Join us on Sunday April 14th, for the first UROC event of the year and the fourth race in the Island Cup Series. The singletrack loaded course will be fun for all abilities. Spandex, winter training, and serious faces are totally optional. A bike, a helmet and online registration are mandatory. Weather of some sort is guaranteed.
Beginners will do one lap, Intermediates two laps and Experts 3 laps.
Check in is from 9:00 am to 10:00 am at the Village Park.
Race start is 11:00 am.
BBQ, awards, draw prizes and good times to follow!
UROC MEMBERSHIP will cover your insurance requirements for all UROC events and support trail access and maintenance so get your membership here: https://unitedridersofcumberland.com/membership/
We’re very excited to return to the Enduro World Series in 2018 and announce the formation of our new Canadian partnership with Race Face Performance Products. We’re incredibly proud to form the Rocky Mountain Race Face Enduro Team, and to tackle a full season of racing with passion, drive, and dedication.
Our two brands have a deep history together that began in 1993. When freeride was born Rocky Mountain and Race Face were there, under the same roof, meeting the needs of demanding North Shore riders. Now, 25 years later Race Face is making some of the best components in the world, and we’re honored to be officially reunited through our EWS team partnership.
Team Riders
Jesse Melamed
· 12th EWS Series Overall Ranking – 2017
· 1st EWS Whistler, Canada – 2017
“I’m excited to start a new chapter of this team, with Race Face on board to strengthen the Canadian vibe. I’m really looking forward to working closely with another local brand that shares my passion and roots. The crash I had in Finale Ligure at the end of last season was a tough one to recover from, but I’ve been training hard and am confident I am going to come into the first race strong!” – Jesse Melamed
Remi Gauvin
· 8th EWS Series Overall Ranking – 2017
· 5th EWS Whistler, Canada – 2017
“Partnering up with Race Face and their strong Canadian roots is something that is unique to the EWS and exciting for myself. I’m really looking forward to getting things kicked off in South America in a few weeks, traveling with Jesse, ALN, our new crew of mechanics and Team Manager! This off season has been really productive for me, and I feel super-strong coming into the first round.” – Remi Gauvin
ALN
· 11th EWS Series Overall Ranking – 2017
· 3rd EWS Wicklow, Ireland – 2017
“I feel really happy and at home with our team for 2018. With such a good set up, it really is a bittersweet feeling to be sidelined for the two first rounds with a wrist injury. With the team supporting me, the matter at hand is to regain my maximum shred capacity to join the party ASAP. I look forward to seeing us evolve as a team this season and to enjoy not only the racing but the whole vibe.” -ALN
We would also like to extend a huge Thank you to the team sponsors, Maxxis, Shimano, Fox, Smith, WTB, FTI Consulting, EVOC, Stages Cycling, and OneUp Components.
Enduro mountain bike race in Cumberland, BC. Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Young mountain bikers from across B.C. will soon have the opportunity to test their mettle on Cumberland’s legendary “all killer and no filler” trail network, as the 2017 B.C. High School Mountain Biking Championships descends on “Dodge City” May 27.
“This is always a great event,” says Chris Armstrong, an SD71 teacher and coach of the G.P. Vanier mountain biking team. “But 2017 is especially exciting. Cumberland is the unofficial epicentre of Van Isle mountain biking culture and it boasts some of the best race conditions in the province. Great trails, great riders and great fun – there’s no better way to showcase our local talent.”
At last year’s B.C. High School MTB Championships in Coquitlam, a strong showing from Comox Valley SD71 athletes ended with the Grade 9 boys sweeping their division.
“It’s really an exceptional way to highlight what the Comox Valley has to offer,” says Armstrong. “We’re working with the local expertise of UROC (the United Riders of Cumberland) in setting up the courses, and the entire village of Cumberland is rallying together for this event – from sponsorship to contributions from local businesses – in order to make the 2017 Championships the best year yet.”
Grade 9 racers from the Comox Valley owned the podium at last year’s High School Mountain Biking Championships in Coquitlam. This year’s championships are being held in Cumberland May 27.
The 2017 Championship is open to all B.C. high school mountain biking teams. With divisions ranging from Grade 8, Grades 9/10 and Grades 11/12 – with XC and enduro categories offered for each age group – all entrants must be individually registered by their coaches.
“This event wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our sponsors,” says Armstrong. “We have some incredible sponsors this year – The Village of Cumberland, TimberWest, UROC, the Island Cup MTB Race Series, RP Copywriting and Sew What, I Sew. Darkside Chocolates has handcrafted the awards out of their signature Dodge City chocolate, BibilioTaco is catering the coaches’ dinner and Sew What, I Sew has designed some tricked-out hats for the event. Our kids appreciate the support!”
Pre-race registration opens at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 26 at the Riding Fool Hostel on Dunsmuir Avenue, with the first race beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 27. The Championship wraps up with UROC’s famous post-race BBQ, plus the award presentation, at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 27 at Village Park in Cumberland.
