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Bike festival rounds out September calendar

Freeride events, enduro race highlight weekend; Fat Tire Criterium resurrected September is now unofficially mountain bike month in Whistler, with events on the calendar for every weekend. The 10 th annual West Side Wheel-Up takes place on Sept. 7.

Freeride events, enduro race highlight weekend; Fat Tire Criterium resurrected

September is now unofficially mountain bike month in Whistler, with events on the calendar for every weekend.

The 10 th annual West Side Wheel-Up takes place on Sept. 7. The second annual Samurai of Singeltrack rides the following Saturday. The Saturday after that, it’s the 20 th annual Cheakamus Challenge Fall Classic Mountain Bike Race.

Now there is truly no rest for the sprockets with the recent addition of the Whistler Mountain Bike Festival from Sept. 27 to 29. Although the festival was originally conceived as a freeride event for the mountain bike obsessed, in the past few weeks it has morphed into something much, much bigger.

According to festival organizer Richard Juryn of Shore Events, he has received a lot of support – and input – from Tourism Whistler, Whistler-Blackcomb and the municipality. The result is an event he feels will appeal to a broad spectrum of riders and spectators.

"We had a few talks about what kinds of events we would include in the festival and the list just got longer and longer," he said.

"It’s funny. I set out to do a freeride weekend with one or two events, but when I sat down with people from the mountains and municipality and Tourism Whistler, they were very enthusiastic. They said ‘how about doing this’ or ‘let’s bring back that.’ Now we have an event that will appeal to everyone, from your most hardcore B.C. rider to weekend warriors."

The festival kicks off Friday evening, Sept. 27, with a mountain bike and adventure photography exhibition at a venue to be announced. An industry forum and reception is also planned.

The freeride event takes place on Saturday morning on Whistler Mountain. To differentiate the event from a downhill, selected sections of the course will be fenced off that include freeride stunts, such as bridges and teeter totters. The racer can choose to go around the stunt, but the shortest and fastest route will always be over the stunt.

"We wanted to do something that was like real freeriding, which I feel is B.C.’s contribution to the mountain bike world," said Juryn. "It was hard to come up with a freeride event that wasn’t too much like a downhill or a dual slalom, but I think this timed format will combine all the things that freeriding is about.

"There will be first, second and third prizes, but not everybody is going to enter this because they want to win. It’s for people who love to ride the B.C. style of trails. We want people to get to the bottom and say ‘Wow, get me back to the top, I want to ride that again.’"

Following the freeride contest is what could very well be Whistler’s first ever bike tossing competition.

"We’ll set it up like a shotput and whoever tosses their bike the furthest wins," said Juryn. "It’s the end of the season and people are a little burnt out, maybe ready to grab an old bike and see how far they can throw it."

Later that afternoon, the festival is reviving the Fat Tire Criterium, a race through the village that was once part of the annual Whistler Summer Sessions.

"This was one event that was suggested by the municipality. In their perspective it was an event that really brought people to the village and the crowds absolutely loved it," said Juryn.

Fat tire racers will be separated into different age and ability categories, including a pro elite division.

"I’ve invited some of the pros that have competed in the past, and the response has been good," he said.

A barbecue is being planned at the GLC that evening, followed by a beer tasting event featuring craft beers from around the province.

On Sunday, the main event is a six hour Enduro that can be raced solo, in pairs, or as part of a team of three. The individual or team with the most completed laps of the course in six hours wins.

"This is another event that you can take seriously or race for the fun of it," said Juryn.

"At the North Shore Enduro that I organized this year there was a team of three 12-year-old girls, there was a 61-year-old man who had never been on a mountain bike. It was a really fun event. With the terrain that Whistler has and the enthusiasm of its bike community this could really go off."

Throughout the weekend, the base of the mountain will feature a mountain bike expo with bike and gear manufacturers and other industry groups.

"We’re finding that events in general add to the excitement that goes with mountain biking in Whistler," said Rob McSkimming, managing director of sports programming for Whistler-Blackcomb. "Not just for the Bike Park either, but for the whole scene in Whistler. We find we’re becoming well known for our world class mountain biking and events like this only help to raise our profile.

"It’s also good to have events at that time of year when things are winding down in Whistler," he said.

According to Juryn, he has already raised approximately $10,000 in prizes for the events, and he hopes to find a cash sponsor for the pro categories as well.

With only months to plan the events, Juryn says he had to hit the ground running. He said he had to do the same thing organizing the provincial high school championships this year, with the teacher’s job action threatening to derail the competition.

"I set up my own company, went to Cycling B.C. for sanctioning and insurance, and the event went off smoothly. I think we had about 1,200 kids out for that, and although it took a lot of work in a short period of time, it was worth it.

"Organizing the festival is a bit hectic, but I love it. I like the intensity, and to watch things come together," said Juryn.

Online registration for the Whistler Mountain Bike Festival is available on the Web at www.shoreevents.com .

Juryn is also accepting applications from volunteers, who will be needed to help out with the festival events.