Aven Elsberg started this summer off as one of the most impressive up-and-coming mountain bikers in the Sea to Sky corridor.
After winning the overall Junior Sport Men title in the 2022 BC Cup Series, the 18-year-old raced in the elite men’s category at the Canadian National Championship Downhill in Fernie, and Canadian Open Downhill at Crankworx Whistler this July.
But Elsberg—also a talented freeride skier—was earning more recognition outside of the race circuit: he was one of 30 riders to send it down 15 of the Sea to Sky’s wildest features in the third annual Tour de Gnar event on July 26.
That progress came to a halt just one week later, when Elsberg suffered a severe spinal cord injury after crashing awkwardly while riding “Trespasser” on Aug. 3. It’s a steep, challenging trail built outside the bike park boundary on Whistler Mountain, but one he’d ridden successfully “countless times before,” explained Caronne Marino, whose son Dylan is close with Elsberg.
Responders from Whistler Search and Rescue and Whistler Bike Park Patrol extricated Elsberg from the site. He was airlifted to Vancouver General Hospital, where doctors determined Elsberg had suffered a cervical spine fracture dislocation and compressed his spinal cord at the C5 level, near the base of his neck. The accident left Elsberg with minimal movement below his injury, and doctors with little idea about how much muscle function the teenager might be able to regain throughout his recovery.
Now, Whistler’s mountain bike community is rallying behind Elsberg as he recovers in a spinal intensive care unit. In addition to the “I ride for Aven” stickers adorning bike helmets around town, a fundraiser scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 7 aims to help with the extensive rehab, equipment, and caregiver costs Elsberg and his family face in the months and years ahead.
“They’re a family that probably wouldn’t have gone asking for financial support, but I think emotionally and financially down the road, it’s important to show support and help cover costs. They’re looking at a lifetime of rehabilitation—it’s a very life-changing event for them,” Marino said.
“August was really hard. I think I cried every single day,” she added. “You just don’t know how to help.”
Ultimately, friends settled on a silent auction.
First, a bike ride in support of Elsberg will take place on the Blackcomb trails from 1 to 2:30 p.m., followed by an event with food, drinks and a silent auction at RMU in the Upper Village until 5 p.m.
Organizers hope the auction can cover the cost of Elsberg’s wheelchair, Marino said.
Those interested in joining the ride must register online through the Whistler Off Road Cycling Association (WORCA) by 1 p.m. on Saturday, when participants will meet at the base of Blackcomb. Registration costs $20 plus tax per rider, with all funds going towards Elsberg’s recovery—find more info at worca.com/events-calendar/i-ride-for-aven.
The online auction is already live, offering the opportunity to bid on items including a seven-night stay at a vacation rental in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; a heli-bike trip for five; coaching sessions; concert and hockey tickets; plus plenty of bike and ski gear, to name just a few. The auction closes Friday at 5 p.m. (Find it at tinyurl.com/5e7keckt.)
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign in support of Elsberg has so far raised more than US$33,200. (Donate to the campaign at gofundme.com/f/aven-elsberg-rehab-and-equipment.
As Elsberg’s dad Andrew—who is a doctor himself—explained in the campaign’s description, staff at the VGH Spinal Cord Unit encouraged the family to fundraise for the significant costs Elsberg will incur along the difficult road ahead. The mountain biker’s parents expressed their appreciation for any and all support, but encouraged contributions to Whistler Search and Rescue, spinal cord injury research, or local adaptive programs as well.
Elsberg and his family split their time between Alaska and Whistler, but were planning to make a more permanent move to the Sea to Sky once the home they’re building was move-in ready, Marino explained.
After graduating from high school in Anchorage earlier this year, Elsberg’s plans to study engineering at the University of Utah this fall are also on hold due to his injury.
For now, he remains in the spinal ICU at VGH. “The progress is happening, but it’s just a slow pace,” explained Marino. He’s reaching new milestones, like learning to drive an electric wheelchair, but has battled pneumonia and nausea, while a tracheostomy allows him to spend most of the day breathing through a ventilator.
There’s emotional challenges, too: with Elsberg’s parents caring for him in the city, his sister Quinzee is staying with friends while she completes Grade 11 in Anchorage.
On Sept. 4, in his first post to Instagram since the accident, Elsberg thanked his community “for the insane support.”
“I find it mind blowing. I also want to thank everyone that I was riding with and the rescuers,” he wrote.
“I wouldn’t be alive without you.
