential."
Both Premont and Pendrel have been on the podium during the World Cups this season, with Premont the current World Cup leader. Premont was the silver medalist at the Athens Games in 2004.
"I knew that I will be on the team for a while, so it's not a big surprise," commented Premont. "But I'm very happy about the team, I think we can do great things at the Games."
This will be Catharine Pendrel's first Olympics. The Kamloops-based rider moved into the ranks of top-10 contenders last year, and has now stepped up to top-5.
"What does being named to the Olympic team mean? That's a big question. It means so many things. It's an incredible honour to go for the number 1 ranked country in women's mtb. I feel like it is my way to give back to the people that have helped me get here. My coach, Dan Proulx, my husband Keith, my parents Bruce and Johanna and my brother Geoff, and many great sponsors present and past: Luna and ClifBar, Norco and the Bike Barn. I know it is going to be an amazing experience."
"As for my Goals & Expectations: Last year the CCA stated that their goal for the women was to earn one medal and one top 5. I have prepared this year with that goal in mind. I didn't just want to make it to the Olympics, but wanted to go, knowing I could do a top 5 there. My goal will be to ride the best race I can. After racing the test event I think I can have a strong performance on that course and after two great Worlds I know I can be competitive when the other women are on the top of their game."
On the men's side, it is a second trip to the Olympics for both Kabush (Sydney, 2000) and McGrath (Athens, 2004). Each finished 9th, and each is looking to improve upon that results.
"It has been eight years since my first somewhat unexpected trip to the 2000 Olympics and since then it has been my primary goal to return to what is the biggest stage in sport," explains Geoff Kabush. "The last couple years have been great but I never take anything for granted; it is a great honor to finally see my name down on paper representing Canada at the Olympics again."
"Since my last trip I have matured a lot as an athlete and I am excited to be heading to Beijing as I am coming into my prime. Team Maxxis has provided me with incredible support leading into this year and I feel very strong mentally and physically as the Games get closer; I feel like I have been saving a little bit of my batteries for this final push in the next couple months."
"I respect my competition but I am not intimidated and I feel like I can really compete at the front of the race if everything comes together on August 23rd. It is a lot of fun racing my bike and I want to say thanks to everyone who has supported my career along the way."
Seamus McGrath, who is about to start the BC Bike Race on Saturday, spoke with us from Victoria. "It's awesome. I'm totally excited about it, and glad to get the call. Obviously, when you go to the Olympics there's a lot of pressure because everyone is looking for a medal. But when I look back now, 9th was a very good result. Now, a top 5 finish is a goal that I have."
"To prepare I will be doing the BC Bike Race to revisit my base; it will be good, hard training. After that I will focus on good rides in Mont Ste Anne and Bromont (World Cups); the timing is very good for my preparation. And the fact that I am used to the summer heat, being from Ontario is definitely going to be a big factor, I hope."
Coach Dan - Olympic Team Manager for Cycling
Sean O'Donnell, the Manager of High Performance Programs, who has been with the Canadian Cycling Association for seven years, will be leaving the CCA at the end of this month to move to a job with Sport Canada.
Sean came to the CCA with no background in cycling, but a willingness to learn, and has progressed through the years to become a key member of the national team program, with a highlight being the role of Team Manager for Canada's Olympic cycling squad in 2004.
For us at CC, Sean has been an invaluable resource, and one of the first people we have called on with questions about national team projects, rankings, etc.
Good luck with your new position, Sean.
Hi everyone,
As a small number of you have already heard, I recently submitted my resignation to the CCA. I will be working up until July 4 and am leaving to take a position with Sport Canada. After seven years with the CCA, this was a very difficult decision for me to take. My family and I are certainly excited by the opportunity that lies ahead for me.
It has been a privilege for me to work in this office with our staff, to have worked with some outstanding coaches and most importantly to me to have worked with our incredible athletes. I leave with many good friendships and tremendous memories, having been fortunate enough to share in some small way in many of our successes over the last seven years.
As I hope you are aware, the CCA is going through a search right now for a new Chief Technical Officer and hopes to have someone in place this fall. I have agreed to work one-day a week in the office from July 15 – September 30 overseeing the transition and directing some specific initiatives. My position will remain vacant, allowing the new CTO to be involved in the restructuring of the High Performance department within the office.
Thank you for your support and cooperation. Good luck to you all this summer.
Sean O'Donnell
Sean came to the CCA with no background in cycling, but a willingness to learn, and has progressed through the years to become a key member of the national team program, with a highlight being the role of Team Manager for Canada's Olympic cycling squad in 2004.
For us at CC, Sean has been an invaluable resource, and one of the first people we have called on with questions about national team projects, rankings, etc.
Good luck with your new position, Sean.
Hi everyone,
As a small number of you have already heard, I recently submitted my resignation to the CCA. I will be working up until July 4 and am leaving to take a position with Sport Canada. After seven years with the CCA, this was a very difficult decision for me to take. My family and I are certainly excited by the opportunity that lies ahead for me.
