Paralympic round-up: Canadian Para cyclists pedal to a record 12 medals at World Cup

BAIE-COMEAU, Que. – Tristen Chernove of Cranbrook, B.C., Shelley Gautier of Toronto, Ross Wilson of Edmonton and Marie-Claude Molnar of St-Hubert, Que., each contributed two medals to Canada’s record haul at the sixth and final stop on the Para cycling World Cup circuit which concluded on Sunday.

The performances came only two weeks after an impressive seven-medal tally at the world championships in Italy. Para cycling was Canada’s best sport at the 2016 Paralympic Games with nine medals.

“It was a really, really good World Cup for us,” said Sebastien Travers, Para head coach for Cycling Canada, after his troops collected a World Cup high 12 medals. “The athletes that came on board for this event showed a lot of potential, and we can be assured we will see more of them in the coming years.’’
 
Chernove, fresh from earning gold at the worlds, prevailed again in the road race clocking one hour, 29 minutes and 27 seconds to finish almost 1.5 seconds ahead of Spain’s Maurice Far Eckhard Tio. The 43-year-old Canadian added a silver in the time trial.

Also with gold this past week were Gautier in both the women’s tricycle time trial and road race, Holly Dapp of Fort Erie, Ont., in the women’s H2 road race, Michael Sametz of Calgary in the men’s C3 time trial and Charles Moreau of Victoriaville, Que., in the men’s handcycle 3 time trial.

Ross Wilson of Edmonton took silver in the C1 road race and bronze in the time trial and Marie-Claude Molnar of St-Hubert, Que., earned a bronze in both her C4 races.

In the overall World Cup standings, Gautier took the women’s T1 title; second overall were Chernove the men’s C2, Dapp in the women’s H2 and Moreau in the men’s H3 while third-place finishers were Sametz in the men’s C3 and Nicole Clermont of St Denis de Brompton, Que., in women’s C5.

‘’Points-wise, we are in a good position,’’ added Travers. “We have already earned a spot for the Paralympics, so things are looking good. Of course, 2019 and 2020 are still part of the qualification process, so we have to make sure we are qualifying as many spots as we can for the Games. 

‘’I’m happy and proud of everyone, and it was a good event for us.”

Para archery: Canada’s Karen Van Nest wins bronze at Pan Am Championships

MEDELLIN, Colombia – Five-time Paralympian Karen Van Nest of North Bay, Ont., won the bronze medal in the women’s compound division this past weekend at the Pan Am Para archery championships.

Van Nest, the defending champion, lost her semifinal match 132-131 to Liliana Montiel of Mexico then defeated Teresa Wallace of the U.S. in the third-place match 140-130. World No. 1 Jane Karla Gogel of Brazil won the gold defeating the Mexican 140-129 in the final. 

Kevin Evans of Jaffray, B.C. and Kyle Tremblay of Deep River, Ont., were sixth and ninth in the men’s compound.

Para canoe world championships this week in Portugal

Canada will field a three-member squad for the Para canoe worlds which start Wednesday   at Montemor O Velho, Portugal. The entries are 2016 Paralympians Erica Scarff of Mississauga, Ont., and Christine Gauthier of Dorval, Que., along with national team rookie Mathieu St-Pierre of Shawinigan, Que.