Crankworx: A Brief History of Sorts
"The Summer Gravity Festival will truly put Whistler on the map as a year-round destination resort," said Barrett Fisher, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Tourism Whistler. "Whistler is known for its ski, snowboard and golf product, and now will come into its own for mountain biking."
An ideal destination for the event, the mountain town of Whistler, British Columbia, has been touted as a mountain bike mecca with extensive cross-country and downhill trails through the region, and the famous downhill terrain in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. Prolific mountain bike writer, Rob Story, says of Whistler in the October 2001 issue of Sports Illustrated Women: 'The area might have the finest mountain biking in North America'. 'This festival will attract top-caliber athletes from around the globe, while showcasing home-grown Canadian talent,' said Rob McSkimming, Director of Sports Programming for Whistler Blackcomb. 'With a full-blown program of competitive and entertainment events, the festival will be a draw for not only professional and amateur riders, but anyone who has a mountain bike or a taste for thrilling spectator events.'-2003 Press Release for the Whistler Summer Gravity Festival (precursor to Crankworx)
Following what is becoming a grand summer tradition tribe members from the mountain bike clan gather at Mecca to immerse themselves in the ritual that is known as Crankworx. Part riding, part social, part spectacle it is a celebration of off-road cycling at its finest. Sure there are many events throughout the stratosphere that congregate riders together, but few of them are on the scale of this Whistler festival. Over the course of one week over 100,000 folks will take part in and witness some incredible action. No event in the sport has such a world wide presence, people from all over the globe make an appearance along with the best in almost all disciplines of shredding. Every accent in the book can be overheard in a stroll through the village or waiting in the lift-line. Along with the accents, World Champs, big mountain madmen and slopestyle slingers are common sights as they mingle with the peasants and soak up the culture that is mountain biking in Whistler and the Crankworx Festival.
![photo]()
Crankworx traces its linage back to the early 2000's when Paddy Kaye and Chris Winter organized a loose competition that would unite the knobby tired world under one umbrella. It all started with Joyride.
Mother Nature was the real catalyst that helped launch the Whistler Summer Gravity Festival onto the lips and tongues of mountain bikers the world over. You see in 2002, back in the day when the World Cup visited B.C. it seems that there was some excess snow (not unlike this year) and the gravity crew could not race. With the world's fastest riders sitting in Vancouver it only made sense for them to head up to Whistler for the Joyride Bikercross.
All of a sudden the top racers on the World Cup circuit were mingling with the freeriders. In an unprecedented move you could see Cedric Gracia lining up against the likes of Wade Simmons and Richie Schley. The mountain bike world became united and the partying began.
Along with the bikercross some of the events that are popular in the current Crankworx Festival got their start. The Air DH, a race lap down A Line, the most ridden trail in the world began at Joyride and the whole slopestyle discipline can trace its roots back to these early events.
![photo]()
The first slopestyle was called the Joyride Slopestyle Expression Session. A real mouthful, but spectators at the bottom of the mountain gathered and were blown away. Freeriders (there were no real segments of freeriding in 2002 - they did big mountain, they rode skinnies on the Shore and they all hit up the dirt jumps) lined up and smacked their way through a series of half a dozen dirt jumps. no-footers, no-handers and nothings were a big deal then. Oh how the times have changed when you compare the course and the tricks that are being pulled in slopestyle competitions now-a-days.
The real beauty of Crankworx, the glue that holds the event together, and the thing that makes it very different from most mountain bike events is that the people who come out are not just spectators, they are participants. Since the first days of Joyride to the modern day event it is not just about coming out to see your favourite rider, but about coming out and riding the trails in the Whistler Bike Park, pedaling some of the great XC stuff in the valley and signing up to race on the same course that the best in the world will be racing on as well. There are few events that will permit you to line up with the likes of Steve Peat, Sam Hill or Brian Lopes and see how you stack up. Sure you will probably be in a different category, but the courses remains the same for amateur and pro alike. Since the races are unsanctioned there is nothing stopping you from signing up in the Pro category, if you want to of course. How many chances do you get to do that in your lifetime?
Participation-wise the most popular event has always been the Air DH. Everyone loves a lap down A Line. Booter after booter and some damn big berms to rail. Intermediates to experts can generally handle the trail. It is worth the entry fee just to have it all to yourself. The Air DH dates back to the start of the Whistler Summer Gravity Festival. Locals, tourists and pros alike have pitted themselves against each other and the jumps to see who could cross the finish-line in the shortest time. The amazing part is that over the past nine years there have only been three winners for the race. The first three Air DH races were slayed by none other than the Flying Frenchman, Cedric Gracia, in a one year break Nathan Rennie powered his way into first and since then Brian Lopes has been on a five year winning streak.
