What happens when you take 700 mountain bikers, give them access to 10 kegs of beer, and then have them vote on their favorite rider submitted photos and videos? You get the winners of the 5th Annual Shoot the Trails Awards, a fundraiser for the
Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC) held in Bellingham, Washington.
Attendees were treated to 19 short videos and a display of 30 photographs, and then asked to choose their favorites. Since its inception in 2011 the quality and the number of submissions has continued to increase, and this year was no exception, with videos running the gamut from a session on a massive jump line to a pack of groms shredding their backyard trails. Once the votes were tallied it was Kevin Menard's 'Over the Hill' video that took the top honors, while Javi Vega took the win in the photography contest.
Video Contest WinnersFirst Place: 'Over the Hill' by Kevin Menard Second Place: 'The Switch' by Kory Heptner Third Place: 'True Life Midfat' by Brian Chapel Photo Contest Winners2nd Place: Eric Mickelson3rd Place: Justin Kious All of the proceeds from the event, which raised over $20,000, will go towards helping to preserve, maintain, and expand the network of incredible mountain bike trails in Whatcom County. The next event on the WMBC schedule is the
Enduro of Subdued Excitement, which takes place on Saturday, October 17th. Riders will experience 3,800 feet of descending on classic Pacific Northwest trails - perfect dirt, with plenty of roots and rocks to keep things interesting. It's an excellent way to get a taste of the Bellingham area riding while also meeting plenty of like-minded riders and racers.
wmbcmtb.org
Glad you had an awesome time here, hope to have you back again soon!