Seeking out her third-straight national cross-country championship title, Maple Bay's Jennifer Jackson took to the bike course in Langford on the evening of Thursday, July 17 and powered her way to victory in the elite women's XCC event 鈥� a solid 10 seconds ahead of the next best competitor.
Jackson made it two-for-two just two days later, when she dominated the cross-country-Olympic event on Saturday, finishing more than two-and-a-half minutes ahead of the next best XCO competitor.
The victories ensure Jackson will continue racing while clad in the maple leaf national champion jersey for the next year.
"It was a great experience racing nationals so close to home, especially after spending several months on the road for the first part of the World Cup season," Jackson said. "The best part was actually how many friends and members of the local cycling community were able to come watch the races in person."
It was the second-straight year Jackson has won both titles, and the third year in a row she took the XCO title. In 2023 Jackson earned silver in the XCC. All those victories, however, came on a different track on the other side of the country.
While the course in Kentville, N.S. treated Jackson well in 2023 and 2024, the renowned Jordie Lunn Bike Park in Landford, less than an hour south of her home in Maple Bay, showed it didn't matter where she rode, she was simply a perennial winner.
"I think the natural, rooty, technical style of trail with shorter punchy climbs we had last year in Kentville suit me better by definition," Jackson admitted. "But there were elements of the course in Langford that I was able to take advantage of as well. I think I鈥檝e made a big step up in fitness this year, so no matter the course I believed it would be possible to race for the win."
Jackson, who races with the Orbea Fox Factory team, is currently ranked sixth in the overall World Cup standings, amidst her best-ever season on two wheels.
She said she's gained another level of confidence through her World Cup success.
"The nervousness of racing a World Cup is different than nationals to me. Especially this season, I鈥檓 anxious with anticipation to see what I might be capable of achieving at each World Cup, whereas at nationals the nerves are more about not messing up my chance to win," she explained. "It almost happened, I had a mechanical [issue] early in the race I had to fight back from 鈥� which took quite a bit of composure to not panic and get back onto my pace."
Jackson has the next few weeks off to rest, recover and resume training before the World Championships at the end of the summer. But when the time comes, she knows she'll be ready.
"I have to pinch myself sometimes about where I鈥檝e found myself ranked and racing internationally this year," she said. "It鈥檚 been a phenomenal improvement which I think is the payoff of years of hard work catalyzed with finding a great team environment and equipment with the Orbea-Fox Factory Team this season."
The 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships are in Valais, Switzerland from Aug. 30 to Sept. 14.
