Marcela Canet and Downhill in Costa Rica

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Published on 5 September 2022

Marcela Canet and Downhill in Costa Rica

Marcela Canet and Downhill in Costa Rica are intimately linked. Marcela Canet is a cycling lover and her life is related to the beginnings of Downhill in Costa Rica. Her interest in the sport has accompanied her throughout her life, an interest she inherited from her father who was also a champion cyclist. In fact, her whole family shares the same passion, which helped her grow in enduro and downhill in Costa Rica.

Her story begins at the age of 13. At such a young age, Marcela started competing in the Costa Rican Bicicross. Later, she developed an interest in the more extreme side of cycling: downhill and enduro. Within these, she managed to become a national champion and a reference for more than 10 years with the title of National Downhill Champion, which she carried with her for five consecutive years.

Among her professional achievements she has four main ones: 1st and 2nd place in the Central American Cup, several titles in National Downhill Cups, 5th place in CR Open International 2020 and 2nd place in the Enduro 2019 Championship.

It should be noted that Marcela has had an admirable career. She has managed to be a sportswoman, mother, wife and businesswoman. Thanks to all this experience, she now dedicates her time and experience to the National Downhill and Enduro League. She is currently the owner of Ciclo Canet, a store with more than 45 years in the market.

downhill-en-costa-rica-sensorial-sunsets — Downhill in Costa Rica

Goodbye to Professional Cycling

After more than 30 years of career, Marcela decided, professionally, to say goodbye to the sport. Her last competition was the National Downhill Championship, which took place in Senderos Colón, where she also obtained fourth place in the competition.

Marcela Canet is the eternal Downhill champion and retires with pride after being one of the great pioneers in women’s cycling. However, her participation in the sport does not end.

A New Opportunity for Women in Downhill in Costa Rica

Now, Marcela is in charge of preparing the country’s future cyclists. She is also willing to continue paving the way for women. Although at the beginning enduro and downhill was a sport that was only related to men, Marcela opened the way to female participation. She is the founder of the Women’s DH and Enduro League, offering all her knowledge and experience to increase the female presence in these disciplines. In fact, her last race was marked by a beautiful speech. This was aimed at the struggle of all women who have entered the sport of extreme cycling.

The Women’s League is made up of a group of women who share knowledge, training and initiatives to encourage them to take part in the sport. Within this group, they seek to guide, teach and practice together to generate a friendly environment, where the priority is the female athlete and her specific needs.

Marcela Canet continues to be a driving force for women in cycling. However, she is considered the godmother of many men as well. Her goal is to attract and support all those who want to enter this extreme sport of downhill. The Costa Rican cycling family is an open group, where anyone who wants can join either just to learn or, if they wish, to compete.

In Summary

-Marcela Canet is a retired extreme cyclist from Costa Rica who was a pioneer with great achievements in national and international competitions.

-The Women’s DH and Enduro League of Costa Rica, founded by Marcela Canet, provides a safe space for more women to practice extreme cycling.

-Marcela Canet offers recreational mountain biking tours together with Osa Verde y Mar for different levels of experience in the southern zone of Costa Rica.