Fernie Cyclists enjoy the Gravel Royale
August 29, 2024
Stage 1 of the Blackstone Fernie TransRockies will be an epic Time Trail format starting and finishing in Fernie’s Historic Downtown on Sunday, August 8th. Local riders should fair well on their backyard trail.
This year’s Fernie participants include:
Krista Turasso TR3,
Jesse Moog TR3,
Don Arsenault TR3,
Ton Ryan TR3,
Franck Gilmard TR3,
and
Shayne Soetaert & Todd Lowen TR7
Local riders should fair well on the big climb up Castle Mountains Hyper Ventalation and down Roots Hyper Extension. From here riders will be climbing Ridgemont via Eric’s Trail, Splitting Bears, Broken Derailler, R Trail, Little Chain Ring Big Trouble, and the Coal Discovery Trail into Fernie Downtown!
Check out some footage from Stage 1:
Trans Rockies Stage1 trails from jesse mong on Vimeo.
Franck Gimard has returned from holiday to ride this years TransRockies with Garret Sowchuk. Both riders rode last years TR7 with other partners and are very excited to be repeating their experience as a team.
Here is Francks update from his holiday:
Here we are, back from France …
spent some great time with friends and family with good food and wine…
Did some great road biking in the Alps on “Le Tour de France” itinerary…
Now ready to MTB again…
Rarely are great crashes recorded, this is an exception. Stage one of the 2009 TransRockies had an extremely challenging scree slope that most riders were walking. My good friend and photographer Dan Hudson was bragging about a crash sequence that he shot on that very slope and he thought is was one of the Fernie riders.
Well is was and here is Garret Sowchuk, chuking his body and bike down a steeeep scree slope. I have caught my shorts on the nose of the seat and ouch, can it be a rough tumble.
Garret did ride away and completed the seven day race. He had so much fun he’s riding again this year with Franck Gilmard, also a second timer.
As Spring marches on and the days get warmer, there are clearly lots of you getting your bikes out of hibernation and getting inspired to ride in 2010. This past week we rode Stage 1 in Fernie and the singletrack and riding conditions were amazing. In just under three hours with a GPS in hand we discovered Pat Gilmar’s , Route Director, amazing Time Trail section. Stage 1 is sure to please and Fernie’s hospitality is sure to comfort.
We’ve been getting a steady stream of registrations and are getting ever closer to a sell out of TR3. Over 90 per cent of the available spots have been confirmed for the second edition of the three-day solo race on the singletrack around Fernie, through the Elk Valley and over the Continental Divide into Alberta. That means that we’ll soon be putting out the “No Vacancy” sign for 2010.
If TR3 sells out, why not consider the full TR this year? If you’ve been training enough for three days on the trails, you’re not far away from being ready for the full seven days. If you’re still searching for a partner, be sure to use the forum or Facebook page to connect with other riders. 2010 is going to be the most exciting edition of the TransRockies since our first so if it’s been on your life to-do list why not check it off this year?
For full registration details, visit http://transrockies.com/trc/register/index.htm.
Fernie will watch single riders compete in the TransRockies for the first time in nine years. Last year was the first for the TR3 and it started in Panorama and ended in Nipika. Only the team riders crossed the finish line in Fernie. As this years official start Fernie will get to host the TR3 and watch local riders compete. Jesse Mong competed last year and will be at the starting line in Fernie.
Stage 3 in Nipika was a mud fest
In just its second year, the TR3 is well en route to its first sell out. With just under 5 months until the start date, the race is over 75% full. At this rate, the field will be full in a matter of just a few weeks.
Offering a shorter solo entry point to the TransRockies experience for recreational riders and a bounty of UCI ranking points and prize money to the elites, the TR3 is turning out to be a hugely popular addition to the TransRockies family. That success has even led to us adding a 3-day solo running event to our GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run that takes place each August in Colorado and it has been received with similar enthusiasm.
Starting in Fernie and finishing in the wilderness campground at Etherington Creek, this year’s TR3 will cover roughly 175km in three days including an opening time trial in Fernie through some of the best singletrack in the Rockies and two backcountry days in the rugged wilderness, the TR3 will pack huge adventure in a more achievable distance.
For full registration details, visit http://transrockies.com/trc/register/index.htm.