Photo Epic: Canadian Open DH - Crankworx 2014

Aug 18, 2014
by Danielle Baker  
Getting game face on...
  Getting game face on...

Possibly the happiest man in DH racing here at Crankworx Marcelo Gutierrez--this is his game face all smiles.
  Possibly the happiest man in DH racing here at Crankworx: Marcelo Gutierrez--this is his game face: all smiles.

Marcelo Gutierrez keeping his eyes on the prize.
  Marcelo Gutierrez keeping his eyes on the prize.

Danny Hart on the gas.
  Danny Hart on the gas.

Dark horse on the rise Connor Fearon putting on a show under the chair and coming home for third place.
  Dark horse on the rise, Connor Fearon putting on a show under the chair, and coming home for third place.

Bren Dawg slapping a catch berm as he slides across polished rock.
  Bren Dawg slapping a catch berm as he slides across polished rock.

Bernard Kerr getting sideways on the Canadian Open DH track. Kerr was just a hair off the podium coming in a second and a half behind Connor Fearon.
  Bernard Kerr getting sideways on the Canadian Open DH track. Kerr was just a hair off the podium, coming in a second and a half behind Connor Fearon.

Keeping the hecklers at bay...
  Keeping the hecklers at bay...

Brett Tippie on Heckler s Rock
  The fence may have been the fun-killer, but Tippie kept the party going! Photo: Scott Robarts

Bernardo Cruz rallying past Heckler s rock.
  Bernardo Cruz rallying past Heckler's rock.

Luke Strobel of Evil Bikes putting the pedal down on Heckler s Rock.
  Luke Strobel of Evil Bikes putting the pedal down on Heckler's Rock.

Heckler s rock with the fence... Can t say I m a fan. Yes it s safer for the racers and the fans but like looking at a bad hair cut that s not going to grow back in.
  Heckler's rock with the fence... Can't say I'm a fan. Yes, it's safer for the racers and the fans, but it's like looking at a bad hair cut that's not going to grow back in.

Winner Tracy Hannah dropping into the finish line edging out Casey Brown by .63 seconds.
  Winner! Tracy Hannah dropping into the finish line, edging out Casey Brown by 0.63 seconds.

Casey Brown scrubbing speed to get over the last set of doubles before the finish.
  Casey Brown scrubbing speed to get over the last set of doubles before the finish.

Vaea Verbeeck pinning it home on the Canadian Open DH track Verbeeck was just one step off the podium.
  Vaea Verbeeck pinning it home on the Canadian Open DH track; Verbeeck was just one step off the podium.

Look for Hannah and Brown to be mixing it up again next week in France at the World Cup finals.
  Look for Hannah and Brown to be mixing it up again next week in France at the World Cup finals.

Tracy Hannah stoked with 5k CDN in hand.
  Tracy Hannah: stoked with $5k CDN in hand.

Chug-a-lug Brown savoring some of the prize.
  Chug-a-lug: Brown savouring some of the prize.

Canadian Open DH Podium Bernard Kerr 4 Danny Hart 2 Marcelo Gutierrez 1 Connor Fearon 3 Mark Wallace 5 .
  Canadian Open DH Podium: Bernard Kerr (4), Danny Hart (2), Marcelo Gutierrez (1), Connor Fearon (3), Mark Wallace (5).

Oh yeah--Gutierrez heading to France on a high note...
  Oh yeah--Gutierrez heading to France on a high note...

King and Queen of Crankworx Gutierrez and Brown.
  King and Queen of Crankworx: Gutierrez and Brown.

Pro Men

1. Marcelo GUTIERREZ VILLEGAS 2:50.92
2. Danny HART+ 0.71
3. Connor FEARON+ 1.05
4. Bernard KERR+ 2.55
5. Mark WALLACE+ 3.30
6. Mick HANNAH+ 3.80
7. Kyle SANGERS+ 4.09
8. Kirk MCDOWALL+ 5.23
9. Ruaridh CUNNINGHAM+ 5.52
10. Shawn NEER+ 5.69
11. Mitch ROPELATO+ 5.73
12. Nick BEER+ 5.99
13. Guillaume CAUVIN+ 6.35
14. Jack MOIR+ 6.51
15. Eliot JACKSON+ 6.53
16. Ziga PANDUR+ 7.00
17. Chris KOVARIK+ 7.02
18. Brendan FAIRCLOUGH+ 7.30
19. Bernardo Neves CRUZ+ 7.78
20. Matt BEER+ 9.16

Pro Women

1. Tracey HANNAH 3:18.96
2. Casey BROWN+ 0.63
3. Claire BUCHAR+ 2.31
4. Vaea VERBEECK+ 6.36
5. Camila NOGUEIRA+18.22
6. Maria Luz DARQUIER+25.59
7. Veronique SANDLER+32.84
8. Alanna COLUMB+34.01
9. Kristen COURTNEY+41.32
10. Adrienne SCHNEIDER+ 1:00.87

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58 Comments
  • 79 3
 i don't like the fence idea
  • 18 1
 There was a lot not to like about this event was handled... The general coverage, both camera and commentator-wise, was pretty shitty compared to what Red Bull normally delivers. None of the people involved with the livestream seemed to really know/give a shit about DH racing. Ridiculous health and safety rules to take the fun out of it, and yet suddenly there was a truck on the track(!) in Ortiz's run.

