Courtenay's Geoff Kabush opened the 2013 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Tour with a 15th place finish in the Men's Elite race on May 19 in Albstadt, Germany.
Racing for team SCOTT-3RoxRacing, Kabush posted a time of 1:45.29, which was 2:53 back of the winner Daniel McConnel of Australia.
Two-time reigning Canadian champion Max Plaxton of Victoria, racing with his professional team Sho-Air Cannondale, took seventh spot, finishing 1:06 back of McConnel.
Emily Batty of Brooklin, ON. was the top Canadian at the opening cross-country race of the 2013 season, finishing sixth in Women's Elite.
The Canadian team remains in Europe and travels to the Czech Republic for the second event of the UCI World Cup tour in Nove Mesto this weekend.