MacPhee and Woods storm to XCC national titles in Langford

Short racing meets stormy weather on the west coast The post MacPhee and Woods storm to XCC national titles in Langford appeared first on Canadian Cycling Magazine .

2026 Canadian cross country national championships kicked off with a day of fast short track racing and wild weather on Vancouver Island. The short format, 20 minute races kicked off a weekend of championship racing at Jordie Lunn Bike Park in Langford, with dry weather giving way to rain and, at times, rare incidents of west coast thunder as the day progressed. Ella MacPhee and Carter Woods emerged from the storms as the 2026 elite XCC national champions.

Under 17, junior, and U23 titles also were handed out, with sunny skies breaking through the clouds just on time for podiums. Joshua Tyers, in the red and black of Ontario left, wasn’t fastest off the start, but already had his eyes on the front of the race. Under-17 XCC championships The first Cycling Canada championship race of the day was the under-17 women.

Anna Christensen (Ontario / Shredders) earned the win ahead of Hannah Lehmann (Ontario / Collingwood Collective) and Megan Ruelland (CVM Sigma Assurance). On the men’s side, Joshua Tyers (Ontario / Hot Tubes Development) quickly moved to the front of a large U17 men’s field and stayed there to claim the win. Tom Lawson (Stimulus Trek) and James Pinfold rounded out the podium in second and third.

Junior women XCC Canadian championships In the junior women’s race, Elaine Blais (Pittstop Racing Team) quickly moved to the front. Lacey Dennis (Charge Racing) and Alexa Haviland (Shredders Race Team) chased hard, but Blais could not be stopped. She takes the junior women’s title with Dennis in second and Haviland third.

Junior Men’s XCC championships In the next race up, Emilien Belzile delivered a matching result for the Pittstop Racing Team. While a large group of junior men stayed together for much of the 20 minute race, Belzile launched a searing attack up the main climb on the back of the short course, dropping the remainder of the field and soloing away to victory. Ethan Wood (Charge Racing) would take second with Evan Moore (Collingwood Collective) third.

Rafaelle Carrier took the holeshot in the combined elite/under-23 women’s field on Thursday. Elite and Under-23 women In one of two headlining events, the elite and under-23 women raced in a combined field, with separate titles awarded for each category. For a while, it looked like Rafaelle Carrier (Trinity Racing) might take both titles.

The Quebec race lead early and was often on the front of a group that whittled down to Emilly Johnston (Scott-SRAM), Ella MacPhee (Wilier-Vittoria) and Marin Lowe (Liv Factory Racing). Emilly Johnston (left) and Ella MacPhee (right) test the legs mid-race in the elite women’s XCC. At the finish line, though, it was Ella MacPhee racing up into elite, making a late pass to cross the line first.

“I put in a really hard effort going into the descent on the last lap, but Raf was there as well,” MacPhee explained. “There was a little short climb on the descent and I was able to sneak around and just attack to the finish from there.” MacPhee takes her first national title, winning the elite women’s XCC Canadian championships.

“I felt very in control during this race. I had a plan to put a little dig in with four laps to go and see what happens,” MacPhee said after the finish, adding that a fast pace from the front group over a tactical battle helped stretch out the race. “The legs were feeling good, and we were working well to really push the pace into the downhills.

“ Ella MacPhee wins the 2026 elite women’s XCC title at Jordie Lunn Bike Park in Langford, B.C Carrier crosses the line second, winning the under-23 women’s title. Emilly Johnston (Scott SRAM) finishes third overall and second in the elite women’s race. Anne Marie Gautier rounds out that podium in third.

Behind Carrier, Marin Lowe (Liv Factory Racing) and Elli Clark (Caledon Hills Armada) round out the under-23 women’s podium. They also finish fourth and fifth in the combined elite/u23 women’s field. The elite/U23 men’s start line.

Elite/U23 men’s XCC championships For the final race of the day, the slowly intensifying rain hit a crescendo. The rain the elite women finished in finally managed to soak through the dust to create properly wet conditions. Pivot Cycles-OTE started the elite/under-23 men’s race, like the women a combined field with separate titles, with numbers on their side.

The blue train used that to their advantage, working to control the pace wherever possible. “That’s perfect for me. We sort of have a strategy that we don’t go hard until 12 minutes at World Cups so I was just hanging out in the group,” Carter Woods said after the race.

“I did a little test with two to go and saw the field was quite stretched out. So I attacked the start/finish, attacked the climb and saw there was a decent gap and rode it home to the line.” Woods takes the elite men’s XCC national title for 2026.

Woods follows Ackert and Cole Punchard with Logan Sadesky on his wheel. Woods, coming off career-best results at the end of a long block of European results, carried much of that form even over a quick transition from Sunday’s XCO World Cup in Andorra back to Canada’s west coast. For the Vancouver Island-born racer, and new father, it’s a rare opportunity to race in front of extended family and, with results in pocket, race with a bit less stress.

“It’s always nice, The last years coming back here, I’ve really enjoyed it,” Woods said after congratulations from his grandparents in the finish area. Gunnar Holmgren (Pivot Cycles-OTE) holds on for second with Logan Sadesky earning one of two podiums for local team with big ambitions, Blue Bridge Racing. Ian Ackert was on the front of the elite men’s race quite often on Thursday.

That effort was rewarded with a maple leaf jersey for the next 12 months. Ian Ackert (Pivot Cycles-OTE) sees his work on the front pay off with an under-23 XCC national title. He’s joined on the podium by Mika Comaniuk (Pittstop Racing) and Blue Bridge Racing’s Soren Weselake, also hot off a successful block of European racing.

Racing at 2026 Canadian cross country national championships continues on Friday with masters championship racing. The Elite, under-23 and juniors get a day of rest before taking on the full XCO championships course on Saturday. Full results from all Thursday’s XCC racing in Langford are online now.

Under-17 women , Under 17 men . Junior women . Junior men .

Elite/Under-23 women . Elite/Under-23 men . The post MacPhee and Woods storm to XCC national titles in Langford appeared first on Canadian Cycling Magazine .