Let's just forget about this mess and look forward to Méribel.
  • 23 2
 Fence was a stupid idea. Granted someone fell off last year but it was his own drunken fault. Hecklers was way better last year and the years before, there was even security guards making sure no one "hopped" the fence. With this and the Whip-Offs being "official" this year, Crankworx really let me down.
  • 5 0
 I agree with what you're saying, but whip-off has actually been official for three years. Grassroots ideas that get adopted, or tamed. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.
  • 2 0
 Haha They had the border patrol up there?? I am sure it was still a blast but dayum thats kinda awkward to have security guards chillin around a buncha bros gettin piss drunk bangin on old bike parts in the middle of the woods.
  • 7 1
 The few will always ruin a good, fun thing. People need to relize that when they act a fool.
  • 13 0
 the fence sucks, but after last year it was inevitable. at the end of the day whistler blackcomb holdings needs to reduce any liabilities it faces, and that means doing everything it can to avoid a lawsuit; be it from an idiot drunk falling off a rock, or a rider getting seriously hurt because someone does something stupid.

the problem is crankworx is a victim of its own success. when it first started as the whistler gravity festival you could pretty much walk the course unimpeded, hotels were easy and cheap, and the riders were everyday-joes who just shredded. as its grown more and more distance is given, its become harder and more expensive to get into as an athlete and as a viewer.

its still an event largely by riders, for riders. but sponsorship and money has changed how certain things are managed and run. just be happy the UCI doesn't have a say in things
  • 1 0
 Rondal you summed it up pretty nicely, thats how a lotta music fests go now, something happens and then they have to go and regulate it some how, which is understandable i guess.
  • 3 0
 @Nygaard, I saw that too. If Ortiz had been about .5 second slower, things would have gotten very ugly. I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else. I find it hard to believe you and I could be the only ones that noticed, so it seems odd that something like that happening hasn't sparked more conversation.
  • 19 0
 Doesnt matter if its 5k or 10k or 100k, getting paid to ride DH in some of the most beautiful locations in the world sure beats the shit out of my job.

Id do it for the pri ce of a plane ticket ;-) and the love of it.
  • 3 1
 It's actually over rated. You're not missing anything at all. Hope that makes you feel better. It's actually the best place in the world though.
  • 16 1
 That was my first time I have been on the rock and it was one of the best times I have ever had here, thanks guys!
  • 10 0
 Apparently, there's no photo of it, so here it is :Eddie Masters -Heckler rock !
www.pinkbike.com/video/375722
  • 8 1
 Ten thousand dollars !! *_* :Q__
  • 4 0
 I'm kind of sad today it's just about money safety you can't do this and that too ... Used to be way better without all this fences all around the tracks
  • 2 0
 Juniors compete against juniors because they are not as good as the pros. That is why they don't make as much money. If you're good enough you're old enough. Being the best means you should make the most regardless of age or gender. Look at the whip-off where that 14-year-old won. He earnt that win with his own hard work and deserves to take the top prize. That he is a schoolboy is irrelevant. He won because he was the best.

Should we give the same prize money to the toddlers class, because they also tried their hardest?

If we had more female heads of state there would a fewer wars and a lot less suffering in the world, that's for sure. That is because women are arguably a lot better than men at diplomacy. They are also pretty f*cking shit hot at having kids. I bet any woman could beat you hands down at that. Should we have a men's class to give us a chance at winning a birthing contest?

Women are world class at many things in their own right. They don't need a female category to be world class in a lot of areas. They can stand equal to men and beat them in many disciplines.

But DH mountain biking is not one of them. They are not as good as men. That's why they don't make as much.

The reason I don't care who won the girls' race, or the toddlers' race, or the hamsters' race, is because all of them would be behind pretty much the entire men's field. Not because they are girls, but because they aren't very good compared to the men.
  • 2 0
 "But DH mountain biking is not one of them. They are not as good as men. That's why they don't make as much." Your statement is only partly correct- that they are not as fast as the men. But the factual reason (political views of equality aside) why their pay isn't as high is due to the fact that the buy less bikes than men.It's the same as in ski racing, or any other physical sport. They need and should have separate categories in sports because that difference is real and exists.

