In a bit of foreshadowing for the last two races of the afternoon in Midland, Ontario, Ruby West (Ten Speed Hero p/b Specialized) and Clara Honsinger (Team S&M CX) engaged in a Canada v. United States battle for the U23 Women’s title.
After West and Katie Clouse (Alpha Bicycle – Groove Subaru) got off to a blistering start, Honsinger moved up in the second lap and got off the front with West.
In the latter part of Lap 3, Honsinger got a gap of a few seconds on West. It grew as she popped back out onto the start/finish straight heading into two to go, but over the next lap, West dangled within shouting distance of Honsinger. One small mistake or a bad line choice, and the front position could have easily changed in an instant.
Lap 4 of 5, Honsinger finally gained some breathing room. She crossed the line for the last time with almost 15 seconds on West. She would not relinquish the lead, taking home her first Pan-American Championship.
West finished second and Clouse third.
Winner interview and full U23 Women’s results below. Stay tuned for more coverage from the 2018 Pan American Cyclocross Championships here.
2018 Pan Am Masters Cyclocross Championships Results: U23 Women
| Place | Bib | Name | Team | Nation | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | HONSINGER, Clara | TEAM S&M CX | USA | 43:44:00 | |
| 2 | 2 | WEST, Ruby | SPECIALIZED - TENSPEED HERO | CAN | 44:07:00 | 0:23 |
| 3 | 4 | CLOUSE, Katie | ALPHA BICYCLE GROOVE SUBARU | USA | 44:32:00 | 0:48 |
| 4 | 3 | SWARTZ, Emma | TREK FACTORY RACING CX | USA | 45:36:00 | 1:52 |
| 5 | 19 | JOHNSTON, Emilly | NAKED FACTORY RACING | CAN | 45:57:00 | 2:13 |
| 6 | 6 | GILLIGAN, Dana | MACOGEP-ARGON18-GIRONDINS DE BORDEAUX P/P MAZDA | CAN | 46:24:00 | 2:40 |
| 7 | 5 | VALLIERES MILL, Magdeleine | QUEBECOR / STINGRAY | CAN | 46:38:00 | 2:54 |
| 8 | 13 | MCGILL, Sidney | FOCUS CX CANADA | CAN | 46:56:00 | 3:12 |
| 9 | 24 | TOOLEY, Bridget | GARNEAU-EASTON P/B TRANSITIONS LIFECARE | USA | 47:02:00 | 3:18 |
| 10 | 7 | SANTOS, Katherine | AMY D FOUNDATION | USA | 47:11:00 | 3:27 |
| 11 | 11 | RUSSENBERGER, Sophie | TEAM S&M CX | USA | 48:04:00 | 4:20 |
| 12 | 10 | SCHMIDTMANN, Petra | VAN DESSEL FACTORY TEAM | USA | 48:06:00 | 4:22 |
| 13 | 15 | RAMSAY, Turner | ALPHA BICYCLE CO.- GROOVE SUBARU | USA | 48:29:00 | 4:45 |
| 14 | 25 | MITCHELL, Ellie | NWCX PROJECT | USA | 48:59:00 | 5:15 |
| 15 | 9 | LAWSON, Kelly | HARDWOOD NEXT WAVE CYCLING TEAM | CAN | 49:05:00 | 5:21 |
| 16 | 17 | WRIGHT, Téa | BOULDER JUNIOR CYCLING | USA | 49:33:00 | 5:49 |
| 17 | 8 | LEONARD, Erica | HIGHGATE RACING P/B D'ORNELLAS BIKE SHOP | CAN | 49:44:00 | 6:00 |
| 18 | 14 | DINAN, Clio | INDEPENDENT | USA | 50:28:00 | 6:44 |
| 19 | 21 | MCDICKEN, Kathryn | ASU JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT | USA | 50:44:00 | 7:00 |
| 20 | 20 | VANDERHAEGEN, Juliann | NWCX PROJECT | USA | 51:04:00 | 7:20 |
| 21 | 16 | WALCROFT, Katelyn | HARDWOOD NEXT WAVE CYCLING TEAM | CAN | 51:13:00 | 7:29 |
| 22 | 27 | STEL, Jocelyn | GIANT TORONTO PB LIV | CAN | 51:15:00 | 7:31 |
| 23 | 12 | SHIKAZE, Kaitlyn | CYCLEPATH OAKVILLE RACE TEAM | CAN | 41:24:00 | -1 Lap |
| 24 | 18 | TOBIAS, Aliza | KMS CYCLING - KILLINGTON MOUNTAIN SCHOOL | USA | 43:55:00 | -1 Lap |
| 25 | 26 | STECIUK, Claire | INDEPENDENT | CAN | 32:40:00 | -2 Laps |
| 26 | 28 | ARCHBOLD, Elizabeth | MADONNA WHEELERS CYCLING CLUB | CAN | 33:02:00 | -2 Laps |
| 27 | 23 | REID, Carys | HARDWOOD NEXT WAVE CYCLING TEAM | CAN | 33:13:00 | -2 Laps |
| 28 | 22 | TURBITT, Kathleen | NCCH PB FRANKLIN TEMPLETON INVESTMENTS | CAN | 25:38:00 | -3 Laps |
