Carter Krasny wants the Canadian National Enduro Championship (CNEC), and he's going across the country to do it.
The 16-year-old put together a dominant performance at the fourth of six CNEC events in Bromont, Que. on July 9, besting runner-up Felix Laroche by almost 35 seconds and third-place rider Jake Yackle by over 50 seconds.
Krasny said a fearless approach to some slick and sloppy conditions was key, as it helped him make the most of a layout he enjoyed.
"The course was super good and it was perfect for me. It had everything I like. It rained the day before, which scared quite a few people. Living in Whistler, we ride in the rain a lot, which really helped me," Krasny said.
Competing in the town located about an hour's drive east of Montreal, Krasny said there were some differences in the riding, but they had more to do with the weather and less to do with the riding.
"The trails themselves were quite similar, but the weather was very different. It was a lot more humid and hot, which made it hard training, but the trails were pretty similar to Whistler," Krasny said.
One of the biggest benefits for Krasny was that the opening stage was practically tailored to his tastes, which helped him gain a nine-second lead right out of the gate and only built from there.
"I really enjoyed Stage 1. The top section had a lot of fun, fast jumps just like A Line in Whistler," he said. "Stage 3 was super rocky and had a bunch of different lines. It was really fun and rough riding."
Without many familiar faces making the haul across the country to compete in Bromont, Krasny said there was a different feel for him having so few familiar faces around.
"It was mostly people from around here (Quebec) and Ontario," he explained. "It was a little intimidating not knowing anyone there and not knowing what to expect."
However, Krasny met Laroche two days before the race and they did some riding together. Laroche's advice and camaraderie ended up providing a bit of a boost for his challenger.
"Because he's a local, he let me train with him, which really helped. He knew all the locals' lines so he was definitely my main competitor throughout the day," Krasny said.
The win was huge in the grand scheme of things, as Laroche already has a CNEC win under his belt from the Blue Mountain, Ont. race. Krasny, meanwhile, has Aug. 27 at Big White and the championship on Sept. 16 and 17 to rack up more points in his chase.
While the riding was the impetus for the travel, the Krasny family was also able to find another reason to go.
"I wanted to go to (the race), but having family in Montreal also helped so we could turn it into a family trip," he said.
Krasny will have a few weeks off before he hops on the bike again here at home during the Enduro World Series stop as part of Crankworx Whistler.
