Carol Prince defeated Melanie Bernier to produce a big upset in the first XC Twoonie race of the season on Wednesday.
Prince managed to get an early lead on Bernier, and she held it right to the end to upset the perennial winner of Revelstoke’s women’s races. Prince’s winning time of 57:20 beat out was 68 seconds faster than Bernier’s time.
According to organizers, it was the first time Bernier failed to win a Twoonie race, except for when World Cup champion Catherine Pendrel showed up.
The course saw the racers do two seven-kilometre laps, descending Toad School, Berm Donor and Dusty Beaver; and climbing Buff Enuff and the power line road.
The weather was cool and overcast, and a light rain crept in during the race.
On the men’s side, Lee English from Salmon Arm took the victory, finishing the 14 kilometre course in a time of 51:50. Nash Masson was second in 52:38 and Bart Jarmula finished third 53:00.
Jarmula had a lead on the first climb up Buff Enuff, but he said he was passed by English while climbing under the BC Hydro power lines.
Youngsters Dominic Unterberger and Kellen Viznaugh finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Emily Unterberger finished third on the women’s side.
The next race is on Wednesday, June 5, at Mt. Macpherson. It is an enduro formate, where races will try to complete as many laps of a four kilometre circuit as possible in 90 minutes.
The downhill race series begins on Sunday, June 9, with a chainless race down TNT.
