Hardwood is one of, if not the oldest and most prestigious events of the Canada Cup series. This race venue has hosted 18 Canada Cups and 3 national championships in the last 21 years. The best cross-country racers that this country has ever produced have all laid tire tracks here, and they inspired many of the current generation of fast riders to emulate them. It is therefore, no coincidence that this region is a true hotbed of cross-country talent; in fact, 5 of the 27 athletes selected for Canada's 2016 World Championships squad live within riding distance of this course.
The course itself is typical of this part of the country; fast and flowy singletracks, with short, punchy climbs. In order to spice things up a bit and keep up with the current trend in course design, some man-made features have been added in recent years. With a perfect combination of rain and sun in the days leading up to the race, the dirt was tacky and the course was running as fast as ever. Walking through the pits, it was obvious that fast-rolling tires were the order of the day. However, the hardtail vs. full-suspension decision was a difficult one for many. In the end, the men's race was won on the former, whereas the women's race was won on the latter.
MENTIONS: @LargeFries