Neal Kindree continued his comeback to competitive mountain biking on the weekend, placing first at the Sunshine Coaster in Roberts Creek.
Kindree handily won the elite men's division cross country race with a time of two hours, 10 minutes, 34 seconds, besting the second-place racer Ricky Federau of Chilliwack by more than three minutes. Kindree had not tackled the race since his win as a junior five years ago due to a fracture that has kept him from the sport he loves.
"This is my first year back and I got some good results," he said.
The Squamish racer found the 45-kilometre course difficult, but satisfying.
"It was a good course, a really hard cross-country course with steep uphills and good twisty trails. It was relentless. It kept your heart rate up," he said.
Saturday (April 30) saw 162 cross country racers hit the trails with several locals faring well including: Brackendale's Matteo Abel, who put together a strong time in the 40 to 44 male division, placing second out of 19 racers with a time of 2:43:10, while Garibaldi Highlands resident Michael Roblin placed 17th in the same division; Jan Toom of Garibaldi Highlands put together a strong run in the Beer Drinker Men's division, with a time of 2:09:16, good for second place out of 12 racers; and Brackendale's Brandi Heisterman won the Elite Women's cross country with a time of 2:35:00.
It was also a good showing for several members of Team Squamish. Quinn Moberg finished first in the shorter Gangster Male 28 km race with a time of 1:36:52 and his teammate Mo Lawrence was second with a time of 1:46:53. Nicholas Bruce, also of Team Squamish, finished fourth.
Team Squamish's Lauren Rosser won the Gangster Female with a time of 2:03:46, with her teammate Kristen Drygas placing third. In the Youngster Male division, Rhys Verner placed second, Luke DiMarzo finished third and Ethan Toom placed fifth.
The downhill portion of the event saw 200 racers hit the trails on Sunday (April 30). Team Squamish again had a strong afternoon, with Mason Moberg placing first in the U15 men's division with a time of 3:29:26. Rhys Verner and Luke DiMarzo finished second and third, respectively, in the same race and Ethan Toom placed ninth. Team Squamish member Alex Hinkson also competed on Sunday, finishing 10th in the Junior Expert Men's division.
For more information and full results from the race, visit www.sunshinecoaster.net.
- With files from Christine Wood, Coast Reporter
