This past year the team of Gary Robbins and Todd Nowack became the first team to ever sweep the Mind Over Mountain Adventure Racing series. Robbins and Nowack were also part of a team that placed 16 th in the XPD challenge in Australia over the summer, as well as the Baja Travesia where they were among the teams that needed rescuing after six metre waves drove their boats into the rocks.
To recount the season, as well as raise funds for next year, Robbins and Nowack have put together a multimedia slideshow called Pushing the Limits. The first presentation is in Vancouver on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at the new Helly Hansen store at 766 Granville Street. The doors open at 6 p.m. and the slideshow is at 7 p.m. Everything in the store will be on sale for 15 per cent off.
On Sunday, Nov. 25 they will be presenting at Frontrunners Footwear in Victoria, 735 Goldstream Ave. The doors open at 6 p.m. and everything in the store is 20 per cent off.
Admission is by donation for both events, and proceeds from both events will go to Team Helly Hansen/MOMAR for the 2008 season. To reserve a seat email info@mindovermountain.com , or call 604-999-3331.
Klunkerz gets to the roots of mountain biking
Although bikes have always gone off-road (the first pedal models in the 1800s probably spent most of their time on dirt roads and cobblestone streets), and there are examples of mountain bikes from the 1950s and 1960s it’s widely agreed that the sport of mountain biking originated in the 1970s with riders in California and Colorado adapting road bikes to better handle bumpy mountain roads at higher speeds. There are differing accounts as to what group did what and first — a lively debate amongst riders — but whoever is right they can only really claim to be the next stage of the same progression.
During the Whistler Film Festival, filmmaker Billy Savage will be showing his documentary on the birth of mountain biking, titled Klunkerz.
The film has been traveling to film festivals for the past year. It is the product of three years of interviews and collecting footage of the original crew in Marin County, California. The interviewees are Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze, Tom Ritchey, Mike Sinyard, Charlie Kelly, Steve Potts, Wende Cragg, Charlie Cunningham, Alan Bonds, Jacquie Phelan, and other pioneers of the sport.
For more information, visit www.klunkerz.com.
BMX Worlds declares bankruptcy
Canada recently hosted the BMX World Championships, which was a major qualifying event for the debut of BMX racing in the Olympics in Beijing next year. The event was a huge success, drawing more than 400 riders from 50-plus countries, and thousands of spectators.
Financially, the championships did not do as well. The Victoria BMX 2007 World Championship Society — which was created to host the championships this summer — declared bankruptcy, and held a creditors meeting on Nov. 2.
At this point it appears that the organizers owe creditors more than $100,000, most of it to local suppliers who helped provide products and services for the event. That figure also includes the $15,000 owed to the Canadian Cycling Association.
A lack of corporate sponsorship is being blamed for the shortfall.
The track, which was supposed to become a national training centre and a regular host of international events, may also lose its status with the international sanctioning body — Union Cycliste Internationale — and may instead be run by the American Bicycle Association, which sanctions most pro BMX events in North America.
Skaters off to a strong start
The Whistler Skating Club got off to a strong start to their competitive season at the Autumn Leaves Freeskate Competition in Kamloops in October, which was a qualifier for the Western championships.
In Pre-Novice Ladies, Lisa Nakajima placed first in the short program, 11 th in the long program and seventh overall. She has an excellent chance of being selected to represent Whistler at the Westerns.
In Pre-Novice Men, Broderick Thompson placed sixth in the short program, seventh in the long program, and sixth overall.
In Pre-Juvenile Ladies, Emily Nakajima was fifth.
In the StarSkate competition, which was not a qualifier, several athletes also came away with medals and ribbons.
In Senior Bronze Ladies, Hilary Iles was first, Marielle Thompson eighth and Samantha Shrimpton ninth.
In Junior Bronze Lades 12 and Under, Rebekah Robertson was second, and Beverly Horler sixth.
In Junior Bronze Ladies 13 and Over, Lucy Halliwell was fifth.
In Preliminary Ladies 10 and Under, Tess Thompson was sixth, Chantal Deane seventh, and Cassidy Deane 10 th .
In Elementary Ladies, Rebecca Blaser was first.
In the team competition, the Bronze Team of Lucy Halliwell, Beverly Horler, Rebekah Robertson and Tess Thompson were second overall. The Pre-Silver Team of Hilary Isles, Emily Nakajima, Samantha Shrimpton and Marielle Thompson were first.
