There were sunny skies, cool temperatures and heated racing as the 2026 Canada Cup cross country season launched off to an early start on Vancouver Island over the weekend. Several Canadian national champions – and more than a few World Cup winners – were on the start list alongside the upcomping generation of younger riders from across the country making for exciting racing all day.

It’s been a few years since Langford hosted a season opener. Back then, it was on the slopes of Bear Mountain. This year marked the debut of Jordie Lunn Bike Park as a Canada Cup venue. The park hosted 2025 XCO nationals, of course, and does in 2026 as well. But this weekend showed hints at what a revised course could look like for this year’s big event. More climbing, more singletrack, and more exciting descending from JLPB’s growing selection of trails.

Ethan Wood launching into the lead in Langford.
U17 and Juniors

Canada Cup racing’s youngest category kicked things off, with the under-17 men and under-17 women. In the U17 men’s race, James Pinfold (Escape Velocity) soloed away from James Chalkley (Cyclemeisters/Bow Cycle) to win both the race and the battle of the James’s. Joshua Tyers (Hot Tubes Dev.) followed less than a minute behind Chalkley in third.

The under-17 women’s field, while smaller, had perhaps the most geographically balanced podium of the day. Hannah Lehmann (Collingwood Collective) took a solid win ahead of Elin Grimmett (PEI) while Hazel Roberts of Peak Pursuits put the prairie provinces on the box.

In the junior women’s race, Julia Lehmann powered away to take another win for the Collingwood Collective. Lacey Dennis (Charge Racing) followed in second after a close race against Sierra Jolicoeur (Academie de Velo Mt Tremblant) in third and Elisabeth Martin in fourth.

National champion Ethan Wood (Charge Racing) attacked early to win the junior men’s race, putting the field in the rear view after the start loop and extending his lead all the way to the finish. Farland Lamont (Collingwood Collective) finished second ahead of the U.S.A.’s Jude Marsden. With a string of UCI races starting mid-week in Arkansas, there was less international presence than in some years, but several riders did cross the border north to join in Saturday’s racing.

“Last week I was pretty sick, coming back from Puerto Rico,” Wood admitted after the race, “I was a little bit nervous with the sickness, so I’m pretty stoked to win.”

Jenn Jackson drops in at Jordie Lunn Bike Park
Elite/U23 women

The women’s race was one of the smaller fields and both most accomplished of the day. Jenn Jackson (Orbea Factory Team) put in a move early, leaving Marin Lowe (Liv Factory Racing) and Ella Macphee (Wilier Vittoria) to chase. Eleanor Winchell (Gravity Collective) initially followed before dropping back to finish fourth.

“Jenn got away early in a sneak attack,” Macphee said after the race, with Lowe adding “She’s really good at those. That’s something we can learn from. We could see her for a while, and we were talking to each other saying, like, she’s right there we can get her!”

Lowe leads Mcphee up the climb.

The two under-23 racers train together in Victoria, giving the a bit of a training ride feel but also giving them an advantage in chasing the elite national champion. “We were just kind of trading places, letting each other lead where we were stronger, trying to close the gap,” Macphee said. A race is a race, though, and when the pursuit of Jackson ran out of runway, they inevitably had to start racing each other for the places and points on offer. When did the switch happen? “On the last lap” Lowe says. “I new she wouldn’t let me back in front.” Macphee held position leaving the singletrack. “I was kind of concerned about her sprint already, so I didn’t let her by at the top of hte last climb. But she had her sprint still.” Lowe outkicks Macphee for second.

It is Jenn Jackson, though, that takes the win.

“The course was fun. The changes they made from last year, adding the extra descent, it just made it feel like a more dynamic course. Even the climb up was mega hard, it was worth it for the descent.”

“I wouldn’t say I had a plan for when I wanted to ride away, but I had a plan for how I wanted to race, to be able to set a firm, steady rhythm. I think I made the difference not on the steep part of the climb but through the transitions at the top. That’s been a focus for me, not just pushing on the climbs.”

“I really appreciate 94Forard and Jon (Watkin, Panache Sports) were able to bring the event her for us. We have so many top riders, even though the fields aren’t enormous. Being able to bring races to us, for the kids that are going to school here or local to reduce our travelling is amazing. I really appreciate that effort and just being able to race close to home is fasntastic.”

Carter Woods leads Jack Spranger down Berm Reynolds’ corners
Elite/U23 men

The elte men’s race ended up being a game of strategy and attrition. Mika Comaniuk (Pittstop Racing) pushed the pace early on, but the leaders seemed to sit up and let the group reform through the start/finish area for the first half of the race. The lead group whittled down by a rider or two every lap until, for the final two laps, it was just Jack Spranger and Carter Woods (Giant Facotry Off-Road Team XC).

“My strategy was just to hold a steady position. I knew it was going to be a bit of a long race, so I just wanted to let the race come to me,” says eventual winner Spranger. Hitting the last climb, the Sammamish, Wash. rider made his move.

Mika Comaniuk set pace early, and held on for a podium

“I’d attacked with two to go, that made it just the two of us. Then we were just playing around for the last couple laps. The last climb, we really put the torque on, and I didn’t have enough to stay with him,” Woods says of where the difference was made. The Canadian had caused the first split, attacking with four to go, but couldn’t hold the wheel of the U.S. racer. “It’s the first race of the year, and I’m not feeling great this week, so it was just kinda blowing the cobwebs out.”

Spranger takes the win, Woods second and Mika Comaniuk is rewarded for his early efforts with third.