By Amy Guidinger
Four mountain bikers from Revelstoke recently returned from a challenging seven-day mountain bike race called the BC Bike Race.
The BC Bike Race is a week-long mountain biking adventure travelling through amazing single track spanning from Vancouver Island to Whistler. The race takes riders on a tour of some of the most beautiful yet gruelling mountain biking that the west coast of BC has to offer... and it throws a little competition into the mix.
The average kilometres travelled per day is 50 km and the average elevation climbed is 1,350m. Eighty per cent of that distance is on remarkable coastal singletrack.
450 riders competed with skill levels ranged from a person in his second year of mountain biking to pro-elite riders.
Local nurse & physician, Atsuko Knight & Courtney Rennie competed as a team, the ‘Revy Chicks’.
Knight said the race was a challenge. “Constant riding or walking on root infested wet trails was really frustrating for me but we were often rewarded with beautiful flowy downhill trails as well,” she said. “It was a great way to explore new areas and get to know fellow bikers. It was truly challenging and epic but I’m totally embracing this wonderful experience now.”
Another local physician, Bart Jarmula, competed with a friend from Invermere as team ‘Wild Rose’. Amy Guidinger, physiotherapist & owner of Helios, competed as a solo rider. Bart was the wily veteran of the gang. He completed the race in 2009 with another Revelstoke local, Adam Ferris, who recently competed in another epic endure mountain bike race in South Africa, the Cape Epic.
Training for the race involved many hours sitting on a bike whether it was on the trainer inside waiting for the snow to melt and then spending many hours on the Mount Macpherson trails.
“Revelstoke definitely has the challenging terrain necessary to prepare a rider for the BC Bike Race,” said Guidinger. “I had experience with a different stage race, The TransRockies. The technicality of the BC Bike race brought the challenge and the enjoyment to the next level.”
The racers are now back in Revelstoke in recovery mode.
All the riders want to thank Flowt Bikes for the great technical & moral support in order to prepare their bikes for the race. As well, all the fantastic support from their family, coworkers & from the people of Revelstoke.