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Sports Briefs: Routley rides into top-10 in Mexico

After a solid performance at the Tour of Missouri in September, the all-Canadian Symmetrics Team headed to the Vuelta de Chihuahua stage race in Mexico with both the UCI Americas Tour title and overall tour champion to their credit — as well as the k

After a solid performance at the Tour of Missouri in September, the all-Canadian Symmetrics Team headed to the Vuelta de Chihuahua stage race in Mexico with both the UCI Americas Tour title and overall tour champion to their credit — as well as the knowledge that they can ride with just about anybody.

The team has had huge success in Mexico, and Whistler’s Will Routley is a big part of it.

In the first stage, 82.6 km, Christian Meier placed 12 th overall and second in the Under 23 category after escaping with a 30-rider lead group. Cameron Evans also broke the top 30, finishing 24 th .

The second stage, 147.8 km, was tougher with Symmetrics missing out on the lead group, but Andrew Pinfold succeeded in placing eighth, while Christian Meier dropped back to 31 st .

The third stage, a 198 km epic, was a big one for Symmetrics as Meier placed 14 th to jump to seventh overall and first in the Under 23 category. Will Routley and Cameron Evans cracked the top-30 in 26 th and 27 th places respectively.

On the fourth stage, a tough ride in the mountains, Meier got into the lead break to place fifth. Cameron Evans was 27 th , and Geoff Kabush placed just outside of the top-30 in 31 st .

Andrew Pinfold placed fourth on stage five, and Christian Meier was 10 th .

The sixth stage was a big one for the team with both Cameron Evans, Will Routley and Christian Meier getting into the lead break. Evans placed second, Routley eighth and Meier ninth.

The other teams attacked hard on the seventh day, blocking Symmetrics from the top-10. Christian Meier was 14 th , Geoff Kabush 19 th , and Andrew Pinfold 26 th .

With different teams taking the lead each day, Meier’s consistency placed him second overall in the general classification, just back of Tour de France veteran Francisco Mancebo of Spain. Meier also won the Under 23 category. Cameron Evans placed 22 nd and Routley 27 th overall. Symmetrics placed a very respectable seventh in the team category against top teams from the U.S., Mexico, South America and Spain.

 

Canadians top Paralympic awards

Canadian athletes earned three of five 2007 Paralympic Sports Awards given out by the International Paralympic Committee, which will be presented by the IPC in Korea next month. The awards mainly recognize Paralympic performances.

Brian McKeever, a visually impaired cross-country skier who can compete in able-bodied World Cup events, won three medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy and received the Best Male Athlete honours. Alpine skier Lauren Woolstencroft, who won gold and silver medals in Italy, was named Best Female Athlete. The men’s ice sledge hockey team won for Best Team Performance after capturing the gold medal in Torino. The team did not even make the medal round in the 2002 Paralympic Winter Games.

 

Segger-Gigg tops 50 km run

Local adventure racer Jen Segger-Gigg entered her first 50 Mile (80 km) run last week in Oregon, the North Face Endurance Challenge, and placed fourth overall and first among women.

Segger-Gigg, 27, finished the race in nine hours, 47 minutes, 21 seconds, or about an hour and 40 minutes faster than the next female in the run. She averaged a mile (1.61 km) every 11:44.

“It was brutal tough, hardest ultra I’ve ever done” she said. “My goal was not to go down and win but rather to just have a good run and be able to qualify for my 100 miler which is (this) weekend in San Diego.”

Segger-Gigg earned $1,000 for the win, as well as an all-expense-paid trip to San Francisco on Dec. 1 to compete in the North Face Endurance Ultra Running Championships.

“I guess my season has to go a little longer is I had hoped to take some R&R time after next weekend. Right now my feet are destroyed and I have no toenails.”

To follow Segger-Gigg in the San Diego 100 Mile Endurance Run, visit http://members.cox.net/sandiego100/

 

Halloween Ride next Thursday

The Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association is hosting its third annual Halloween ride on Thursday, Oct. 25, with registration at the Spruce Grove Field House at 5:30 p.m. The race will get underway at 6 p.m.

This is a night race, and participants should bring good quality lights to see the trail, which will be marked by pumpkins and glow sticks.

There is also a contest for best costume, but riders are reminded that helmets are mandatory, and that their costume should not impede their vision or ability to operate a bike.

The course is short, and faster riders will have the option of making two laps if they make the cutoff at 6:45 p.m. Food and refreshments will be provided by WORCA at the finish.

The cost is $2 to take part, and you must be a registered member of WORCA. WORCA will be sending the proceeds and any donations raised to the Richard Juryn Memorial Fund in recognition of his contributions to mountain biking in the province.

 

Freestyle Coaches recognized

Four coaches from the Canadian Freestyle Ski Team were presented Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Awards this week, recognizing their efforts with the national team the past season. Three athletes — Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau, Kristi Richards and Jennifer Heil — won world championship titles last year, while Heil and Steve Omischl won overall World Cup champion globes for moguls and aerials respectively.

The coaches receiving the awards were Rob Kober, Stephen Fearing, Dominick Gauthier, and Daniel Murphy.

 

Quest basketball season gets underway

The newly opened Quest University in Squamish is hosting its first men’s basketball home game Saturday, Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m. at the Athletic and Recreation Centre. The team is playing an exhibition game against the Capilano College Blues in the Sea to Sky Challenge. Quest is currently in its demonstration year in the B.C. College Athletic Association.

The team recently played the Thompson Rivers University Desert Classic tournament, where first-year forward Bryce Froberg was named to the all-start team.

Before Saturday night’s game, Quest is offering a Roast Beef dinner in the University Services Building for $6, starting at 5 p.m.