Kabush and Pendrel lead Canadian team to mountain bike worlds

Eleven cross country racers, including eight elites and three Under 23s, will represent Canada at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Canberra, Australia, on September 1-6.

Mount Sainte Anne World Cup winner and National Champion Catharine Pendrel will lead the elite team along with Bromont World Cup winner and National Champion Geoff Kabush. Both riders are from British Columbia.

Two other national champions, Emily Batty of Ontario and Raphaël Gagne of Quebec, will lead the Under 23 squad.

The team is undergoing final preparations for the championships and will begin traveling to Australia on August 25, with plenty of time to ready for the opening event, the team relay, on September 1. Kabush, Pendrel, Gagne and Evan Guthrie will make up Canada's relay team.

Funding from the Canadian Cycling Association, which determined the selections, will allow the elite team's travel to be partially funded. Donations to support the team are being accepted. To contribute, fill out a donation form at http://www.canadian-cycling.com/cca/donations/cash_donations.shtml and e-mail it to Nicholas Vipond at nicholas.vipond@canadian-cycling.com. All contributions will go directly towards covering the athletes' expenses.

Canadian cross country team for the 2009 World Mountain Bike Championships

Elite Men
Geoff Kabush
Derek Zandstra
Max Plaxton
Seamus McGrath

Elite Women
Catharine Pendrel
Marie-Helene Premont
Amanda Sin
Mical Dyck

Under 23 Men
Raphaël Gagne

Under 23 Women
Emily Batty
Mikaela Kofman