Pan American MTB Championships - CC

Santiago, Chile, March 20-22, 2009

2008 results Schedule Preview

The Races

Race 1 - March 20: Cross Country Team Relay,
Race 2 - March 20: Downhill,
Race 3 - March 21: Four Cross,
Race 4 - March 21: Junior, Cadet & Master Cross Country,
Race 5 - March 22: Elite & U23 Cross Country,

Chilean favorites hope to excel at home during the 13th Pan Am Championships

Cristóbal Silva (Team ADO-Cannondale)
Photo ©: Cristóbal Sahr

The Pan American Championships will take place in Farellones, just 15 minutes from downtown Santiago, Chile, on March 20-22. It will bring together more than 200 riders from countries of North, South and Central America to contest cross country, downhill and 4X titles in elite, under 23, junior, cadet and master categories.

Chile is pinning its own hopes on riders like Olympian Christopher Silva to help it defend the three titles the country earned at the 2008 Pan American Games. That's where Silva won the elite men's cross country.

"I will race with all the pressure of defending the title," said Silva, "but I hope that being a local will be to my advantage."

Foreigners expected to challenge Silva include US National cross country and Super D champion Adam Craig, La Ruta de los Conquistadores winner Paolo Montoya and Leonardo Paez, who has finished fourth at the UCI World Marathon Championships.

Francisca Campos
Photo ©: Francisca Campos

In the women's cross country, Chilean Olympian Francisca Campos will battle Canadian Catherine Pendrel, who finished fourth at the Olympic Games and won a World Cup in Bromont last year. The Americans will bring national champion Mary McConneloug and fellow Olympian Georgia Gould.

Chile will be looking to make a name for itself in the gravity competitions. National champion Mauricio Acuña said, "The level of competition will be very high, and racing at 3,000 meters will make it a unique scenario."

Among the biggest stars in the men's race are American Chris van Dine, and Junior Pan-Am Champion Marcelo Gutierrez of Columbia. Dianna Margraff from Ecuador and Kathy Pruitt from the US will do battle in the women's gravity events.

Other Chilean title defenders include youth cross country champion Daniela Rojas and masters downhill champion Alejandro Cerda.

Racing will begin Friday afternoon at the Circuit La Ermita with a team relay at mid-day and the downhill in the afternoon at La Parva Bike Park. Cross country races will be held Saturday for masters, juniors and cadets and Sunday for elite and under 23 men and women. La Parva Bike Park will also host the 4X racing on Saturday evening.