December 20/07 11:26 am - Catharine Pendrel & Danelle Kabush Join Luna Pro Team

Posted by Editor on 12/20/07
 

Catharine Pendrel & Danelle Kabush Join Luna Pro Team

We reported on this a while ago, but it is now official:

The number-one ranked Luna Pro Mountain Bike Team is pleased to announce the addition of Canadian Olympic contender Catharine Pendrel (Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada) to its already formidable roster.

Pendrel joins returning Luna Pro athletes Georgia Gould, Katerina Nash, Chloe Forsman, Shonny Vanlandingham, Alison Dunlap, Marla Streb and triathletes Terra Castro, Linda Gallo and Cathy Chesky for 2008.

Despite only racing four years at the elite level, Pendrel had a breakthrough ride at the 2007 World Mountain Bike Championships, finishing sixth on the technically challenging course. Her sights are now set on the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

"Being a part of the Luna Pro Team presents an incredible opportunity to progress as a racer," says Pendrel. "Luna offers excellent team mates and support and yes, lots of Luna Bars. Aside from being an ambassador for women's health and sport, Luna will help me continue to improve and perform as a world class racer. I see this as an exciting challenge and great motivation going into 2008."

Team Manger Waldek Stepniowski notes, "Catharine is one of the most promising athletes on the circuit today and a great addition to the Luna Team. With Luna's support I think we can bring her up another level."


The Luna Pro Team has added 2006 XTERRA World Championship silver medalist, Danelle Kabush. She joins Shonny Vanlandingham, the winningest rider in NORBA National Series history, on the newly-formed Luna Pro XTERRA squad.

Vanlandingham and Kabush will compete on the national and international XTERRA circuits, the Sea Otter Classic and selected National Mountain Bike Series events.

This is the second significant expansion for the all-women's Luna Pro Team, which was founded in 2002 as a professional mountain bike team and now includes pro triathlon and XTERRA squads.

In August of 2007 Vanlandingham approached team owner Gary Erickson proposing a switch to XTERRA racing as her primary focus in 2008. Gary agreed on the new direction and was quickly rewarded when Shonny placed fourth in the 2007 XTERRA World Championships two months later - A result that was the catalyst for Erickson to sign Kabush and form the Luna Pro XTERRA Team.

A former competitive runner and an avid Nordic skier, Kabush scored a silver medal at the 2006 XTERRA World Championships. After completing her doctorate in sports psychology and taking last year off to have her first child, Kabush is focusing on the 2008 XTERRA circuit and World Championships.

"Very few people believe that it is possible to successfully balance an athletic career with full time Doctorate studies, a career as a mental training consultant and raising a child," said Kabush, continuing, "but with the support of the Luna Team I know that I will be able to once again race at the highest level in XTERRA...and I can't wait to hang out with Marla and our kids at the Sea Otter."