Courtenay's Geoff Kabush is on Cycling Canada Cyclisme's list of athletes who have qualified for the 2012 Olympic Selection Pool for Mountain Bike, a short-list group of riders from which the 2012 Olympic Cycling Team will be drawn.
“The Canadian mountain bike program has developed significantly over the past four years. We have exceptional riders on both the men's and women's side of the program. It's an exciting time for our sport with several riders set to continue Canada's rich tradition of success,” said Dan Proulx, head coach of the Canadian Mountain Bike Team.
Kabush (Team SCOTT-3RoxRacing) is one of six men to make the short list, which was released June 10.
"Two-time Olympian (Sydney, 2000; Beijing, 2008) and 2009 World Cup winner, Geoff Kabush is one of the most easily recognized athletes thanks to his trademark facial hair. For 2012," notes Maxxis on their website.
Kabush, got into mountain biking while still in high school in Courtenay after he attended his first Mountain Bike World championship in 1995. Slowly moving through the mountain biking ranks, Kabush represented Canada at the 2004 Sydney Olympics.
Career highlights:
• 2x Olympian (9th Sydney 2000, 20th Beijing 2008)
• 10x Canadian National Champion (6X Senior XC, 1X U23XC, 3X Cyclocross)
• World Cup Winner, Bromont 2009
• 9 World Cup Podiums
• 4x US National XC Series Champion (tied for most ever); 16 US National XC Victories, all-time record holder
• 4x US National STXC Series Champion (most ever); 18 US National STXC Victories, all-time record holder
• World Champion Team Relay 2004, Silver Medalist 2009
• 5th Place: 2009 World Championships
• 2007 Pan-American Champion
Athletes in the Cycling Canada Cyclisme Olympic selection pool have all qualified as a result of their performances since the UCI Qualification Window has been opened. As per the approved Selection guidelines, the High Performance advisory committee of Cycling Canada Cyclisme, comprised of many specialists, will gather and proceed with the selection of athlete who will be nominated to the 2012 Canadian Olympic Team to represent Canada at the upcoming Olympic Games in London, UK.
The list of nominated athletes to the 2012 Canadian Olympic Team will be announced June 20 at the 2012 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC.