Clear skies didn’t detract from the muddy trails and difficult trek for competitors at last weekend’s Queen’s Cyclo-cross Race, held Sunday.
Elite division champions Nathan Killam, of Vancouver, and Kelly Welbourn, of North Van, surged to the front of the pack during their respective men’s and women’s finals.
Killam overtook Victoria’s Raphael Lalumiere midway through the eight-lap event and held on for the win, while Vancouver’s Brett Wakefield finished third.
Welbourn led the five-lap race from the get-go, while Joele Guynup of Victoria and New West’s Lilly Ujfalusi, who at 16 was at least half the age of the top two finishers, battled it out for second and third, respectively.
In the intermediate division, 14-year-old Carden King carted off the men’s title, edging out North Van’s Drew Pautler, 39. On the women’s side, Megan O’Rourke of North Van collected the intermediate crown, edging Vancouver’s Lindsey Von Bloedau.
In other men’s finals, Chris Kam edged out New West’s Paul McCarthy in masters B division, while James Birkenbuel won the masters A title. Other winners were: Jessy Hoffman (open), Nathan Bishop (novice), Kai Sargent (under-13), Timo Clement (u15), Manu Moore (u17) and Timothy Ho (u19).
For the women, Carolyn Russell of Vancouver beat out North Van’s Kristin Campbell in the masters race, while Caitlin Reimer prevailed in the novice event. Picking up divisional titles were Anna Seglkeu (u13), Susanna Ujfalusi (u13), Katrin Rytir (u17) and Annabella Stoll-Dansureau (u19).