It has been a privilege for me to work in this office with our staff, to have worked with some outstanding coaches and most importantly to me to have worked with our incredible athletes. I leave with many good friendships and tremendous memories, having been fortunate enough to share in some small way in many of our successes over the last seven years.
Unfortunately, my decision means I will not be on site at the 2008 Olympic Games. My role at the Olympic Games will be filled by Dan Proulx, a cycling coach from Victoria, who has been involved with CCA in the past as a project coach and manager. I have complete confidence in Dan that he will ensure our Olympians have an exceptional level of support on site in Beijing.
As I hope you are aware, the CCA is going through a search right now for a new Chief Technical Officer and hopes to have someone in place this fall. I have agreed to work one-day a week in the office from July 15 – September 30 overseeing the transition and directing some specific initiatives. My position will remain vacant, allowing the new CTO to be involved in the restructuring of the High Performance department within the office.
Thank you for your support and cooperation. Good luck to you all this summer.
Sean O'Donnell
Wrubelski Officially Named to Olympic Team
Congrats to Alex on being the first Elitewave athlete to be officially named to the Olympic Team!!!!!
The Canadian Cycling Association today released the names of the three men and two of the three women who will represent Canada at the Beijing Olympics in the road events. They are Alex Wrubleski and Leigh Hobson for the women, and Ryder Hesjedal, Michael Barry and Svein Tuft for the men. The third women's spot is under dispute at the moment, and expected to go through an appeal process.
All riders will compete in the road races, with one each selected for the men's and women's time trials. The men's time trial rider will be Ryder Hesjedal, and the women's is to be determined after the National championships, but is expected to be Alex Wrubleski. There is also a good chance that Canada will receive a second men's time trial spot, according the Sean O'Donnell, Manager of High Performance Programs. In that case, O'Donnell says that Svein Tuft will get the nod.
More than in the past, the teams were selected to work in the road races as teams, rather than a collection of disparate riders. All riders have the ability to go the distance on a hard course with a long climb on each lap.
In the men's category, Ryder Hesjedal is an obvious choice, based on his third in the GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise race in France, his 8th overall at Tirreno-Adriatico and 60th at the Giro d'Italia.
Ryder sent the following e-mail response to being named to the team:
"I am very excited to be going to my second Olympics, this time in different events then the first! I look forward to doing both the road race and time trial. To recieve this news while training for the Tour de France is a real dream come true!"
(Editor's Note: Hesjedal confirmed that he is headed to the Tour de France - "The offical team selection is after Route de Sud this weekend...as I am not racing [Sud], and preparing for the Tour under the team's direction I would say it is a safe bet....")
Michael Barry is Canada's only ProTour team rider, and is well used to the distances and level of competition that will be faced. He was on Canada's squad for the 2004 Games, and came close to a bronze medal with a last lap attacked that was only caught in the final kilometres. Michael provided the following comments on being selected to the 2008 Olympic squad:
"I am excited to be representing Canada - this is always an experience I look forward to and it is a real honour to wear the jersey, especially at the
Olympics. In Athens, I finished the race with some "what ifs" as I came close to the bronze with a late attack in the race. I was alone, then Merckx caught me, I cramped on the final cobbled climb with less than 2 km to go, and that was it, I was caught by the chasing peloton and the opportunity was gone. So, I know what we need to do to get on the podium, to race well, and I am eager to get back to give it another go."
We have a great team for the Games - the best possible - and as a team I think we can fly the flag prominently in the race. Ryder has certainly proven himself at the highest level and has matured as a cyclist. Sven has achieved some consistent and outstanding results this year and last so the team is a complete one - well, as complete as can be with 3 riders. With the right racing and training prior I know we will all be competitive."
The third member of the men's road team is Svein Tuft, whose UCI Americas Tour win last season paved the way for Canada to get three spots for the men. This year, Tuft has taken a slower build up than previously, but still won multiple gold medals at the Pan Am Championships, plus a stage and the overall title at the Tour de Beauce; the first Canadian to win Beauce since 1995.
We also have a video interview with Sean O'Donnell at Mountain Bike Worlds about the men's selection process, and the selections for the men's and women's time trial, but are having difficulty getting it posted with the internet connectivity in Val di Sole.
On the women's side, both Wrubleski and Hobson had a lock on two of the three spots by their top-5 performances in World Cup races this spring. Wrubleski has multiple Canadian titles both on the road and in the time trial, while Hobson has been a long time mainstay of the national team, who is particularly well suited to the climbing course the riders will face in China.
"I am very excited and honored to be part of the 2008 Olympic road team and represent Canada in Beijing," said Alex Wrubleski. "This is the one event I have been working towards for many years, and now it's less than 2 months away."
The third member of the squad was selected after much deliberation by the selection committee, however, the choice cannot be released at this time. Sean O'Donnell admitted that the third spot was a tough choice.
