Western Open Alberta & BC Cup Recap

by Stephen Exley
Aug 9, 2011

The 2010 Western Open was a great event. 2011 was off the hook to say the least! 260 racers made the drive to the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden BC to test their bikes and themselves against one of the most technical tracks found anywhere in Western Canada. Brett Tippie was on hand all weekend long giving out tons of prizes, Kirt and Lindsey from the Specialized All Ride team were in the house a long with a couple of their racers. Tara Llanes and Elladee ran the first ever Shimano kids event and saw over 60 kids take the start line followed by a live band and even some DH racing too. Ken Faubert and Katherine Short took the top spots in Elite and Holly Feniak had the fastest women’s time with a 4:12.49. Full results at the bottom.

Check out the photos from Clayton Racicot below and more can be found on his website as well.


All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
No trip to Golden would be complete without a shuttle on MT 7
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Clan rider dropping into Dead Dog and this is BEFORE it gets steep
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Registration went smooth with a record 182 racers pre-registered for the event
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Andy trying to sneak into the Shimano kids race
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Tippie was off the hook all weekend long
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Want a Cow Bell, better be ready to sing for Tippie
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Lindsey Voreis and her AllRide ladies clinic
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Kirt Voreis was leaving his mark on KHMR and loving it!
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
The resort plaza was packed with tons to do and see
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Barry Mah in front of the Cranked & Specialized tents and demo fleet
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Tara Llanes at the Shimano Kids Race
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
66 racers showed up to throw down at the 1st ever Shimano kids event in Golden
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Too cute
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Ready for the win!
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
In it to win it!
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Racers meeting Saturday afternoon was well attended and tons of swag was given out
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Jason from Lambert was busy fixing bikes all weekend long for free
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Bryson says its time to race
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Cody doing it right
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
To say the course was fast and loose is and understatement
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Ouch!
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Phil and the crew from CCN had the speed trap out, top speed 57.9 through the finish
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
The few bravest racers starting the day off on the Hard Tail bikes
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Hard Tail Podium...Mike Parsons in first with a 4:50.29, Patrick f*gan then Todd Earnshaw
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Riley Suhan
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Junior Expert...Riley Suhan with a 3:45.88 followed by Forrest and Harrison
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Fastest two racers took home new dive watches from Freestyle. Holly with a 4:12.49 and Ken with a 3:44.18
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Jeff hunter was able to shave several seconds off his time from last year, but it still was not fast enough for top spot
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Katherine Short made the long drive to BC interior in order to take home the cash
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Elite Women...Katherine Short with a 4:49.79 followed by Cierra Smith and Nickey James
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Ken Faubert taking home a dive watch and the cash in 2011, safe to say he'll be back in 2012
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Elite Men...Ken Faubert with a blistering 3:44.18 followed by Dean Tennant, Tyler Allison, Adriano Digiancinto and Kirk McDowall
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
The reason behind the event. Lola watches on
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
Thank you to Jordan, CCN Crew and everyone else that helped me bring this event to life
All shots by by Clayton and rider shots can be found on his website. Thank you to every racer that attended this years event.
See you in 2012 at the Western Open at KHMR in Golden BC

Western Open 2011 Results


HUGE Thank you to everyone that helped make this event possible. Hope to see you all in 2012!
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23 Comments

  • + 24
flag ktmmxrider (Aug 9, 2011 at 11:56)
 LOL @ the autocorrect on the guys name on the hardtail podium
  • + 2
flag bonfire (Aug 9, 2011 at 12:00)
 Lol'd so hard.

No Luke Stevens?
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag bretttippie (Aug 10, 2011 at 22:53)
 The Western Open was a wicked event! Stephen Exley ran a professional show and had a TON of pimp prize's to be given away, cowbells for fans, and freezie's and water for racers. The course was wicked and everybody had lots of fun. I never knew Kicking Horse Resort had 4000 foot runs off the gondola! Sick!! I had a blast announcing and am looking forward to next year!!!
  • + 1
flag sexley (Aug 11, 2011 at 16:18)
 Thanks Tippie ~ I hope your schedule will allow you to return in 2012. You were a hit for sure and brought the event up to the next level..Cheers, SExley
[Reply]
  • + 3
flag trickland (Aug 9, 2011 at 14:19)
 you needed rims Mike! I guess it's an appropriate prize for the hardtail cat.!
[Reply]
  • + 3
flag BlackCrowe (Aug 9, 2011 at 12:17)
 Great event. Well done Stephen. Looking forward to next year. Think Tippie's voice will be healed by then for a repeat?
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag alexnash (Aug 9, 2011 at 19:39)
 i was there on sunday, not racing, but it was a fun day!! can't wait for next year.

sprained my wrist on the wall ride on blaster though, that sucked
  • + 1
flag BlackCrowe (Aug 9, 2011 at 22:01)
 We call that Mr. Hanky.
  • + 1
flag alexnash (Aug 10, 2011 at 12:47)
 The wallride?
  • + 1
flag BlackCrowe (Aug 10, 2011 at 18:05)
 Yeah, from South Park, because it looks like a big piece of poo.
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag DaPeach (Aug 9, 2011 at 22:35)
 Looks like it was a good time!

Next event for Tippie: Dirt Diggler in Fernie???
[Reply]
  • + 3
flag RANDALLL (Aug 9, 2011 at 19:40)
 YA RILEY!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag jdigdog (Aug 9, 2011 at 14:40)
 Check out Holly's time - she is only junior and beat the elite women's winner by over 30 sec!! Watch out Tracey!!!!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag komar (Oct 12, 2011 at 10:47)
 Anyone else having trouble finding the photos on Claytons' website?
  • + 1
flag sexley (Oct 12, 2011 at 11:51)
 every photo he took is now on line on facebook - search Stephen Exley then look in the photo section. Also join the Western Open facebook group as well for extras...
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag Terrafire (Aug 9, 2011 at 20:33)
 Baaaad ass. Tippie has his own sign!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag bboutin Plus (Aug 9, 2011 at 22:26)
 looked like the place to be! wish i could've been there!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag sirbikealot (Aug 9, 2011 at 13:22)
 Looks like a super fun and well run event , congrats
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag hankyman (Aug 9, 2011 at 13:29)
 heck yea hardtails!!!
[Reply]
  • - 2
flag andownhill (Aug 9, 2011 at 12:12)
 tara llanessssssssssss...yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ilove you
[Reply]
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