Marin Lowe knew it was going to come down to her and Ella MacPhee at the 2025 Canadian cross-country mountain bike championships—and that’s exactly how it played out.

“It was a tight battle,” Lowe said. “Ella and I raced together the whole time until the last climb. The gap was only eight seconds in the end.”

The two friends have been close rivals for years, but Lowe came out ahead in Langford, , claiming the U23 women’s XCO national title. A couple days earlier, she also landed third in the elite women’s XCC short track behind Jenn Jackson and MacPhee.

“There’s no U23 XCC category, so it’s cool to race the elites,” Lowe said. “It’s a good opportunity to see where we stand. And it’s awesome to share a podium with riders like Jenn and Ella.”

Ella MacPhee, Marin Lowe and Ella Myers on the U23 XCC podium. Jay Wallace photo.
Riding high in the world cup

Back in Europe, Lowe has been quietly piecing together a stellar world cup season. In her second year as a U23 rider, she’s consistently landed inside the top 10—including a 5th-place XCO and XCC finish at the most recent stop in Araxá, Brazil

“Last year my best result was 11th,” Lowe said. “So going into this season, I was aiming for consistent top tens. I’ve exceeded my goals, so I’ve been really happy.”

She credits the leap in results to staying injury-free and logging consistent training blocks—something that was tough last year after she broke the same wrist twice during the season.

“This year, no injuries, and I’ve been off-campus so I haven’t been getting sick as much either,” she said. “It’s just been a more consistent year.”

Broken bones and big goals

The 20-year-old from Squamish, B.C., is also riding with Liv Factory Racing this year—a move that’s helped solidify her as one of Canada’s top U23 prospects.

“It’s been more than I could imagine,” she said. “It feels like a real job now and that’s super motivating.”

Lowe says she’s still got two more years in the U23 category, but she’s already thinking about what that transition to elite will feel like.

“I think it can be a humbling jump, but I’m excited for it. It’s the pinnacle of the sport.”

For now, she’s aiming for more U23 podiums and dreaming about one day pulling on the rainbow jersey.

“The rainbow stripes would be pretty cool,” she said. “I’m not going to shy away from that one.”

Next up: Europe, again

Lowe heads back to Europe in mid-August to race the French Cup, the Les Gets world cup, and then World Championships before returning to the University of Victoria this fall.