"I can't say enough about what the women have done this year. Each of them have stepped up and they all worked towards that common goal of getting us that third spot at the Olympics. Certainly Leigh and Alex with their results at the World Cups speak for themselves. The hardest decision was the Committee Choice, and when you go to the Games you want to bring the best team. I think to bring together three [riders] who can work towards a common goal was the most important thing."
"If you look at the riders who were in the mix: Erinne [Willock], Anne [Samplonius], Felica [Gomez], Julie Beveridge ... they were all part of the Olympic pool, and you could probably make a good case for each of them. You pick someone who has number of results to back up her nomination."
The Canadian Cycling Association today released the names of the three men and two of the three women who will represent Canada at the Beijing Olympics in the road events. They are Alex Wrubleski and Leigh Hobson for the women, and Ryder Hesjedal, Michael Barry and Svein Tuft for the men. The third women's spot is under dispute at the moment, and expected to go through an appeal process.
All riders will compete in the road races, with one each selected for the men's and women's time trials. The men's time trial rider will be Ryder Hesjedal, and the women's is to be determined after the National championships, but is expected to be Alex Wrubleski. There is also a good chance that Canada will receive a second men's time trial spot, according the Sean O'Donnell, Manager of High Performance Programs. In that case, O'Donnell says that Svein Tuft will get the nod.
More than in the past, the teams were selected to work in the road races as teams, rather than a collection of disparate riders. All riders have the ability to go the distance on a hard course with a long climb on each lap.
In the men's category, Ryder Hesjedal is an obvious choice, based on his third in the GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise race in France, his 8th overall at Tirreno-Adriatico and 60th at the Giro d'Italia.
Ryder sent the following e-mail response to being named to the team:
"I am very excited to be going to my second Olympics, this time in different events then the first! I look forward to doing both the road race and time trial. To recieve this news while training for the Tour de France is a real dream come true!"
(Editor's Note: Hesjedal confirmed that he is headed to the Tour de France - "The offical team selection is after Route de Sud this weekend...as I am not racing [Sud], and preparing for the Tour under the team's direction I would say it is a safe bet....")
Michael Barry is Canada's only ProTour team rider, and is well used to the distances and level of competition that will be faced. He was on Canada's squad for the 2004 Games, and came close to a bronze medal with a last lap attacked that was only caught in the final kilometres. Michael provided the following comments on being selected to the 2008 Olympic squad:
"I am excited to be representing Canada - this is always an experience I look forward to and it is a real honour to wear the jersey, especially at the
Olympics. In Athens, I finished the race with some "what ifs" as I came close to the bronze with a late attack in the race. I was alone, then Merckx caught me, I cramped on the final cobbled climb with less than 2 km to go, and that was it, I was caught by the chasing peloton and the opportunity was gone. So, I know what we need to do to get on the podium, to race well, and I am eager to get back to give it another go."
We have a great team for the Games - the best possible - and as a team I think we can fly the flag prominently in the race. Ryder has certainly proven himself at the highest level and has matured as a cyclist. Sven has achieved some consistent and outstanding results this year and last so the team is a complete one - well, as complete as can be with 3 riders. With the right racing and training prior I know we will all be competitive."
The third member of the men's road team is Svein Tuft, whose UCI Americas Tour win last season paved the way for Canada to get three spots for the men. This year, Tuft has taken a slower build up than previously, but still won multiple gold medals at the Pan Am Championships, plus a stage and the overall title at the Tour de Beauce; the first Canadian to win Beauce since 1995.
We also have a video interview with Sean O'Donnell at Mountain Bike Worlds about the men's selection process, and the selections for the men's and women's time trial, but are having difficulty getting it posted with the internet connectivity in Val di Sole.
On the women's side, both Wrubleski and Hobson had a lock on two of the three spots by their top-5 performances in World Cup races this spring. Wrubleski has multiple Canadian titles both on the road and in the time trial, while Hobson has been a long time mainstay of the national team, who is particularly well suited to the climbing course the riders will face in China.
"I am very excited and honored to be part of the 2008 Olympic road team and represent Canada in Beijing," said Alex Wrubleski. "This is the one event I have been working towards for many years, and now it's less than 2 months away."
The third member of the squad was selected after much deliberation by the selection committee, however, the choice cannot be released at this time. Sean O'Donnell admitted that the third spot was a tough choice.
"I can't say enough about what the women have done this year. Each of them have stepped up and they all worked towards that common goal of getting us that third spot at the Olympics. Certainly Leigh and Alex with their results at the World Cups speak for themselves. The hardest decision was the Committee Choice, and when you go to the Games you want to bring the best team. I think to bring together three [riders] who can work towards a common goal was the most important thing."
"If you look at the riders who were in the mix: Erinne [Willock], Anne [Samplonius], Felica [Gomez], Julie Beveridge ... they were all part of the Olympic pool, and you could probably make a good case for each of them. You pick someone who has number of results to back up her nomination."
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