Tyler Smith (3rd)and Erica Hawley’s (2nd) podium finishes in the Costa Rica Continental Cup on Saturday were all the more impressive as this event doubled as the  “Junior Central American and Caribbean Championships”. The results were infact incorrect as the two finishers ahead of Tyler and the one ahead of Erica were infact  from Costa Rica (not the USA as previously reported). In addition, Erica might well have finished on top of the podium last Saturday but incurred a penalty for not putting her helmet in the box provided.

In a busy opening to the season Tyler and Erica now head to Sarasota, Florida  for the “Junior North American Championships” this coming weekend in what will  be a much larger and more competitive field.

Although the Costa Rica race has now already qualified them for the “Junior (Pan) American Championships” in Magog on July 15th (top 20 from each of the 3 Regional Championships), it’s good for them to have such high quality back-to-back races.

Erica will infact be racing three weekends in a row as she also competes in the US Collegiate Regional Championships over the Olympic / Standard distances the following weekend. Both juniors will then take on a competitive adult field in Bermuda’s own Continental Cup in Hamilton on April 9th.

Nick Pilgrim and Caleb Ingham are also heading to Sarasota were they will race in a USAT Youth Elite race.