Skip to content

Walden club hosts national mountain bike race

The dust was flying on the sun-baked trails July 14 as about 600 elite and amateur mountain bikers ripped around the Naughton facility at the Adventure Ski and Cycle Canada Cup.
Mountain Bike660
Participants in the elite women's race ride through the trees at the Adventure Ski and Cycle Canada Cup in Naughton on July 14. Photo by Heidi Ulrichsen.
The dust was flying on the sun-baked trails July 14 as about 600 elite and amateur mountain bikers ripped around the Naughton facility at the Adventure Ski and Cycle Canada Cup.

This is the first national event hosted by the Walden Mountain Bike Club, which formed about eight years ago, although it has already hosted two provincial events.

Club president Rob St. Marseille said the club was “thrilled” to host the race. When national mountain bike events come to Ontario, they're usually held at at Hardwood Hills, close to Barrie.

“We put a plan together, and put together a good race course, and here we are,” St. Marseille said. “I think it's great.”

Race organizer Glenn Meeuwisse, who's from Orillia, said he's impressed with the Walden Mountain Bike Club's facility.

“It's a fantastic course,” he said. “The local Walden Mountain Bike Club has built, honestly, a world-class course. It's spectacular riding, good climbing, lots of rocks, very challenging.

“We were up for the Ontario Summer Games a number of years ago, and we said we've got to bring (the Canada Cup) here.”

The elite races featured several athletes who have seen some success on the world stage, including Courtenay, B.C., native Geoff Kabush, who placed eighth at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't with Kabush at the Naughton race -- he got a flat tire on the second lap of the course.

“I had to ride slowly into the pit to change a wheel, and I was in chase mode the whole day,” he said. “Luckily I got up to fifth right at the end.”

The elite men's title instead went to Kabush's teammate, Derek Zandstra.

“It was a really fun race,” he said. “It's a fun course. It's a really hot day, but I'm not complaining. It beats the rain sometimes.”

Zandstra said he planned to clean off after the race by jumping into one of Sudbury's beautiful lakes.

Northern Life also caught up with Amanda Sin of Collingwood, who placed fourth in the elite women's category. Vancouver native Sandra Walter won that race.

“The course is really fast,” said Sin, who won bronze at the 2011 Pan Am Games. “It was a really exciting race. We stayed together a bit at the beginning. I thought the people here put on a great event.”

On the other end of the spectrum from these elite athletes is 10-year-old Molly Trayling, who came in fifth place in the peewee female category.

The young athlete, who rides out of Hardwood Hills, said she loves mountain biking because it involves taking risks and having fun.

“I enjoy doing it,” she said.

Toronto resident Melinda Davie, who won in the 50 plus master's category, said she found the race difficult because of the hot weather, but had a lot of fun anyway.

She's familiar with the Naughton trails, since she has rented a cottage in the Sudbury area for the past two years, and combined mountain biking with rest and relaxation.

“It's got some great technical descents, and some hard, nice climbs,” Davie said. “It was a really good venue.”

Phil Kaikkonen of London wiped out twice during the race, but still managed to win in the master's 30-34 category.

Although he said he found it a rough race, given the heat, rocks, roots and dust, it was still challenging and fun.

“We all have full-time jobs,” Kaikkonen said. “It's just good motivation to keep you training and staying in shape and that kind of stuff.”

Comments

Verified reader

If you would like to apply to become a verified commenter, please fill out this form.




Heidi Ulrichsen

About the Author: Heidi Ulrichsen

Read more