by admin | Jun 8, 2010 | Fernie TransRockies
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.
by admin | May 10, 2010 | Fernie TransRockies
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.
by admin | Mar 28, 2010 | Fernie TransRockies
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.
by admin | Mar 4, 2010 | Fernie TransRockies
The TransRockies Start is returning to Fernie, following three years of hosting the Finish! Fernie originally hosted the Start for five consecutive years. In addition Stage 1 will be a time-trial on local trails where the riders will start and finish in Downtown Fernie. Then the following morning, Stage 2 will start in downtown Fernie and head North to Elkford.
It all will begin on August 7 when hundreds of mountain bikers from around the World will show up to register for the ninth annual TransRockies Challenge. Over the next seven days, they will travel 400 km with nearly 12,000 metres of climbing though the Canadian Rocky Mountains by the time they finish in downtown Canmore, Alberta on August 14.
“We are thrilled that the TransRockies Start is returning to Fernie,” said Dan Savage, TransRockies Society. “They get to ride the best bike trails in Canada, for two stages. Having hundreds of riders in town for multiple days will be a great vibe and boost local businesses.”
Riders are expected to arrive in Fernie days before registration to prepare for the event. During the lead up and on the weekend–retail shops, accommodations, and restaurants will be busy.
On August 8 the Stage 1 time trial will take riders to the top of Castle Mountain and on a number of technical single track trails in Ridgemont. “This TransRockies will offer the best single track riding ever”, said BC Route Director Pat Gilmar. For Stage 2 the riders will be heading north and east to Elkford.
Stage 3 takes riders across the Alberta border and over the Continental Divide to finish at the Etherington Creek Wilderness Campground in Kananaskis Country. The next day, August 11, Stage 4 will continue through Kananaskis Country, to an authentic western ranch located on the edge of the Sheep River Wildlife Reserve, 45 minutes south of Calgary.
On Stage 5 and 6, riders will head high into K-Country again for two days of single and double track ridgeline riding on the spine of the Rockies. On the last night of the TransRockies, riders will be treated to more western hospitality at historic Rafter Six Ranch. On the final stage, August 14, riders will follow the TransCanada Trail to the Canmore Nordic Centre, site of the 1988 Olympic winter Games and several World Cup mountain bike races, before descending to the finish line on Main Street in Canmore.
Fernie is the only community to host all nine TransRockies events. The first five starts was followed by three finishes. This year the event will feature two starts and one finish. Without question this will be the largest bike festival ever to roll through Fernie’s Downtown.
For more information email: transrockies@fernie.com.
by admin | Aug 16, 2009 | Fernie TransRockies
Stage 7: Crownest Pass to Fernie
After four consecutive days of unseasonable cold and rain, riders left Blairmore, Alberta for the final stage of 2009 with the finish line in Fernie squarely in their sights. The euphoria of completion added an extra level of excitement to the morning, as did an extra hour’s sleep with a later start made possible by slightly shorter and flatter route than the previous three days which had seen most riders on course for at least 7 hours a day in tough conditions.
At 75 km long with 1300 metres of climbing, Stage 7 looked like a mere blip compared to the 300km and 6700 metres of climbing they’d overcome in the previous three stages. It would still mean nearly four hours on course for the winners and much longer for most of the field thanks to course conditions which remained slick after the wettest edition yet in eight years of TransRockies riding.
The leading group of riders stayed together through the first two feed stations before the leading Rocky Mountain Factory Team duo of Stefan Widmer and Marty Lazarski dropped the hammer, determined to celebrate their GC win with a solo ride down Victoria St. in Fernie. They had been the fastest team on the singletrack all week and again, they were able to open a sizeable lead on the technical sections and rolled into the finish alone for another impressive stage win.
Next across the line was PeteTurnbull of the UK, who has been riding solo since his partner was forced to pull out on day 1 with a serious virus. Though only teams are eligible for prizing, Pete has been in the action all week pushing the leaders and being one of the top finishers every day.
Even though the GC gaps were often very big, riders did not treat this as a ceremonial ride to the finish. Pushing for a podium finish on the last day, the Bow Cycles/Specialized duo of Ryan Correy and Brian Bain overcame a broken chain in singletrack. Correy used his elite running skills to get to the bottom then Bain took over towing his chainless teammate to the line to hold onto third place on the day as Team visitPA.com breathed down their necks.
In the Mixed 80+ category, Pat Doyle and Trish Grajczyk of Team Deadgoat took the suspense out of things early with a dominant ride and a sweep of all seven stages. Doyle was one of two competitors who was completing their fifth TransRockies and was honoured with a commemorative belt buckle that will go nicely with the pile of leaders’ jerseys he’s got. The other 5 TransRockies finisher was Dean Irvine of North Vancouver who finished third in the Open Mixed division.
Team Cox of Norway held on to their gap to win the 100+ division while the Czechmasters in 80+ and Team Terrascape/Trek Toronto Open Mixed, both of whom had diced with the leading teams all week, won their respective categories. Finally, event host Nipika Mountain Resort also put their name on top of the standings as their Open Women’s team of Magi and Kate Scallion held off a hard challenge from the Velobella/Vanderkitten team to win the gold.
In every category and from front to back, riders made heroic and repeated efforts to get to the end of each stage. The TransRockies is considered to be the most difficult and epic mountain bike stage race and this was the most difficult edition of the TransRockies yet. The machined aluminum finisher medals will be only the smallest part of the reward that the competitors take home after overcoming the worst that the Rockies could throw at them over seven days, 532km and 14300 metres of climbing.
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