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MONT-STE-ANNE, Que. - Olympic-bound athletes won the national titles at the Canadian mountain bike championships on Saturday, as Marie-Helene Premont of Chateau Richer, Que., claimed her sixth women's crown and Geoff Kabush of Courtney, B.C., won his fourth consecutive men's title.

Neither Kabush nor Premont had an easy victory.

Premont had to battle back from mechanical problems and a last-lap crash to beat Catharine Pendrel of Kamloops, B.C., by six seconds. Pendrel will also represent Canada at the Beijing Games. Wendy Simms of Nanaimo, B.C., was third, four minutes ten seconds behind Premont.

"I had a mechanical problem with my suspension and had to stop twice in the Technical Zone for assistance," said Premont. "After that, I was able to catch Catharine and take a lead, but then on the last lap I crashed pretty hard in the downhill and she was able to catch up to me again."

Kabush, who has ridden away from challengers to win in recent years, could not shake Derek Zandstra of Trenton, Ont., and won by only one second after a late surge by Zandstra. Mat Toulouse of Montreal finished third, three minutes 33 seconds behind the winner.

"I was pretty impressed with the way Derek was riding," said Kabush. "I was riding within myself, but he was pushing me, and there was no margin for error with him so close."

Emily Batty of Brooklin, Ont., won the under-23 women's title, while Raphael Gagne of Lac Beauport, Que., prevailed in the men's under-23.