On Friday September 3rd, 100 Downhill Mountain Bikers, hungry for some vertical, descended on C.O.P. in Calgary AB, for the inaugural Red Bull Dusk 'til Dawn. The concept was simple...From 10pm to 5am solo or 2 person tag team categories competed to complete the most laps of the Downhill course in the allotted time. Due to the on-line registration filling up and closing out early at 100 there were 20 local gear heads begging to be on the waitlist come 7pm, some managed to sneak in. The major twist on this Downhill Endurance event was that it was run at night and only portions of the course were lit.
Some of the competitors showed up with flashlights duct tapped to their helmets, these guys were determined! Once the bibs were given out and some practice runs taken the riders started to get a feel for the course. The determined participants were gathered at a point about 200m from the top of the course and at 10pm two Red Bull Wing's Team Members sounded the airhorn signifying the start of the race. 75 competitors (25 two person teams, thus 25 riders were waiting at the bottom for their teammates) pushed their heavy Downhill bikes frantically up the hill to the start of the course, jostling for position. This unique start allowed for a fair distribution of riders on the course without causing too much carnage.
The first few hours were run at such a fast pace that we figured there was no way they could keep it up, we were wrong. Mountain Equipment Co-Op had their Tech and mobile race shop on hand to make sure flat tires, broken chains or dead batteries didn't put an early end to any one's evening. As the race wound down there were still 75 people on the course. Some were lost to injury, others to devastating mechanical issues, but most stuck around to watch the final few hours.
Some of the fastest laps of the night were spun in the closing 60 minutes and made for a very interesting finish, third and fourth place swapped twice in the last 15 minutes due to a busted hub, but perseverance paid off and Spencer Fowler snuck on to the podium, ahead of John Fisher.
For full results, click here
http://zone4.ca/live.asp?id=3106&cat=1&lap=F&c=1. DJs Anfernee Rockwell and Al Testa played on the deck of the lodge keeping the riders in the lift line motivated and supplied the Energy Lounge with tunes. In the Energy Lounge competitors could find water, snacks and Red Bull along with power bars to recharge batteries and lights. A 42" screen was on hand to provide real time race standings and stats via zone4.ca that were also accessible via smart phone so riders could check their current progress on the chairlift between runs.
Once the smoke cleared the 100 competitors had completed a cumulative 3100 laps of the Downhill Course for a total of 372 km of vertical and a distance of 5177km. For some perspective, the drop of Everest is 8 km and the distance from Vancouver to Halifax via the Trans-Canada Highway is 6119 km. As the dust settled, first light crept over the eastern horizon and the competitors scattered back to back their crypts to prepare for 2011.
Results and quotes:
Solo:
3rd Place, Spencer Fowler of High River AB completed 49 laps and won $150 and an Ogio Hydration Pack.
"This was the best event and most fun I've had all year!"
2nd Place, Brandon Indic of Jasper, AB completed 49 laps and won $300 and an Ogio Hydration Pack.
"I had a f$%#&*g blast, are you running this next year? I can't wait to get out there next year!"
1st Place, Brian Serneels of Vancouver BC completed 50 laps and won $500, an Ogio Hydration Pack and a 2011 Season's Pass to the COP Bike Park.
"I've never seen anything downhill endurance, it was amazing! I just came out to have some fun and it worked out...I will absolutely be back!"
2 Person Team:
1st Place:
Cody Ratte and Daniel Banks of Calgary AB combined for 51 laps and shared $500, and each received a an Ogio Hydration Pack and 2011 Season's Pass to COPs bike park.
"Man, this cheque is huge, how are we going to cash it? We're so beat and so tired but I could keep riding for sure (laughing)!
2nd Place:
EX-Terminators
Jered Lindquist
Mat Bayrak
3rd Place:
Mitchell O'Keefe
Blaze Mokaruk