Coaches must register each racer individually, and schools will be billed $15 per student registered, which includes entry fee and BBQ lunch. To register, coaches can follow the links on http://bchsmtnbikingchampionships.weebly.com.
Comox Valley & Vancouver Island mountain bikers looking for another challenge after the recent 12 Hours of Cumberland and Coal Town Classic races can mark June 26 on their calendars. That’s when the Dodge City Enduro will take place on the trails of Cumberland.
Invented in France 11 years ago as a “middle ground” between downhill and cross-country racing, an enduro race involves timed downhill sections and untimed climbs spread out over several stages.
“The rider with the fastest combined time over all the stages wins,” explains Mike Manara, president of the United Riders of Cumberland (UROC), which is hosting the event. “This is the type of riding most of us do here in Cumberland – we climb up and rip down. If you’re like most of us and can only afford one bike in the garage, it’s likely suited to this kind of race.”
The 2016 Dodge City Enduro will be comprised of four timed stages, each covering a selection of Cumberland’s world-class network of singletrack. Between stages, riders will traverse the terrain that has made Cumberland mountain biking famous via logging roads and cross-country trails; the total race will cover approximately 23 kilometres.
Plate pick up begins at 9 a.m. at the Cumberland Village Park, with racing getting underway at 11 a.m. Riders can register online at www.islandcupseries.com; various categories will be tailored toward beginner, advanced and expert riders, with separate divisions for male and female competitors. On the up side, the $50 entrance fee includes pulled pork sandwiches from UROC gold sponsor the Waverley Hotel; on the down side, the event is limited to the first 140 riders, so register now.
The United Riders of Cumberland is a non-profit society that promotes and supports the Comox Valley mountain bike community through trail building and advocacy, volunteerism, promotion of the sport and fundraising. UROC wishes to send a huge shout out to all of its sponsors, including 2016 platinum sponsors Can West Mechanical, Dodge City Cycles, Mountain City Cycle, Trail Bicycles and Riding Fool Hostel.
Mountain bike events in Cumberland will be fast and furious. Beginning May 5th, the United Riders of Cumberland host three events in June, and welcome BC Bike Race for it’s 10th visit in July.
Maybe it’s something in the water, the trees or the sea air, but Vancouver Island has brought forth a long list of cycling talents. Most of us will agree, a giant has fallen with the loss of Stevie Smith, but his legend will live on with mountain bikers across this island and around the world.
Devinci Cycles – May 10, 2016
Canadian Downhill Legend Steve Smith Dies at 26
Rider’s drive, determination, and love for living will be remembered by all those whose paths he crossed
World Cup sensation Steve Smith passed away this afternoon after suffering a massive brain injury resulting from an enduro motorcycle accident in his hometown of Nanaimo, British Columbia. He was 26 years old.
“Today we lost a great person, who taught me about myself and influenced many,” says Devinci Global Racing Team Manager, Gabe Fox. “Stevie was a fierce competitor, an honest friend and a rider who made me proud on countless occasions. I am honoured to consider him my friend for so long.”
At UCI MTB World Cup, MT ST ANNE, Quebec canada
Smith hailed from Vancouver Island, where he sharpened his mountain biking skills on the rainforest trails of Mt. Prevost. A force on the Canadian downhill racing scene for years, he became an international household name in 2013 after pocketing World Cup wins at Leogang, Hafjell, and Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que. Those efforts culminated in the World Cup overall title the same year—downhill racing’s ultimate achievement.
Smith is revered by fellow competitors and loved by friends, family and fans, who’ve been following what had been an explosive start to the 2016 season. Pushing past injuries that led to consecutive sidelined seasons, The Canadian Chainsaw was back in podium form this past April for the UCI WC Mountain Bike opener in Lourdes, France, where he finished in second place.
A driven athlete and fierce competitor, Smith was humble and grounded off the track. He was a notable influence on all young and aspiring Canadian gravity racers and others around the world. He was also a key mentor to friend and DGR teammate, Mark Wallace.
“I would not be anywhere on the bike without Steve,” Wallace says. “Most importantly he taught me to be confident in my abilities, race my bike properly and take risks. As training partners, we pushed each other to the limit.”
Downhill at the 2013 Leogang UCI MTB World Cup Finals, Austria.
At home, in his close-knit Vancouver Island community, Smith was known as a consummate outdoorsman. This is where he spent time fishing, camping, and sinking birdie putts on the golf course. His spirit was infectious and inspirational. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his close family and those he positively affected. Steve Smith is survived by his devoted mother, Tiann, sister, Kara, his uncle, Eric, niece and nephew, Myla and Luke, grandmother, Judi, and girlfriend, Caily Schenkeveld.
His family remembers him as a great warrior.
“Steve was the most successful Canadian Gravity Racer of all time,” Fox says. “His passing leaves a huge hole in our hearts here at Devinci.”
, during the 2016 UCI MTB World Cup, round two Cairns, Australia.
A Celebration of Life will be held on May 21 at 1 p.m. at the Vancouver Island Convention Centre in Nanaimo, B.C. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the “Stevie Smith Legacy Fund” atwww.gofundme.com/23k7fus. Funds will be earmarked for a Tiann Smith initiative, assisting talented young athletes.
