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Kindree kicks off season with Ore Crusher win

Sandra Walter first woman across the line at the Squamish mountain bike event
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For the last three mountain bike seasons Neal Kindree has been the owner of the first major Sea to Sky corridor mountain bike race of the season.

Kindree won the Ore Crusher race in Squamish on Saturday, May 11 taking almost two minutes off his 2012 time.

The first race of this season, hosted at Don Ross Secondary in Brackendale, saw Kris Sneddon cross the finish line in second place behind Kindree. Quinn Moberg of Squamish placed third.

Kindree's winning time was one hour, 49 minutes and 19 seconds. Back in 2011 the Squamish rider posted a winning time of 1:51:20 on a slightly shorter course.

Sneddon followed Kindree at the event this year just less than two minutes later while Moberg clocked a time of 1:53:24.

Sandra Walter was the first woman across the line, 21st place overall with a time of two hours and five minutes. Jean Ann Berkanpas followed Walter seven minutes later.

Prize money was up for grabs for the first time in Ore Crusher history in the form of two primes. Race director Armand Hurford gave $100 cash prizes to Squamish's Greg Day for being the first rider to the first prime while Kindree won the second prize. Berkenpas took the first women's prime and Walter passed her to take the second women's prime.

Kindree said after the race that he started powering up his race after Day took the first prime. Sneddon and Kindree swapped the lead a few times in the first half of the race.

"Once I took the lead I was really focused on applying myself effectively," said Kindree, adding that he used a series of accelerations to wear down Sneddon.

There are no friends on race day, said Kindree, and once he figured out how to crack Sneddon he rode ahead and stayed out front.

At the finish, Moberg said he had Sneddon in sight for the first lap but the gap opened in the second lap.

"I rode most of the race on my own," said Moberg.

The race route passes by the cemetery in Squamish and Moberg said his grandparents are both buried there. For inspiration he said he rode the race with pictures of his grandparents in one of his pockets.

"I miss them a lot," said Moberg. "It has been three and four years since they died and I think about them a lot."

Walter successfully defended the Ore Crusher title she won last year. According to the pro-elite racer, the course beats her up every time she races it.

"I think this particular course is very unique," said Walter. "Most mountain bike courses have a significant climb and a significant descent. This isn't like that, it's a constant suffer-fest and it's really different, but it's good to practice all different types of riding."

The next major mountain bike race is the Test of Metal set for June 15, which Kindree plans on racing. He won it in 2012.

Age Group Results:

Men 14 to 19

1. Rhys Verner, Squamish — 2:00:11

2. Austin Reith, Whistler — 2:12:46

3. Luke Dimarzo, Squamish — 2:12:48

Women 14 to 19

1. Mikayla Martin, Squamish — 2:46:51

Men 20 to 29

1. Logan Tacoma, Vancouver — 2:12:23

2. Cam Sylvester, Ontario — 2:12:59

3. Davey Mitchell, Squamish — 2:13:38

Women 20 to 29

1. Zoe Dawson, Squamish — 2:25:28

2. Regan Kolhardt, Squamish — 2:39:19

3. Megan Wolfe, Vancouver — 2:46:58

Men 30 to 34

1. Jeff Riemer, Squamish — 2:01:13

2. Steve Devantier, Pitt Meadows — 2:01:19

3. Eric Goodwin, Squamish — 2:01:32

Women 30 to 34

1. Emily Thy, Cumberland — 2:46:25

2. Lynne Laporte, Vancouver — 2:49:19

3. Keara Clark, North Van — 2:49:21

Men 35 to 39

1. Matthew Drown, Vancouver — 2:02:46

2. Kevin Rodger, North Van — 2:12:25

3. Brady Fleguel, Vancouver — 2:13:45

Women 35 to 39

1. Sarah Greenwood, Squamish — 2:38:29

2. Deb Cuthbert, Vancouver — 2:44:41

3. Sarah Seads, Courtenay — 2:44:56

Men 40 to 44

1. Dwayne Kress, Squamish — 1:56:45

2. Mike Hunter, North Van — 2:02:01

3. Mike Boehm, Whistler — 2:02:36

Women 40 to 44

1. Nicola Mann, Bellingham — 2:25:32

2. Kimberley Beck, North Van — 2:49:26

3. Pascale Houde, Comox — 2:58:58

Men 45 to 49

1. Pete Holzhuter, Kamloops — 2:12:30

2. Jay Menning, North Van — 2:12:32

3. Derek Shiers, Bellingham — 2:13:06

Women 45 to 49

1. Leah Montgomery, Coquitlam — 2:50:33

2. Judy Garren, Port Coquitlam — 3:11:12

3. Sandra Mollet, North Van — 3:21:12=

Men 50 to 54

1. Sheldon Orr, Delta — 2:12:43

2. John Rozell, Vancouver — 2:16:44

3. Justin Webb, North Van — 2:25:34

Women 50 to 54

1. Barb Cooke — 2:47:03

2. Laurie Kalf, Errington — 2:47:05

3. Gail Sawers, Vancouver — 2:52:39

Men 55 to 59

1. Tony Routley, Whistler — 2:04:58

2. William Liebenberg, North Van — 2:39.26

3. Ernie Bodie, West Van — 2:44:48

Full results at www.webscorer.com.