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Sneddon, Pendrel rule Test of Metal mud

Michael Robinson top Whistler racer
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Heavy overnight rains turned sections of the 67-kilometre Test of Metal course into mud on Saturday, but for the fastest riders on the course it was an inconvenience at best.

Despite the slippery trails, Kamloops' Catharine Pendrel broke her own course record by one second less than five full minutes to win the women's Elite category in 2:45:45. She was also 11th overall.

This also represents Pendrel's third consecutive victory in the Test, which is what you might expect from the top overall World Cup rider in 2010 and four-time World Cup winner.

She was followed by Squamish's Brandi Heisterman in 2:59:25, with Jean Ann Berkenpas placing third in 3:03:07.

Kris Sneddon took the Elite Men's category and was first overall out of a field of 826 racers with a time of 2:32:10. That would have been a record in 2008, but was about two-and-a-half minutes off the pace set by Geoff Kabush last year - a pace that would be difficult to beat in a dry year.

Chris Sheppard was second in 2:33:19, followed by Squamish rider Neal Kindree in 2:36:59.

The fastest Whistler rider this year was Michael Robinson, who placed 17th overall and 15th in Elite in 2:48:05. Josh Stott also raced in elite, finishing in 3:06:58.

Mike Boehm was 29th overall and second in the Male 35 to 39 race in 2:56:32.

Trevor Hopkins was 37th overall and third in Male 35 to 39 in 3:00:53.

Tony Routley was first in the Male 55 to 59 category in 3:03:48, with Rob McSkimming placing second in 3:07:43.

Jesse Melamed placed third in the Male 14 to 19 category in 3:12:17.

Cathryn Zeglinski was first in Female 45 to 49 in 3:20:51, almost 23 minutes faster than the next rider in her category. She was also ninth among women and the first female rider from Whistler to the finish line

"A great course and rode strong, but it evolved into an unexpected battle at the finish for me," she said. "(I) was seventh the entire race and due to some cramping in Crumpit Woods my pace slowed a bit and I was surprised to be challenged within the last few kilometres."

Two female riders pulled ahead of Zeglinski, and finished 10 seconds ahead at the finish.

Overall, Zeglinski was impressed with the women's race and the fact that sixth through 10th were separated by just two minutes. And then there's Pendrel.

"It was unelievably muddy and wet, huge slippery mud puddles on the Ring Creek Rip and roads, so the fact that Pendrel wiped out previous records and the top two women went sub-three hours is doubly amazing. I think her record in the real highlight of the race."

Kevin Hodder was 25th in Male 40 to 44 in 3:21:34.

Matt Delany was seventh in Male 30 to 34 in 3:24:47.

Richard Potter was 19th in Male 45 to 49 in 3:27:00.

Mike Conway was 13th in Male 30 to 34 in 3:29:17.

Felix Burke was 12th in Male 14 to 19 in 3:32:19.

Stuart Cook was 53rd in Male 35 to 39 in 3:44:29.

Rob Darnbrough was 49th in Male 45 to 49 in 3:47:48.

Ryan Donohue was 66th in Male 40 to 44 in 3:50:30.

Mick Peatfield was 53rd in Male 45 to 49 in 3:50:50.

Matthew Wentel was 14th in Male 14 to 19 in 3:51:06.

Alex Capon was was 36th in Male 30 to 34 in 3:53:58.

Edmund Burke was 63rd in Male 45 to 49 in 3:56:31.

That rounds out the riders that finished under four hours. Other Whistler finishers include David Safarik (4:01:55), Mike Rogerson (4:05:24), Alison Iles (fourth in Female 45 to 49 in 4:06:38), Sarah Olner (first in Female 30 to 34 in 4:08:06), David Krasny (4:08:47), David Smith (4:08:49), Patrick Plante (4:10:55), Brent Harley (4:13:29), Chloe Cross (third in Female 20 to 29 in 4:15:56), John Morley (4:17:50), Geoff Weddell (4:17:51), David Thornhill (eighth in Male 60 to 69 in 4:25:32), Alan MacConnachie (4:26:39), Mike Garcia (4:27:42), Gary Baker (first in Male 70-plus in 4:28:38), Hannah Garcia (ninth in Female 35 to 39 in 4:31:25), Jenny Angus (4:33:56), David Rushbrook (4:37:59), Martin White (4:45:02), Paul Smit (4:59:31), Johannes Grobler (5:03:24), Pat Johnston (5:21:01), Grace Blok (third in Female 55 to 59 in 5:31:55), Tony Peiffer (5:54:32), Greg Pritchard (6:08:27).

From Pemberton, Russ Wood was the fastest rider in 70th overall and 10th in Male 35 to 39 in 3:08:39. Terry Evans was 89th overall and 14th in Male 35 to 39 in 3:13:23.

Dean Linnell - who was jumped by a cougar the previous week while pre-riding the course - placed 22nd in Male 40 to 44 in 3:20:48. Les Ecker was 23rd in the same category in 3:21:07.

Dustin Gordon was 21st in Male 30 to 34 in 3:39:37.

James Heyes was 55th in Male 40 to 44 in 3:43:50.

Lisa Cajar was 25th in Female 50 to 44 in 5:17:19.

Due to space we were not able to include all the Squamish results. However, a few results deserve some mention.

Mo Lawrence, a member of Team Squamish, was 24th overall and first in the Male 14 to 19 category in 2:53:16 - the only rider in the category to break three hours. Nicholas Bruce, another Squamish rider, was second in the category in 3:02:15.

Olivier Gendron placed 26th overall and first in the Male 30 to 34 category.

Max Saenger placed second in the Male 45 to 49 race in 3:04:02.

David Roulston was first in Male 20 to 29 in 3:15:46.

Rua Read was first in Female 40 to 44 in 3:30:39.

Petra Hauke was third in Female 35 to 39 in 3:54:52.

Angela Simpson was third in Female 30 to 34 in 4:15:47.

Sue Dare was first in Female 50 to 54 in 4:19:54.

Mikayla Martin was first in Female 14 to 19 in 5:01:08.

There were two cut-offs on course, and not all of the riders made it to the finish.

Complete results are online at www.testofmetal.com.

As for the other events of the Test of Metal weekend, some 250 kids aged seven and younger turned out to the Mini Test on Sunday to ride for fun and prizes. As well, the annual Rockstar Invitational Downhill was cancelled because of the wet and dangerous course conditions.