Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1546787
October 2026 11 Ricky Russell Ricky Russell Veteran pro racer and respected fan favorite Phil Chaine (CAN, KTM) took the final spot on the five-rider podium. The women's pro ba le was perhaps the most interes ng of the weekend. At first it was Gu sh, defending Cord champion who took an early lead, winning Saturday's race by a minute and nineteen seconds, winning nearly every test. But Turner was not going down without a fight. In a heroic comeback, Turner clawed her way back up to the top of women's pro, and in a complete reversal, won all but two tests on Sunday. In a truly remark- able occurrence, she beat Gu sh by exactly… one minute and nineteen seconds. A er nearly four hours of test mes, the top two riders were locked in a virtual e. The final moto is rarely the deciding factor for the pro classes. While s ll a real race that counts, a three-lap moto las ng eight minutes at most, just isn't enough to sway the final outcome a er a full weekend of racing. But here? It would be winner-take-all. The riders were neck and neck around the first turn, but it was Gu sh who took the holeshot. Though Turner never gave her a moment's break from the pressure and stayed within a bike length the whole three laps, a er seven minutes and twenty-five seconds of intense ba ling, Gu sh took the final moto win and the Canadian Na onal Championship. The rest of the women's pro class featured large enough gaps that barring catastrophe, results were pre y well set by the end of day one. Melissa Harten (CAN, BET), with four Cords and one cham- pionship already under her belt, took a steady ride to third place. Aside from a rear brake issue late Sunday, her weekend was largely uneven ul as she posted steady, consistent test mes on her way to third place. The final five-rider podium was filled by Mel's friend, traveling companion, and fellow Calgary resident Kristen Broderick (CAN, KTM) in fourth, with New Zealand na ve, Canadian immi- grant Zara Bertram (CAN, SHR), in fi h, marking her first-ever appearance on the Cord Awards stage!