Some of Vancouver Island’s best mountain bikers will descend on the Comox Valley this month as Cumberland hosts two Island Cup races that also promise to attract a strong contingent of local riders.
Elite cross-country riders, as well as amateurs, kids and weekend warriors, will test their mettle on Sunday, April 12 at the Cumberland XC, hosted by the United Riders of Cumberland (UROC). The third race of the Island Cup XC series and Cumberland’s first race of the season, the Cumberland XC will feature a great new course for racers, as well as a fun supervised group ride for children.
The Cumberland XC is open to riders of all ages and abilities and starts at noon on April 12, with check-in by 10 a.m. at Cumberland Village Park.
A week later, on April 19, downhillers will get the chance to showcase their skills at the Dodge City DH, the only downhill race on the Island this year. Like the XC event, the Dodge City DH is hosted by UROC and is open to riders of all ages and abilities, although full-face helmets are mandatory for all racers. This year’s race features an updated course and a single crown fork category. The race starts at 1 p.m. on April 19, with shuttles and sign-in beginning at 9 a.m. at Cumberland’s Chinese Heritage Park.
Participants of both events will be treated to a well-deserved free barbecue, and all riders will have a chance to win several sponsor-donated prizes. Registration is $30 for the XC race and $50 for the DH. Riders under 12 can participate in either event for free.
While we may not all be into xc or dh racing, there are a lot of good things going with the United Riders of Cumberland. A full race calendar of all disciplines along with trail maintenance, fundraisers, jump park construction and more, there is something for everyone.
It all kicks off April 2nd with a fundraiser at the White Whale.
April 12th – Cumberland XC race – All ages and abilities
April 19th – Cumberland DCDH race – All ages and even something for big wheels
May 5, 12, 19 – Toonie Races
May 24th – Coal Town Classic Marathon – 30 and 50km loops
June 13th – 12 Hours of Cumberland – Solo or as a team of 2 or 4
Sept 12th – Cyclocross Criterium – Ride through the Waverley Hotel
Sept 20th – Dodge City Enduro – 3 timed segments
All weekend races are online pre-registration. (Toonie races are day of registration)
Trail maintenance dates will be ongoing through the spring.
Promoted to the new tier of Diamond Series events on the FMB World Tour for 2014, the Bearclaw Invitational is regarded as a riders’ favourite for the relaxed vibe of its setting around the Mount Washington Alpine Resort and the course being the design footprint of legendary freerider Darren Berrecloth. The course itself is built in and among massive cedar and fir trees with many a wood-built riding feature out on the trail to promote a West Coast feel.
One of the biggest bike events in the world is coming back to Mount Washington on August 22-23th.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We’re looking for people to fill Volley shifts for Bearclaw from August 20-24. Check out all the action up close!! FMI and perks contact Jeff Judd at jjudd@mountwashington.ca
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday August 21, 2014
Practice and registration 2:00pm – dusk
Registration takes place at the Tread Shed
Friday August 22, 2014
Practice 10:00am – 2:00pm
Amateur comp 2:00pm
Pro practice 3:30pm – 5:00pm
Pro Seeding 5:00pm
Practice/shred session after qualifying (light permitting)
Darren Berrecloth, widely regarded as one of the best Freeriders in the world, will return to restore the forest site. This is a great spectator event featuring some of the best freestyle mountain bikers and it’s free to watch!
SEVEN a documentary by Aaron Larocque about the BC Bike Race has been released to the public. The movie is now available on Pinkbike after a successful screening at the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver with over 400 attendees.
The release of SEVEN just days before BC Bike Race gets set to roll, will kick off the 8th eighth edition, July 29th in North Vancouver.
This documentary will showcase the deeper connection between the participants and the journey that is called the ‘Ultimate Singletrack Experience’. This odyssey through the host communities and along this, now famous, circle route through ancient Rainforests, is all set against the rugged scenery of coastal British Columbia.
“BC Bike Race is an event about people from different backgrounds coming together to share and experience some of the best mountain biking in the world. I think ‘Seven’ really reflects that experience. The people and personalities that shape the event each year are what inspired this film. I’d like to thank the many people that helped make this film possible, but most of all I want to thank the riders whose experience we were allowed to capture”. Said director Aaron Larocque
“While each year only 600 riders are able to do the event, making a documentary to share the experience seemed like a great way to include the whole world. Our aim was to make people laugh, cry, to not be too serious and at the end of the day inspire people to get out there and ride their bikes. This journey that is the BC Bike Race is amazing and it’s so difficult to translate cross country riding into a story, but we think in 39 minutes we have more than achieved an amazing, inspirational story”. Said BCBR president and executive producer Dean Payne.
Pull up a chair, grab a beer, relax and enjoy SEVEN available exclusively on Pinkbike to watch for the next 24 hours.
We hope you get stoked for a summer of riding, follow the Race and 2014 story as it all unfolds, June 29-July 5th here:www.bcbikerace.com