![photo]()
![Brian on his way to winning the 2009 Air DH]()
![Getting the cash and on the podium for the 2009 Air DH]()
Many events have come and gone over the years including Super D racing, Enduros, Fat Tire Crit, Womenzworx, Pumptrack Race and Dual Slalom while others have evolved. The Bikercross has become the Dual Giant Slalom, the Canadian Nationals became the Canadian Open and the Slopestyle Expression Session became the Monster Energy Slopestyle which has morphed again this year into the Red Bull Joyride.
The Slopestyle has become the end of the week spectacle. Thousands upon thousands of fans, riders, tourists and spectators line the Boneyard to watch a chilling display of flipping, spinning, airtime, crashes and serious commitment as some of the best freeriders in the world make their way to the bottom with some serious style.
Since its inception the slopestyle has been witness to many acts that have become legend as well as made names for riders. Like the Red Bull Rampage did for big mountain riding, the slopestyle in Whistler brought this style of riding to the masses. A whole new discipline was born. From the first Expression Session up to last year's Monster Energy Slopestyle, the event has seen and promoted a steady progression of course design and tricks. Whether it is something new and unseen or taking a move to unheard of heights (360s and tailwhips off 25ft drops). The competition has provided stories, moments and memories that people who were on the side of the course will tell their grandkids.
![photo]()
Insane moves like Gareth Dyer's backflip to eat shit and a ticket to surgery to put his arm back together in the very early years, Bearclaw spinning over the road gap in 2005 or Timo Pritzel gapping the finish scaffolding step up to step down (he didn't stick the landing, but hot damn did he fly). All stories that will go down in the history books of the sport. Moments that become legendary as time passes.
The slopestyle has helped build names and careers for many young rippers. The same year that Timo smashed himself up a young lad from Nevada came out of nowhere. A BMXer who jumped on a mountain bike for shits and giggles then turned around and schooled everyone. In a moment that was made for a television mini-series, the story book happy ending, underdog and unknown rider wins the biggest slopestyle event in the world. In one run Paul Bass went from an unheard of to the most talked about rider in the sport. In a classic line that sums up everything for Paul up to the point of the win is a line from a NWD flick, "I would like to thank my sponsors….If I had any."
![photo]()
Paul is not the only lad who has made a name for himself in this slopestyle venue, guys like the big Kiwi, Kelly McGarry, Cam Zink, Mike Montgomery and several others have shown their riding steez to the world and experienced a jump in their careers after competing in Whistler. With cameras lining the course and hundreds of videos popping up on the internet and DVD detailing what goes on the exposure from competing and doing well here can make a rider's name a household word.
Every year the legend of Crankworx grows. More people show up, more companies get involved and events come and go. For 2011 opening day will see a return of the Fat Tire Crit. Cedric has been on a tear this year and may just be able to put a stop to Lopes' five year winning streak in the Air DH and maybe Aaron Gwin, who is looking to be the strongest rider on the World Cup circuit this year, will show up for the Garbanzo Endurance Downhill. Most exciting of all is the return of Paddy Kaye. One half of the original energy behind the start of this mountain bike extravaganza is back with his company Joyride Bike Parks and in charge of building the slopestyle course in the Boneyard. This year's course promises to be one of the most exciting seen as there has been significant rider input from top competitors like Darren Berrecloth, Semenuk and Vanderham. Things are changing and the mountain is being put back into mountain bike slopestyle.
Everyone that comes out becomes a piece of the history that is Crankworx, riding, checking out new gear, spectating and partying will all go down in the history books as the fat tire clan celebrate the culture of the 26" inch (and the 29er freaks too) wheel.
-Matthew Mallory
An ideal destination for the event, the mountain town of Whistler, British Columbia, has been touted as a mountain bike mecca with extensive cross-country and downhill trails through the region, and the famous downhill terrain in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. Prolific mountain bike writer, Rob Story, says of Whistler in the October 2001 issue of Sports Illustrated Women: 'The area might have the finest mountain biking in North America'. 'This festival will attract top-caliber athletes from around the globe, while showcasing home-grown Canadian talent,' said Rob McSkimming, Director of Sports Programming for Whistler Blackcomb. 'With a full-blown program of competitive and entertainment events, the festival will be a draw for not only professional and amateur riders, but anyone who has a mountain bike or a taste for thrilling spectator events.'-2003 Press Release for the Whistler Summer Gravity Festival (precursor to Crankworx)
Following what is becoming a grand summer tradition tribe members from the mountain bike clan gather at Mecca to immerse themselves in the ritual that is known as Crankworx. Part riding, part social, part spectacle it is a celebration of off-road cycling at its finest. Sure there are many events throughout the stratosphere that congregate riders together, but few of them are on the scale of this Whistler festival. Over the course of one week over 100,000 folks will take part in and witness some incredible action. No event in the sport has such a world wide presence, people from all over the globe make an appearance along with the best in almost all disciplines of shredding. Every accent in the book can be overheard in a stroll through the village or waiting in the lift-line. Along with the accents, World Champs, big mountain madmen and slopestyle slingers are common sights as they mingle with the peasants and soak up the culture that is mountain biking in Whistler and the Crankworx Festival.