I also never said they should be paid the same. Just that the disparity should be far less. Why that is absurd to you, is beyond me.
  • 6 1
 What is the prizing for World Cup races?
  • 6 0
 A beautiful bouquet of flowers and some cheap ass bubbly.
  • 4 0
 10k for riding a bike...and i am here sitting on my desk waiting for friday to come
  • 1 0
 Women and men are not considered equal because we have similar physical properties. We are considered equal because we are both human and fall under the definition of what it means to be human, which transcends our physical build relying more on our rationality and notions of autonomy. This is why men, women, black, white, Indian, European, whatever are considered equal. Your remark about me not being able to win at child birth is about as red-herring fallacy as you can get and totally irrelevant to any discussion on equality and rights.

"But DH mountain biking is not one of them. They are not as good as men. That's why they don't make as much" This is also incorrect in that I have already given the factual possibility of why they get paid what they do. They do need separate categories in physical sports because they are not built the same as men. Fact. If you aren't interested in their results, that's fine. But that they should not be paid the same or closer to the same as men IN THE SAME CATEGORY is something I don't understand. I don't see how unrealistic it is to have Pro Men pay & Pro Women Pay be at least similar, along with Junior Men pay & Junior Women pay, and likewise with Amateur Men & Amateur Women pay/prize. No where did I say that Amateur Women or Junior or Men get the same pay.

Sometimes we make exceptions, as Finn competing with people older than him (the question should be is he then a Pro?) and with some females asking to compete in the men's like-category because they are constantly destroying their competition (like Lindsey Vonn in skiing or with some LPGA golfers). Sure there are exceptions, but they are exactly that exceptions because of their exceptional talent and abilities. If we were to combine all genders and ages into one category, it would be an utter disaster. And naturally, things would go back to being separated again.
  • 1 0
 I've never heard of any rider or representative making an official complaint towards payment differences between gender categories. I there has been they probably had a lot of trouble getting the ball rolling. This tells me that the idea that its based on numbers is already understood, even the riders who get paid less and are directly affected are rational enough to get that.
  • 1 0
 Who was the rider who stacked on the 50footer that red flagged the event for a bit at the beginning? It was horrible, one of the worst I've seen recently in a race! Healing vibes to him whoever he is!!!
  • 1 0
 Edit- it was no.62 Nick Grimm, riding for Knolly I think. You can see it at 54.00 on the replay. MASSIVE and ugly crash Frown
  • 2 0
 Yeah like most people have said it probably boils down to "more contestants = greater prize pool". Women/men equality and rights doesn't enter into it.
  • 2 0
 long live the king...! bravo Marcelo..
  • 1 0
 Where are/were the BIG names, i.e. Atherton(s), Gwynn, Syndicate(Minnaar,Peat etc.)?
  • 9 11
 So can anyone explain why the woman gets half the amount a man does?
  • 18 4
 First guess: Class compeitiveness is half that of men's. Less than 10 seconds separating top twenty men, while over a minute separates top ten woman.

Second guess: Same reason Obama administration pays woman less than men - sexism existing within those who say it shouldn't.
  • 5 12
flag tLAMA (Aug 18, 2014 at 1:13) (Below Threshold)
 because they were half minute slower ;-)
  • 10 10
 No reason actually, society is like that and it's stupid as fuck.
  • 35 4
 This argument is ridiculous. There were 130 pro men starting compared with 14 pro women. Would it be less sexist if all the money from those entries was summed and divided equally between the men and women? No, if anything that would be positive discrimination against the men!
  • 5 4
 Im not starting an argument, just asking for possible reasons. Maybe if the prize money was the same more than 14 women would compete? Who knows..
  • 6 0
 Well that's a chicken and the egg situation right there! And that wasn't aimed at you personally, it just seems that everytime a prize money photo comes up on here this same debate pops up...
  • 10 1
 If somebody is competing purely due to the prize money available then there is something wrong.
  • 1 1
 Agreed.
  • 6 6
 Because men would be mad as f*** if they got less money than a woman.
  • 8 0
 Prize money has more to do with the actual market size and sponsorship influence than it does with the number of competitors. The reason prize money is less for women here (not saying that it should be this way, just an explanation of why it is) is that sponsors look to the number of women buying DH/FR bikes and it is far less compared to men. The sponsors are going to put more money into the men's purse in hopes to get a greater return on their investment.

Where they are wrong (in my opinion) is that male consumers can also be influenced by female riders/racers. Same scenario happens in the ski industry.
  • 3 0
 Yeah no probs David, its a good debate to have though I think. Long may it continue.
  • 3 2
 Prize money or not, you're out on your bike in whistler at crankworks. Even if i came dead last my pure stoke levels would be that high!
  • 6 0
 Typically there is an entrance Fee to a race. That money goes towards course officials, medical staff, insurance, and prize money. When there are more people racing more money is left over for the winnings. More Men Racing = More Money
  • 7 4
 They need to group men and women in one class then have a 15k 1st place payout.

