Canada roars to 7 medals at Para-cycling World Cup
Calgary's Michael Sametz wins gold in men's C5 category
Team Canada got off to an impressive start to Para-cycling Road World Cup season on Friday, scoring seven medals in the the first day of competition in Maniago, Italy.
Canadian athletes won one gold, three silver and three bronze medals during the individual time trial competitions.
Michael Sametz of Calgary won the only Canadian gold medal of the day in the men's C5 category, beating Sergey Ustinov of Russia by over one minute.
"It was a good ride and a personal best for me," Sametz said. "I hit all the metrics I wanted to hit, so it was pretty awesome."
Silver medals were won by Marie-Claude Molnar of St-Hubert, Que, in the women's C4 category, Tristen Chernove of Cranbrook, B.C., in men's C2, and by the women's tandem team of Robbi Weldon, of Ottawa, and her pilot Audrey Lemieux, of Montreal.
"The time trial was a long one and a hard course," Weldon said. "We had a fantastic race with great prep leading into it at a training camp in California. It's a great start to the season."
"It was a good ride for the most part," Chernove said. "What I was trying to execute happened, although I did drop my chain with about 200 metres to go and that cost me a bit of time. I think I was in first when the chain came off and I had to push the bike, but that's bike racing. I felt really good on the bike and it's nice to be on the podium."
Bronze medals were won by Nicole Clermont, from St Denis de Brompton, Que., in women's C5, Charles Moreau from Victoriaville, B.C., in men's H3 and the women's tandem team of Shawna Ryan, of Saskatoon, and her pilot Joanie Caron, from Rimouski, Que.
"I'm really happy with the result," Moreau said. "It's difficult to have specific expectations at the beginning of the year, not knowing where the other riders are in their preparation. But I was quite close to first and second, by only a few seconds, so I'm really quite happy."
Racing continues over the weekend with the road race events.