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Huckfest runs rain or shine

Three contests to test all types of riders

The Whistler Mountain Bike Park will close for the season on Monday after breaking all rider records once again, and is going out in style with Joyride Huckfest.

Huckfest takes place Saturday and Sunday with three $10 competitions, the premiere of the New World Disorder movie, and an end-of-season party featuring Arthur Funkarelli.

Super D – A new format of race for Whistler, the Super D is essentially a downhill race with a few climbs thrown in for good measure.

The course starts at mid-station, and climbs Expressway before descending Too Tight, Upper Angry Pirate and After Atlantis. After that it’s another climb up Easy Does It before dropping down into Golden Triangle, World Cup Single Track, and a new trail called Devil’s Club. Riders will then climb another section of Easy Does It as far as the North West Passage before joining Lower A Line and crossing the mountain to Heart of Darkness. The finish line will be on the service road after a short climb.

The entire course should take good riders around 15 minutes to finish, and uses mostly intermediate trails.

Bike choice could be crucial, as will having at least some cross-country riding experience this summer.

Registration is 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, at the base of the mountain, and the course is open from 10 a.m. to noon for practice. The race gets underway at noon.

Slopestyle

Following the Super D, the Boneyard at the base of Whistler will host an open Slopestyle competition. Some of the most difficult stunts from past slopestyle contests will be closed to the riders, as organizers hope to emphasize the amateur and youth categories, but that still leaves big drops, wall rides, gap jumps, and other features.

You can register at the base of Whistler, and the Boneyard will open for training from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday when the main competition gets underway.

Joyride DH

One of the most difficult trails in the Bike Park, Upper and Lower Joyride, will be featured in this experts-only downhill race. The course has never been used in a race before, and features steep rock sections, drops, loose dirt, roots, stunts, and generally the most challenging and technical riding the park has to offer – you’ve probably seen some of the more rideable rock sections under the gondola line.

Riders can register at the base of the mountain on Sunday morning before 10 a.m., when there will be a mandatory riders meetings and training session. The race gets underway at 1 p.m.

The other parts of the festival include the Whistler premiere of New World Disorder 6: Unchained, an all-ages show at Millennium Place on Saturday. Organizers are expecting this to sell out, so be sure to get your tickets in advance. Whistler’s Richie Schley is among the featured riders, as well as B.C.’s Darren Berrecloth, Robbie Bourdon, Aaron Chase, Geoff Gulevich, Wade Simmons, Thomas Vanderham and Dave Watson. Doors open at 7 p.m.

If you can’t get into the premiere then you’ll get a second chance to see the movie at the GLC on Sunday night for the Bike Park’s year-end party. Arthur Funkarelli and his band will be playing the party, making their first appearance in Whistler in far too long.

The bike park will be open on Monday, regular hours, before closing for the season.