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Whistler Cycling Club starting fifth season

Sports briefs: Welsh helps Spruce Kings to Doyle Cup; Locals run BMO Vancouver Marathon

The Whistler Cycling Club is gearing up for its fifth summer on local roads.

The club is always looking for new members, according to president Bob Barnett, and is also looking for existing members to take on the role of ride leaders. The club held its first workshop for ride leaders on May 8, with another planned for Sunday, May 12. Rides officially began on May 7.

Barnett said the club will be hosting several events outside of its traditional rides on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays, beginning with its GO Fest programming on May long weekend.

The year's biggest ride is always the summer solstice event, which this year will run alongside Stewart Blaser's ride to remember former members Ross Chafe and Kelly Blunden, who died after being hit by a drunk driver on the Duffey in May 2015. The ride is set for June 15, though start and finish locations are still being determined.

As well, a members-only social at Whistler Village Sports is slated after the Wednesday-night ride on May 22. In addition to offering prizes and refreshments, it's also an opportunity for newer riders to get some bike tips.

On the advocacy side of the club's purview, with increased traffic, safety becomes even more of an issue, and Barnett said the club is advocating on behalf of all cyclists, whether they're road riders, commuters or downhillers taking their mountain bikes to the bike park. The acting regional representative for the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is a cyclist, Barnett said, which is an exciting development and hopefully, a step forward in the relationship between the club and the ministry.

"There have been little improvements over the years," said Barnett, noting that cycling route signs have been installed and, when Highway 99 between Whistler and Pemberton was repaved, the shoulders were also repaved.

There have already been some developments this summer, Barnett said.

"They're going to be repainting the fog lines this spring, so that is good for everybody on the road whether you're riding or driving," Barnett said, adding that Miller Capilano has started sweeping the highways and tarring the cracks on the roads.

Those looking to register or get more information on the club's rides can visit www.whistlercyclingclub.ca.

Welsh helps Spruce Kings to Doyle Cup

Whistler's Nolan Welsh got hot at home during the Prince George Spruce Kings' Doyle Cup series against the Brooks Bandits.

Welsh, of the British Columbia Hockey League champion Spruce Kings, scored two goals and an assist in Prince George's home games to help them clinch the title over the Alberta champions in six games. Prince George clinched the series with a 4-2 win on May 4.

Both teams will head back to Brooks for the RBC Cup national championship, which runs May 11 to 19. The tournament will also feature the Ontario Junior Hockey League's Oakville Blades, the Central Canada Hockey League's Ottawa Jr. Senators and the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Portage Terriers.

Locals complete BMO Vancouver Marathon

Several Whistler and Pemberton residents travelled to Vancouver to run the BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 5.

Runners who completed the full marathon were: Anton Masich, James Bentley, Haruka Sekine, Matus Kirilak, Alex Porkhun, Oliver Handford and Jan Madsen of Whistler, and Pemberton residents Rhys Stuckey and Gwendolyn Kennedy.

As for the half marathon, Hamish Hall, Walter Wallgram, Sophie Marsh, Alina Neumerzhitskaya, Roman Misyura, Saori Igarashi and Zahara Foyston of Whistler completed the course, as did Erica Hurtubise, Renee Howell and Adam Adams of Pemberton.

Lastly, eight-kilometre finishers were: Jim Budge, William Goldstein, Emma Griffiths, Tyler Lalecheur and Tom Leson of Whistler, and Carrie Charron of Pemberton.

Full results are online at www.bmovanmarathon.ca.

WORCA Bike Swap set for Saturday

With the Whistler Mountain Bike Park set to open on May 17, it's time to get prepared at the Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association (WORCA) annual bike swap on May 11.

The swap will run from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Whistler Olympic Plaza. Those interested in selling items must drop them off between 8 and 9:30 a.m., though anyone with 10 or more items should contact fundraising@worca.com in advance of the sale. The tag fee is $2 per item, with WORCA taking a commission of 15 per cent on the first $1,000 and 10 per cent on the remainder. Unsold items must be picked up between 2:30 and 4 p.m., after which they will become WORCA property.

Volunteers are still needed for May 10 and 11.

Crankworx registration open

Mountain bikers hoping to test their mettle at Crankworx Whistler can sign up now.

Registration for both the pro and amateur categories in the Garbanzo DH (Aug. 9), Air DH (Aug. 12 and 13), 100% Dual Slalom (Aug. 14) and Canadian Open DH (Aug. 18) is now open.

As well, groms looking to throw down can do so at Kidsworx in the Enduro (Aug. 9), B-Line Race (Aug. 11), BMX Challenge (Aug. 13), XC (Aug. 14) and Dirt Pump Track Challenge (Aug. 15).

Those interested in signing up are encouraged to do so early as each event fills up each year. Check out www.crankworx.com for more or to register.