U of T’s mountain bike team captured their fourth OUA championship in five years after another strong showing in last weekend’s race. The fourth and final race of the season took place on Sunday at Boler Mountain ski area in London, Ontario. The weather was crisp but clear, and course conditions were excellent.
Each lap consisted of 6.7 kilometres of single-track with moderate climbing, although things were kept interesting by several short, technical climbs and obstacles. The OUA race series is divided into A and B categories, the former being the longer, more competitive races, while the latter provide a less demanding alternative for those new to the sport.
The Blues have a history of dedicated and successful riders developing from the absolute beginner level. Despite a perception of the sport as being fairly extreme, it seems that once people get started, they’re hooked. Veteran rider Rhain Louis says he’s seen a lot of riders come and go over his four years with the team, but the focus has always been on having a good time.
“It’s been great to be a member of a team where all the racers not only do well, but also have a lot of fun.”
Blues coach David Wright is the chairperson of the Ontario University Mountain Bike Race Council, and a long-time advocate for university-level mountain biking in Ontario. He attributes the growing success of the club to the “have fun, love to ride” philosophy that has been the cornerstone of the U of T mountain bike squad since it was founded five years ago.
“Sometimes competition can ruin love of the sport. Our series nurtures [fun] rather than cramming competition down people’s throats. And you know, it results in spectacular performances.”
Not least of these would be the showings provided by two members of the women’s team, Carrie Cartmill and rookie Angela Pick, who each came away with a win on Sunday as well as overall titles for the A- and B-level races, respectively.
Cartmill, who raced in her first mountain bike race last year with the Varsity Blues and dominated the B category, edged out the second-place rider by 30 seconds on Sunday despite a spill on the third and final lap.
Also reaching the podium at this weekend’s race were Kim Meggison and Laila Mnyusiwalla, while on the men’s side an exceptional performance was turned in by Timur Maltaric, who placed third in the A race.
In the large men’s B field, Mike Callaghan, Tim Finlay and Tony Chen pulled off top 10 finishes. This year, teams were fielded from 13 universities, including two riders from McGill University. It was an amazing turnout for this relatively young sport.
Despite the upcoming graduations of several key riders, the depth of the team suggests that the Blues are looking forward to a successful season in 2003.
