A CRASH has robbed a top young mountain bike rider who lives near Hittisleigh of the chance of contesting the forthcoming English Championships, but could still present an opportunity for her sister to shine. For Calamaty-Jayne Cann the season ended in . . . well . . . calamity, as she crashed and missed out on the podium in the UK women?s elite mountain bike category. But her younger sister Haby-Blu will now be carrying the Cann family hopes alone at the event. After racing for two years, Calamaty, 20, became open women?s champion in 2005. This year she moved up into the elite category and has been working hard to get close to the leading times on the tracks. Calamaty has just completed her first year in the UK women?s elite category at every national race, and was on the podium in third place. She has also won a round of the Welsh Dragon series and a Midlands round and took part in the first round of the mountain bike world cup at Fort William, Scotland, were she came 16th overall against a top international field. With the generosity of friends and a little funding, she managed to get to Austria and race the final World Cup event in Schladming. She came 20th, and said though she had not performed at her best, the riding had been ?awesome?. Next, it was back to Fort William for the final national series race, where she was fighting for second or third place in the overall series. She had two good practice runs, then on her third she slightly over-jumped on landing. The front wheel was taken from beneath her and she hit the ground hard, landing on her right shoulder. After scrambling to the side of the track, she was taken off on a stretcher to the medic room and later off in an ambulance, where an X-ray was taken, revealing a broken collar-bone. The injury has ruled Calamaty out of the final event of the season, the English Championships, taking place in North Devon next weekend. Haby-Blu, 19, goes into that competition in good form. At the same event, she went on to get first place for the open women?s category at a recent race, coming second in the open women for the overall series. For next year, both the sisters are looking forward to getting better results and would like to have a go at more world races. Calamaty has been told she cannot ride again for another six weeks, but wants to get back into training soon to maintain her cycling legs, hopefully giving her a flying start to next season when her aim will be to secure a podium spot in the overall standings. The family say although the sport can be dangerous, it is also exhilarating. Anyone interested in sponsoring the Cann sisters can contact them on [email protected]">[email protected] or 07780 610077.