By Darren Lum

Published Sept. 17 2019

Haliburton’s Owen Flood was happy about his fourth place finish at the mountain biking provincial championship hosted by Sir Sam’s Ski and Ride on Sept. 8 even though he missed the podium by one position.
Flood said in a text message it was one of his best performances of the O-Cup seven-race series season in large part because of his familiarity with Sir Sam’s.
“Knowing the course better than most is a big advantage. Just knowing where I can rest a bit and where I can afford to push harder” he wrote.

For the provincials nationals and international competitions there is a division of ages. During the other races in the season Flood raced in the elite men’s field. Flood who raced for Outsiders Racing finished 11th in the race for elite men. Flood was a few minutes off the pace of the under-23 winner Andrew Jonker who races for Casual Friday Cycling Club. Fellow Haliburton rider Nick Emsley finished in eighth place. He is 14th overall among elite men on the season.

Flood’s finish comes after taking off 19 months including one mountain bike racing season re-directing his energy to his personal fitness training business.
“After taking almost two full seasons off from racing this year was more of a building year and just getting back into the sport. Very happy with how my year went and am looking to build on it next year. Have my sights set on some big goals next season” he wrote.
“After taking time away from the sport it really fuelled the fire to get back to racing and push myself further than I have before. Planning on putting in a big winter of training and prepping for next year to do my best to achieve the big goals I have in mind to accomplish.”
He didn’t get specific but said the goals include qualifying for and competing “at the best of my ability at national and international level races.”