as Go; _ North Van rider ranked second on Canadian women’s circuit Jan-Christian Sorensen Sports Reporter jsorensen@nsnews.com NORTH Vancouver’s Barb Haley is the gold medal gurl. Haley, 29, claimed the top spot in the pro women’s division at _ the Canadian Mountain Biking Championships held in Camp _ Fortune, Que. in July. She also competes in the Canada Cup competitive series that crisscrosses the country, pitting some of the nation "s best riders ? |. against each other.in downhill cross country and dual slalom events. Haley took part in the two most recent Cup competitions — in Vernon Aug. 12-13 and Kamloops Aug. 19-20. The downhill competition is a straight timed event while dual slalom pits wo riders against each other on separate, gated cours- ._€8, Burns, step-up and step-down jumps, tabletops and gap jumps -are added to increase the difficulty. ““Tt’s a lot-like a BMX course on a hili,” said Haley. She said the toughest event, however, is the duals slalom — where a pair of riders take to the same course in a race against . time, obstacles and each other, “There’s a little bit of body or bike contact sometimes,” she “said, which can result in wipcouts. “The juraps sometimes get “ intimidating as well.” - = The competitions can attract as many as 200 riders in a num- ber of age and skill categories for men, women and juniors. - It’s Haley’s fifth year racing. She got involved almost on a whim, when one weekend she decided to try her luck in a race. i She finished second i in the downhill competition and first over- me ‘goth hooked,” ’ she admitted, “Ths next year I got a lot more Wednesday, September 6, 2000 - North Shore News - 41 = SPORTS NORTH Vancouver's Barb Haley took the gold medal in the pro women’s division at the Canadian Mountain Biking Championships held in Quebec in July. serious about it.” However, prize money is tight on the mountain biking circuit, she said. She counts on a number of sponsors to float her when she competes, Among her many backers are On Top Bike Shop, Kuka com- ponents, Mantra sunglasses and Roach. . Haley will compete in the National Off-Road Bicycle Association (NORBA) mountain biking finals at Mammoth * Mountain in California this weekend. She’s currently ranked 12th News photo lle twerson overall in the U.S. and trying to crack the top ‘ten. At home, sl she —. - owns the second overall slot on the Canadian circuit. She said that the tougher competition is down south. “The field for pro women riders in the States is much larger. There’s about 16 riders in‘ the. division up here and anywhere. from 30 to 40 per event down there.” Haley, who works with the Cypress Ski Patrol in the winter, will elso compete in the World. Freeride Championships in Whistler Sept. 20-24, the last sane-.: tioned event of the mountain biking season. - Trophy berth et aims for Champions From * page 39 une. the ‘squad com- peted in the America’s Cup competition in Cuba and fin- ished second in the 11-team ! field, dropping the ‘champi- ° onship final” to the host country 2-1.° “Tt. was. disappointing,” “said Bird. “We expected to win that one.” ~~ Most: recently, the team returned: from a. European tour, ‘where it played eight official “test - matches — and posted “a respectable 5-1-2 cord: As for the Olympics, it may bode well that the team won a tourney this time last year in Canberra, Australia and placed third in another in Sydney. Bird, Milkovich and Gifford were together as part of the Canadian rep team that “placed eleventh in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. “In 1988 it was more of an accomplishment that Canada "got there and still played well ~and competed,” said Bird. “I don’t really think there was the depth in the team to pull i it off, though.” This time, he sees things a litde differently. “Obviously we're alot older, so that changes things, but moreso it’s just that the team’s more competitive. There’s a real sense that if we lay oir best we're going to! , 5 ‘ this be in the hunt at Olympics. The team really believes that we can _ pull something off.” Besides the medal, there’s another goal to aim for: the top six finishers. at the Games will automatically secure a berth at the — prestigious Champions Trophy event to be held in Pakistan next fall. Canada has- never sent a team to the competition. The team has a tough go of it in their competitive pool, though — among the five teams they'll face off against is the defending Olympic and World Cup champion Dutch team. The other four teams in the pool are Germany, Pakistan, ‘Great Britain and Malaysia — three of which have grabbed gold in past Olympics them- selves, The second pool is home to Australia, Spain, Korea, India, Poland and Argentina. And while Bird said Australia has an edge because of its host-country status, he also expects Pakistan and India to put on a good run. “They're the traditional powerhouses from the ‘60s and ‘7Qs and ‘80s and one of them always steps up.” Wotice of Traffic Pattern Change TEMPORARY BUS LANE SOUTHBOUND OW CAPILANO ROAD FROM HIGHWAY OWE TO GARDEN AVENUE The team will open the Games with a matchup against Pakistan Sept. 16. After that, it's Germany Sept. 18; Holland Sept. 20; Great Britain Sept. 24; and Malaysia on Sept. 26. . Semi-final action begins on. “Sept. 28 with finals slated for” DEVELOPING BC AND CANADIAN TALENT A SAJBO > TALIC § HEAD COACH LYLE REGINALD . DOUG ABERCROMBIE F . COACH .. COACH ss Are one again proud to be offering the EFS year round program for 2000/2001... FOR MORE INFO CALL. 988-2304 SAJBO or 781-3874 LYLE Professional Certified — Experienced Personable 825 West 3rd Street 904-9494 _Wwww. bfit bc.ca ° Le sty ‘North Shore's only private: : ‘personal training facility.” In order to ease congestion.during the Lions Gate Bridge construction and closures, the District will install a temporary “bus only lane" southbound on Capilano Road from Highway#I to Garden Avenue. Ic is important ‘that bus access be maintained during the closures to provide an alternative to residents who “wish to use public transportation, or if the bridge does not epen on time. The temporary bus lane will replace part of the centre lane of the existing roadway.The existing southbound left turn lanes will be shorc- ened and the northbound left turn lane will he removed. It is anticipated that this work will be completed by September 9th, weather permitting. Watch for signage on Capilano Read to direct you. For more information, please call 990-2450. « working» together for a better community Hey Kids... Earn money delivering the Menta Suore Rews.