That is the only fair way, correct?
  • 2 0
 Hammm, that's great but remember that these are professional athletes who make a large portion of their income through their earnings/sponsorship. Stoke doesn't pay the airfare, hotels, other travel expenses, food, entrance fees, etc. A big part of why these racers go to certain events and avoid others outside the World Cup calendar is largely due to purse size.
  • 8 3
 guys you have to realize if they payed the men the same consistency of what they pay the women (in amount of competitors not even taking into account how much more competitive it is at the top of the men's category) then the men's pay out would be $46,429 (give or take a bit). Also if the women were payed in the same consistency to the men are payed atm (consistent with amount of competitors) Then the women would only be getting $1077 as far as category sizes are concerned the women are getting a good deal as far as prize pay outs! But there is as always another way of looking at it the cost of getting to whistler and the cost of been a racer is not cheap whatever sex you are and so you could say they deserve the same pay out so they can support themselves and their racing. cant say i have an opinion on it really just outlining the facts...
  • 6 0
 If I were given the two choices, I'd much rather race against 13 other people for a shot at $5,000, rather than racing against 125+ for the shot at $10,000.
  • 1 1
 just out of curiosity, how much of the winnings go to taxes?
  • 1 0
 Not sure how it works in America but if it were Australia they would loose about 40% to tax immediately, because the tax office would work it out as equilivant to a 520k yearly salary. So the rider would recoup most of what they paid during their next tax return
  • 1 0
 Taxes are based in overall net income. As a racer I'm sure they have a TON of travel expenses. Every meal they eat, every thing they buy can be written off as an expense. For all but the top riders (who get absolutely everything paid for) I'm sure they'll be able to keep most all of the prize money.
  • 2 2
 "So can anyone explain why the woman gets half the amount a man does?"

I thought exactly the same thing. They shouldn't get paid anything. All they have to do is turn up.

Arguing that they should get the same as the men is disrespectful to men. Men and women are not the same so let's stop pretending they are hey. If you want a level playing field, the only way to do it is what @meathooker said. Combine the prizes and only have one class. The fact that there are two classes speaks volumes.
  • 2 1
 jaame, you have a VERY warped notion of equality. No one is denying certain physical differences between men and women, but generally speaking the women risk just as much as the men and train just as hard as the men and race the same course, so why should their reward be so greatly different in the end?. Ask pretty much any of the male athletes and they will say the same. The only reason there should be a difference in payout is because of the market size- more men compete in mountain biking then women, so the market is skewed that way and therefore so is sponsorship influence. But that's not to say that shouldn't also be challenged.

We have separate classes to allow the competition fair and balanced to create a level playing field. Juniors compete against juniors. Ages compete against ages. Pros compete against pros. Men compete against men. Women compete against women. If everything were mixed together you have exactly the opposite of a level playing field.
  • 3 1
 uniors compete against juniors because they are not as good as the pros. That is why they don't make as much money. If you're good enough you're old enough. Being the best means you should make the most regardless of age or gender. Look at the whip-off where that 14-year-old won. He earnt that win with his own hard work and deserves to take the top prize. That he is a schoolboy is irrelevant. He won because he was the best.

Should we give the same prize money to the toddlers class, because they also tried their hardest?

If we had more female heads of state there would a fewer wars and a lot less suffering in the world, that's for sure. That is because women are arguably a lot better than men at diplomacy. They are also pretty f*cking shit hot at having kids. I bet any woman could beat you hands down at that. Should we have a men's class to give us a chance at winning a birthing contest?

Women are world class at many things in their own right. They don't need a female category to be world class in a lot of areas. They can stand equal to men and beat them in many disciplines.

But DH mountain biking is not one of them. They are not as good as men. That's why they don't make as much.

The reason I don't care who won the girls' race, or the toddlers' race, or the hamsters' race, is because all of them would be behind pretty much the entire men's field. Not because they are girls, but because they aren't very good compared to the men.
  • 1 0
 You are both over complicating things.
Honestly, I think this has nothing to do with me/women skills, whos as good as who, rights, equality, fair share, any of that. It simply boils down to a numbers game, with the prize pool and level of sponsorship being proportional to the number of contestants and publicity gained.
  • 1 0
 men/women skills*
  • 1 0
 I've never heard of any rider or representative making an official complaint towards payment differences between gender categories. I there has been they probably had a lot of trouble getting the ball rolling. This tells me that the idea that its based on numbers is already understood, even the riders who get paid less and are directly affected are rational enough to get that.
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