Carter Hovey and Sarah Noble had very little room for improvement in this year's Test of Metal - but they managed.
Both competitors went from second to first overall and both posted their best times ever in the 67-km race to win gold and the $1,200 cheques that come with placing first in the men's and women's overall standings Saturday (June 26).
Noble increased her earnings at the event by claiming the ten primes along the course. Each prime is worth $100 and they are claimed by the first male and first female riders to reach the ten designated points along the course. Noble left the event with $2,200 in prize money and a new women's record time of 3:11:42. She finished almost five minutes ahead of Wendy Simms in second place.
Hovey didn't win any primes. He took the lead from the defending champion, Andrew Kyle, near the end of the race.
The victory was the second for Hovey, who also took top honours in 2002.
Last year was a mirror image of the 2004 finish. Hovey led for much of the race and took home $1,000 in primes, with Kyle just off Hovey's back wheel for much of the race before passing him near the finish.
This time, it was Hovey who trailed for much of the race and then in the technical single-track trails of the Crumpit Woods, Hovey made his move and passed the race leader with 10 kilometres left to finish 39 seconds ahead of Kyle.
Race director Cliff Miller said he is happy that two good B.C athletes won the event.
High school racer Heather Rochetta was the winner of the trophy awarded to the fastest Squamish woman. Rochetta cleared the course in 3:32:03. Her time was good for eighth place overall amongst the women. Meghan Kindree finished tenth overall and she crossed the finish line a little more than five minutes behind Heather.
Brennan Covey was the fastest local male, placing 12th overall in a time of 2:53:56.
"It is great that Brenny won; you can't get a better local to win," said Miller.
The win marked Covey's second claim to the award.
Miller was also pleased that an up-and-coming 17-year-old won the women's trophy
"Hopefully we'll see Heather on Team Canada for the Olympics," Miller said.
Steven Williams of Seattle completed the punishing Ultra Test (also known as So You Think You're Tough, Eh), in 5:38:58. Maribeth Evezich was the fastest woman in the 100-km event with a time of 7:58:14.
"I think those guys are crazy but it was a total success," Miller said of the Ultra.
More than 200 volunteers helped make the event a reality. The actual number who help is much higher due to the fact that some of the volunteers help in small ways and are not included in the official count. Some residents who live on the course offered water to the riders. The temperature topped out at 31 Celsius on race day and some residents acted as unofficial volunteers by standing at the edge of their property with hoses that were used to spray those racers looking for a cool-down.
"Awesome as usual," Miller said of the volunteer force.
