Gee Atherton wins the Canadian Open DH

Today saw Gee Atherton (GBR) and Emmeline Ragot (FRA) hammer down the steep rock faces and notoriously technical Canadian Open DH course to take first place in their respective pro divisions in the race presented by Kona. Ragot is the current UCI Downhill World Champion and Atherton won the men's title in 2008. They are both moving on from dominating downhill events at Kokanee Crankworx to the Downhill World Championships taking place in Mont-Saint-Anne, starting September 2, 2010. The demanding slopes of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park are an ideal setting to train and prepare worldclass athletes for the demands of the Downhill World Championships. Atherton, who also won the Dual Slalom at Kokanee Crankworx, had a solid run in the Candian Open DH presented by Kona and swept in at 3:04.14, second place went to pinner Lewis Buchanan (SCO) with a time of 3:09.16 while Justin Leov (NZL) maintained a pace almost exactly the same as Buchanan's to come in at 3:09.20. "This was a real tough course to ride today," says Atherton. "It has been a long season and I am excited to go from here onto the World Championships in Mont-Saint-Anne." Emmeline Ragot, who has been competing in various events all week also held on for a solid run. She blazed into first place with a time of 3:37.78, more than seven seconds faster than her first place time in 2009's Canadian Open DH. Claire Buchar (CAD) took second place with a time of 3:43.12 and up and coming racer Miranda Miller (CAD) took home third with a time of 3:46.85. Mens Results: 1. Gee Atherton (GBR) – 3m 04.14secs 2. Lewis Buchanan (SCO) – 3m 09.16secs 3. Justin Leov (Trek World Racing) – 3m 09.20secs 4. Troy Brosnan (AUS) – 3m 09.27secs 5. Andrew Neethling (Trek World Racing) – 3m 09.79secs Womens Results: 1. Emmeline Ragot (FRA) - 3:37.78 2. Claire Buchar (CAN) - 3:43.12 3. Miranda Miller (CAN) - 3:46.85 Find full event results here: www.crankworx.com