Catherine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) gets her first win of the year (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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The Canadian National Under 23 Women's Team (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Catherine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) looked good on the steep climbs (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Lea Davison (Specialized) settled into third position and rode her own race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Lea Davison (Specialized) descends singletrack with Emily Batty close behind (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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The climbs were brutal (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Laura Bietola (Canadian National Under 23 Team) (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Catherine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) climbs the mountain alone on the last lap (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Catherine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) passes Ty Kady, who piloted the lead moto (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) passes some urban art on the rocks (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Judy Freeman (Kenda-Felt) has a brilliant ride (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Krista Park (Incycle) gets behind her saddle on the steep descents (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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A Specialized rider on the plateau above Fontana (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Catherine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) celebrates her victory with the crowd (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Catherine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) and Georgia Gould with separation from the field (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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The elite women start the first of the climbs (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) rides through a field of spring flowers (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Luna teammates Catherine Pendrel (Canadian National Champion) and Georgia Gould (US National Champion) were expected to battle today (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Krista Park (In Cycle) gets the hole shot (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) leads the women out on lap one (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Heather Irmiger (Trek Subaru) got off to a great start (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) follows Pendrel up the massive climb (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Emily Batty (Trek Subaru) hangs with the leaders on lap two (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Chloe Forsman (BMC) rides in sixth postion (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Catherine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) leads the race over a rock face (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Emily Batty (Trek Subaru) begins the descent from the summit (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Heather Irmiger (Trek Subaru) descends through the rocks (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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X-Terra athlete Danelle Kabush (Luna Pro Team) brought her children to watch her race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Emily Batty (Trek-Subaru) on the starting line (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Elite women's start (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
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Lea Davison (Specialized) rides to an impressive third place (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) showed why she is the reigning the World Cup series champion last season. While she rode with teammate Georgia Gould for a lap, not event the mighty Gould could stay with Pendrel on the long climb up the mountain. Gould finished a strong second followed by Lea Davison (Specialized), who continued her amazing comeback from hip surgery.
Newly signed Trek-Subaru rider Emily Batty took fourth place with a nearly flawless ride. Former Canadian champion and World Cup winner Marie-Helene Premont came down to test her legs and finished fifth.
"The course was in awesome condition. They had some rain," said Pendrel. "The first race it's nice to know you have legs. It's OK to feel good in training but it's nice to test it out."
While Pendrel's emphasis will be on World Cup racing again this year, she will mix it up with some Pro XCT races and the Whiskey 50, which will be her first 50-miler. She'll race next at the Sea Otter Classic on April 16.
Full Results
Elite women
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team
1:43:21
2
Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team
0:01:15
3
Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing
0:02:42
4
Emily Batty (Can) Subaru-Trek
0:04:15
5
Marie-Helene Premont (Can) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain
'The past two years have been very difficult' says Alpecin-Fenix sprinter
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