Trek’s Batty wins women’s short track
- By Steve Frothingham
- Published Apr. 18, 2009
- Updated Apr. 19, 2009 at 11:39 AM UTC
Riding alone the last three laps, Catharine Pendrel (Luna) looked like she had the Sea Otter short track sewn up, but Emily Batty (Trek) had other plans.
Chasing just behind with Heather Irmiger (Subaru-Gary Fisher), Batty jumped with half a lap to go on a paved climb, and held her lead to the finish.
“I just felt like I had so much energy,” Batty said. “It will be a good opener for (the cross-country race) tomorrow.”
Norway’s Lene Byberg (Specialized) leapt past Irmiger and Pendrel to finish second, with Pendrel rounding out the podium.
“It was definitely close,” Pendrel said of her time off the front. “But I knew you’re never safe when there’s a group behind you, because on the last lap some people have been sitting in and they’re ready to make a move. But I put out a good effort.”
Byberg had just traveled from the World Cup in South Africa the prior weekend. Next weekend she’s racing in Germany.
“This is actually my second short track ever,” Byberg said. “I was here in 2007 for the first time.”
About midway through the race Byberg drilled it at the front of a group. For a time she was alone off the front with Gould. Then a lead group of five formed: Byberg, Georgia Gould (Luna), Pendrel, Irmiger and Batty.
“I know I’m not a sprinter,” Byberg said. “Always in a World Cup I’m a slow, diesel engine. I just had to go make the pace so we were four or five girls instead of 12. I did a couple laps at the front. I’m not used to riding with Heather and these girls, so I didn’t know what to expect.”
Race winner Batty expected the short track to be a good opener for her legs ahead of Sunday’s cross-country event.
“That was the plan,” she said, “but it worked out a little better than planned.
Photo Gallery
Results
Women’s Short Track
01. Emily Batty (ON) Trek Store
02. Lene Byberg (Norway) Specialized Factory Racing
03. Catharine Pendrel (BC) The Luna Chix
04. Heather Irmiger (CO) Subaru Gary Fisher
05. Georgia Gould (CO) The Luna Chix
06. Kelli Emmett (CO) Giant
07. Willow Koerber (NC) Subaru Gary Fisher
08. Katerina Nash (CA) The Luna Chix
09. Melanie Mcquaid (BC) Sho-Air
10. Jenna Rinehart (MN) Specialized
11. Pua Sawicki (CA)
12. Mical Dyck (AB) Trektorontostore/tenascape
13. Catherine Vipond (ON) Norco Factory
14. Chloe Forsman (AZ)
15. Kathy Sherwin (UT) Kenda Tomac Hayes
16. Jean Ann Mckirdy (BC) Local Ride Racing
17. Judy Freeman (CO) Tough Girl
18. Anina Aaron (NC) Kenda Kmc Hayes
19. Amanda Carey (ID) Kenda Tomac Hayes
20. Sue Butler (OR) Monavie-Cannondale
21. Erin Huck (CO) Tokyo Joes
22. Maureen Kunz (CA) Lost Coast Brewery
23. Sonya Looney (CO)
24. Lindsey Bishop (CO) Mafia Racing
25. Heather Holmes (UT) Kenda Tomac Hayes
26. Sandra Walter (BC)
27. Caitlyn Tuel (CO) Tough Girl
28. Joy Duerksen (CA)
29. Essence Barton (CA)
30. Philicia Marion (NC) Kenda Kmc Hayes
31. Emma Worldpeace (CA) Lost Coast Brewery
FILED UNDER: Mountain / News / Race Report / Race Result TAGS: Sea Otter Classic
Steve Frothingham
VeloNews.com editor Steve Frothingham joined the gang in bike-crazy Boulder in early 2008. He is the former executive editor of the trade magazine Bicycle Retailer & Industry News. He also was a reporter and editor for The Associated Press, where he covered three presidential primaries in politics-crazy New Hampshire. His racing career began on a BMX track in 1980 and reached its zenith with several miserable road races as a category 2 in the early 90s. He subsequently retreated to cat. 3, where he has had a consistently mediocre (at best) record ever since, in road, mountain bike and cyclocross events. Follow him on Twitter at @steve_froth