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Escarpment Magaz ine Summer 2012
Amanda, originally fromWolfville, Nova Scotia, started mountain biking
when she was a kid as a means of exploring. She didn’t start racing until
she was in university when she met friends who were doing the same.
While at McMaster finishing her Master’s in Physical Therapy she visited
Collingwood a fewweekends and was sold. In her own words, “Colling-
wood is really one of my favourite places. The mountain bike trails and
road cycling are some of the best in the world.”
Amanda is consistently among Canada’s top 4 at national and interna-
tional events. In June she finished 3
rd
at the Hardwood Hills Canada Cup
and 4
th
at mountain bike nationals. Considering our 4x women’s national
champion, Catharine Pendrel, is also the reigning world champion those
are some remarkable results.
Fudge Kofman lives in Toronto but spent most of her winters on the Es-
carpment as a downhill skier at Alpine Ski Club. She remembers aspiring
to be like her brother, who was a skilled skier and mountain biker, and
would chase him around Kolopore and down the Craigleith switch
backs. She had a successful skiing career before moving onto cycling,
including a trip to Whistler Cup and two years on the Ontario Develop-
ment team. She used mountain biking as dryland training as it challenged
her balance, coordination, and power, making it a perfect compliment
to downhill racing. Then at age 18 she switched to cycling full time and
is now juggling a busy race schedule while earning a Science degree
from McGill University in Anatomy and Cellular Biology.
This region reminds Kofman of the technical Canada Cup and World
Cup venues that are also set on ski hills like Blue Mountain. “However,
Collingwood's riding is unique when it starts to rain. I have never ridden
in a place with such slippery clay, which makes it ideal for perfecting my
mud riding skills.”
Fudge is the 2011 under-23 Canadian champion and this year is prov-
ing that she can hold her own against the elite women, including a 4
th
at
Hardwood Hills and a 6
th
at nationals.
Sin and Kofman will be focusing their efforts on the remainder of the XC
world cup circuit with the goal of qualifying for World Championships
in Austria at the beginning of September. When they are home you can
find them on the podium at the local Ontario Cup races.
As for myself, I spent the better part of my younger years in the Blue
Mountains on skis and in the water. I moved up through the Toronto Ski
Club programs and raced on the Ontario Ski Team from 2002 to 2004.
I hung up the skis when I was 19 and started at Queen’s University where
I stayed for 6 years.
Katie Button | 3 Stage
FEATURE
|
breaking away - training to compete with the best
