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Older and faster

Whistler’s Brandon Semenuk takes on older riders and wins

On the centre podium at the B.C. Cross Country Championships and the recent B.C. Cup at Hemlock, Whistler’s Brandon Semenuk looks small next to the other racers. That’s hardly surprising because at 13 years old he’s still a year to two years younger than the other riders in the provincial Under 15 category.

He says he still feels a little intimidated by the other riders in his category at the start line, "but it’s okay, because now I know I can beat them. I’ve always ridden with older kids anyway, so I’m not really worried."

In two weeks Semenuk could claim the B.C. Cup title for his age group with a fourth place finish at the final race of the series at Mount Washington. The way he’s been riding this summer, it would take a crash or a mechanical breakdown to take the title away from him.

Still, once the race is underway he doubts that he’ll be able to hold back. He plans to start the race behind the two competitors that also have a chance of winning the title, and pass them in the first technical section. It’s a strategy that has been working for Semenuk all year, something he’s picked up in his more than three years of racing in the same category.

"I usually try to get a lead on them early on, and after I’ve passed them and stayed in front the whole time I find places on the course where I can make a lot of time, and I know I have the lead, so I can take off."

In the most recent B.C. Cup, Semenuk finished more than two minutes ahead of his next closest competitor. In the B.C. Cross Country Championships in Squamish the week before, a much longer race, Semenuk was 13 and a half minutes faster.

Semenuk says there a few reasons why he’s winning so much this season.

"I’m older, faster, and I’ve done a lot more riding," he said.

The courses are also longer and more technical, which suits his riding style. When he’s not riding technical cross-country trails around Whistler, you can find Semenuk in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park or at the dirt jumps and flow area near the skate park.

"More people are doing the circuit, people are getting faster, so they’re making the courses longer and more technical," he said.

"My descents are still definitely better than my climbing, but I’ve gotten a lot better at climbing this year."

Semenuk also tries to pace himself with riders in the Under 17 Expert category as much as possible, including a friend named Graeme Bant who is still 14 but moved up into another category this year because he turns 15 in November.

"He does a lot of road riding, and he’s definitely faster than me, so I just try to catch up with him and follow him up the climbs. (In the provincials) I followed him up and I saw that Sean (an Under 15 rival) had sprinted ahead, so I was in a good spot to chase Sean after that. We caught up to Sean on a climb and I had a perfect chance, so I just sprinted past him on a quick dip going into another hill and pulled past him, and didn’t see him since then."

Semenuk also rides with his older brother, Tyler West, who was one of the top junior riders in B.C. a few years ago. West and his friends would bring Brandon along on some of the most technical trails in Whistler, often sending Brandon ahead to see how different sections rode.

"We did a lot of pretty hairy stuff, and some really long rides. I would be on a trail like Snakes and Ladders where all the stunts were so old and falling apart, and I’d be riding down a 30 foot two-by-four, and down these huge rocks, and hairy downhills. I thought that’s what you did when you mountain biked, and I still like riding those kinds of trails," said Semenuk.

Although he has a good chance of winning the Under 15 national title next year, as well as both the provincial and B.C. Cup titles, Semenuk is thinking about following his friend in to the Under 17 Expert category next season, even if it means finishing in the middle of the pack in some races.

"I’m doing some Island Cup races this year, and they have three categories there. A lot of the pro riders go as experts, and the juniors race with everybody, and I’m still finishing in the middle of the pack," he said. "If there weren’t any pros in there I’d be finishing even higher."

Semenuk also likes the idea of longer races, and stronger competition. His main competitors in the Under 15 category will be moving up this year, and there won’t be as many strong riders in the Under 15 category to race against next season.

In addition to the B.C. Cup finals, Semenuk wants to race in the Canada Cup at Sun Peaks at the end of August. After that he’ll stick to the weekly WORCA Loonie Races and the September races around Whistler, including the West Side Wheel Up and the Cheakamus Challenge.

Semenuk is hoping to line up some sponsorship next season to help with his costs.

"There’s so much bike work and parts and things, it’s so expensive. Some sponsorship would definitely help."

He’s currently supported by Evolution, and owner Jenine Bourbonnais is trying to line up a big name sponsor for Semenuk next season.

"It’s hard to get for kids that age, but I really think he’s the next up and coming racer," said Bourbonnais. "He’s winning all these races, and not by a little either – he was way ahead of the rest of the field in the provincials, like 13 minutes ahead. Do you know how hard that is?

"His dad is great, driving him out to all of the races and handing him water bottles from the sidelines, but I’d like to see (Brandon) get some more support next year, so I’m doing what I can."

You can follow Brandon Semenuk and other Whistler riders at the B.C. Cup finals online at www.mountwashington.ca. Results will be posted at www.myresults.com.