TEAMS
"Fernie Breathe Easy Team One" (Inhale)
Pepper Couelle-Sterling
I have enjoyed participating as an athlete in many endurance races from marathons, triathlons, century rides to stage mountain bike races. I am an endurance athlete and a moderate to severe asthmatic, both which have not always been complimentary.
In my early twenties I was ranked 8th in North America at the marathon distance. In my thirties I began racing mountain bikes and found that biking was easier on the body than running. I competed and place 4th in the Squamish "Test of Medal" and competed in various Canada Cup races.
In my early forties my asthma began to plague me as it had as a child. In 2003 I participated in and finished the Trans Rockies Mountain Bike Race, but not without seriously pacing myself to control my asthma. Since then I have trained and hoped to ride once again in the "toughest mountain bike race in the world", but my asthma has not been well enough controlled. Now in 2008, I am feeling stronger and have learned ways in which I might have better day to day control of my symptoms. I feel ready to ride in the Trans Rockies again and to finish the race feeling healthy. My objective is to raise money and awareness through education for the Asthma Society of Canada. I believe that it's everyone's right to enjoy the benefits of exercise and breathe easy.
Shayne Soetaert
Hi, Shayne Soetaert here, I am a family physician in Fernie, B.C.. Originally from St. Albert, Alberta, I moved to Fernie in 1997 after a 3 year stint with the Armed Forces. My wife Mary-Jane and I have 3 girls, and I am hoping they will all want to mountainbike when old enough. I am currently working on Mary-Jane to join me on the trails.
I started biking on a no suspension, 20 year old bike about 8 years ago, now thoroughly hooked, bad enough to say yes to Pepper when she asked me to go on the Transrockies. I have a dedicated masochistic streak.
We hope to raise awareness of asthma across Canada during the race, and improve some people's quality of life in the process. I also hope to survive the race.
"Fernie Breathe Easy Team Two" (Exhale)
Sebastian Bade
Born July 12th 1974 in the German province of "Lower Saxony", I started riding pretty much as soon as I learned to walk. In the early days we where Mountain biking in and around town, which got more and more into serious while we got older and the bikes got better.
Around 4 years ago I pretty much stopped Mountain biking because I bought my first road bike and did some traveling around Europe. We had a couple of bike vacations in Italy, Spain and France, which I can, if anybody has the time, highly recommend!
In December 2006 my girlfriend Christine and me moved to Canada for a little adventure and to see more from the world, learn different languages and just get around and make some new experiences.
We started in Edmonton where we lived for 6 month, met some really nice people and where I was a member of "9th Street Cycle Logic", a road bike club owned by former racer Rich Schafernacker.
In March 2007 I got a job offer from Willard Ripley, owner of "Rivercity Woodworks" here in Fernie. And after our first visit in April 2007 it wasn't the hardest decision for us to move from Edmonton to Fernie.
Ever since, my road bike is history and I'm back on the single trails. This is how I met my partner Michelle. She's also working with me and last year she took my girlfriend and me out for a couple of rides around town. And now, the "Fernie Mountain bike virus" very well infects me.
Last year, when I saw the riders finishing the Transrockies here in Fernie, I decided to do this enormous challenge by myself. So, on November 1st at 10.05 am I signed us in for this years event.
Things got even better when I talked to Dan Savage in April and he offered us to be part of the Fernie Team, also participating in the charity ride for "Asthma Canada". I'm looking forward to the training and the race, and maybe we can be the first Fernie Team to cross the finish line?
But most importantly: Finish and don't get hurt!!!
Michele Kremer
I was born in Alberta and raised in a small farming community north of Edmonton. I am a 45 year old going on 25 who has always had the dream of living in the mountains. It took a while to get here; I spent some time attending art school in Calgary and Halifax and earned my BFA. I got sidetracked for a while in Toronto and it was there, of all places, that my biking obsession was ignited when I worked for a short stint as a bike messenger. Before I finally wised up and made the move to beautiful Fernie, I spent more years back in Calgary and continued on in my bike messenger persona. During that time I managed to pick up the mountain bike riding and racing bug and had a short, but intense career as an amateur mountain bike racer. From 1994-1997 I earned several top place finishes at the pro-elite level in both the Alberta Cup and Canada Cup Downhill and Cross-Country race circuits.
I have now been living and riding in Fernie for about ten years. I actually moved here for the great mountain biking (the incredible skiing is an added bonus). For most of my time here, I've worked for Rivercity Woodworks as a cabinetmaker and wood finisher. Although I still mountain bike obsessively I thought I had hung up my racing shoes, but I have been captivated by the Transrockies event ever since I witnessed the first racers start off from downtown Fernie all those years ago. I volunteered for the event one year and have watched every race start and finish in Fernie. It seems that now this is the year to "JUST DO IT". Together with my race (and work) partner, Sebastian Bach, I am excited to do this event not only for personal and competitive urges, but also to raise awareness and funds for the Asthma Association of Canada.
