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Red Bull Joyride shifting to Sunday

Sports briefs: Powerlifter wins at provincials; U16 basketball team takes second in Washington
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ROAD TO JOY The Red Bull Joyride will be held on the final Sunday of Crankworx (Aug. 21) rather than on the final Saturday this year. File photo by Dan Falloon

The Red Bull Joyride was bumped from a Saturday to a Sunday because of rain in 2015.

But this year, the shift is built into the schedule.

Crankworx Events Inc. general manager Darren Kinnaird explained having the slopestyle event slot in last, on Aug. 21, will help tie a bow on the week of racing — and the Crankworx season as a whole — in the way it deserves.

"Call it 'Super Sunday,' call it 'Slopestyle Sunday,' whatever label you put on it, it's the best way to end the World Tour. Slopestyle is always the marquee event of Crankworx and Whistler is where it all began, so this places Red Bull Joyride in a time slot where it's truly the high note of our season," Kinnaird explained in a release.

The festival will also see a second enduro race, as the SRAM Canadian Open Challenger Enduro will debut on Aug. 13.

The race is designed as a fallback for those who did not qualify for the Enduro World Series race, the SRAM Canadian Open Enduro, and allow them to take on a challenging, but shorter, course in a "more relaxed format."

An enduro race will also be added to the Kidsworx schedule, joining the slate of two downhill races, a cross-country race, time trials, the Village Crit and both dirt and wooden pump track events. The race is designed for riders between the ages of 10 and 15.

Lastly, the Rock Shox Ultimate Pump Track Challenge will change venues after being held in Whistler Village last year. This year's event will take place at Base 2 on Blackcomb Mountain. Organizers reason that the move will allow more fans to see the action clearly.

Ultimate Experience Passes are on sale for $109 and registration is open for all events.

Crankworx runs from Aug. 12 to 21.

For more information, visit www.crankworx.com.

Allison earns top junior powerlifter title

Whistler's Jake Allison practically lifted the competition over his head at the B.C. Powerlifting Championships.

The event, held in Surrey on June 25 and 26, saw Allison smash records in all three lifts — squat, bench press and dead lift — in the under-66 kg category en route to winning his weight class by 114 lbs. Allison was also named best overall junior.

U16 hoopsters silver in tournament

The provincial U16 girls' basketball team, including Whistler's Emilia Leigh, took second place at the Camp Classic in Yakima, Wash. on the weekend.

The squad played nine times in three days, going 2-0 in exhibition play and 4-3 the rest of the way to land in the final.

B.C. took on Lapwai, Idaho's North West Elite in the final, but ultimately fell short.

The squad also attended a Seattle Storm WNBA game against the Dallas Wings where they had a meet-and-greet with Houston, B.C.'s Ruth Hamblin, who suits up for Dallas.

52 Card Pick Up this Sunday

A new WORCA event is set to make its debut Sunday, July 10.

The 52 Card Pick Up will be a different type of ride, as it is not a race. The event's boundaries encompass 70 km of single track from Function to Wedge to Lost Lake, though participants are not expected to complete the entire map.

Playing cards, each with a different value, will be placed along the route, and riders will try to collect as many as possible along the way. The harder the trail, the higher the value.

Registration runs until July 8 at 9 p.m. For more information, visit www.worca.com.