This photo illustrates one of the beauties of Crankworx. A local rider (skinny jeans) holds his own against Sam Hill on the Dual Slalom course. It is not often that you can share a track with the best in the world.
Crankworx traces its linage back to the early 2000's when Paddy Kaye and Chris Winter organized a loose competition that would unite the knobby tired world under one umbrella. It all started with Joyride.
Mother Nature was the real catalyst that helped launch the Whistler Summer Gravity Festival onto the lips and tongues of mountain bikers the world over. You see in 2002, back in the day when the World Cup visited B.C. it seems that there was some excess snow (not unlike this year) and the gravity crew could not race. With the world's fastest riders sitting in Vancouver it only made sense for them to head up to Whistler for the Joyride Bikercross.
All of a sudden the top racers on the World Cup circuit were mingling with the freeriders. In an unprecedented move you could see Cedric Gracia lining up against the likes of Wade Simmons and Richie Schley. The mountain bike world became united and the partying began.
Along with the bikercross some of the events that are popular in the current Crankworx Festival got their start. The Air DH, a race lap down A Line, the most ridden trail in the world began at Joyride and the whole slopestyle discipline can trace its roots back to these early events.
Kyle "Hercules" Ritchie pins it off the GLC Drop back in the day.
The first slopestyle was called the Joyride Slopestyle Expression Session. A real mouthful, but spectators at the bottom of the mountain gathered and were blown away. Freeriders (there were no real segments of freeriding in 2002 - they did big mountain, they rode skinnies on the Shore and they all hit up the dirt jumps) lined up and smacked their way through a series of half a dozen dirt jumps. no-footers, no-handers and nothings were a big deal then. Oh how the times have changed when you compare the course and the tricks that are being pulled in slopestyle competitions now-a-days.
The real beauty of Crankworx, the glue that holds the event together, and the thing that makes it very different from most mountain bike events is that the people who come out are not just spectators, they are participants. Since the first days of Joyride to the modern day event it is not just about coming out to see your favourite rider, but about coming out and riding the trails in the Whistler Bike Park, pedaling some of the great XC stuff in the valley and signing up to race on the same course that the best in the world will be racing on as well. There are few events that will permit you to line up with the likes of Steve Peat, Sam Hill or Brian Lopes and see how you stack up. Sure you will probably be in a different category, but the courses remains the same for amateur and pro alike. Since the races are unsanctioned there is nothing stopping you from signing up in the Pro category, if you want to of course. How many chances do you get to do that in your lifetime?
Participation-wise the most popular event has always been the Air DH. Everyone loves a lap down A Line. Booter after booter and some damn big berms to rail. Intermediates to experts can generally handle the trail. It is worth the entry fee just to have it all to yourself. The Air DH dates back to the start of the Whistler Summer Gravity Festival. Locals, tourists and pros alike have pitted themselves against each other and the jumps to see who could cross the finish-line in the shortest time. The amazing part is that over the past nine years there have only been three winners for the race. The first three Air DH races were slayed by none other than the Flying Frenchman, Cedric Gracia, in a one year break Nathan Rennie powered his way into first and since then Brian Lopes has been on a five year winning streak.
Cedric Gracia, three time winner of the Air DH and all around wildman.
Brian Lopes owns A Line. Five consecutive wins in the Air DH.
Brian with the big check.
Many events have come and gone over the years including Super D racing, Enduros, Fat Tire Crit, Womenzworx, Pumptrack Race and Dual Slalom while others have evolved. The Bikercross has become the Dual Giant Slalom, the Canadian Nationals became the Canadian Open and the Slopestyle Expression Session became the Monster Energy Slopestyle which has morphed again this year into the Red Bull Joyride.
The Slopestyle has become the end of the week spectacle. Thousands upon thousands of fans, riders, tourists and spectators line the Boneyard to watch a chilling display of flipping, spinning, airtime, crashes and serious commitment as some of the best freeriders in the world make their way to the bottom with some serious style.
Since its inception the slopestyle has been witness to many acts that have become legend as well as made names for riders. Like the Red Bull Rampage did for big mountain riding, the slopestyle in Whistler brought this style of riding to the masses. A whole new discipline was born. From the first Expression Session up to last year's Monster Energy Slopestyle, the event has seen and promoted a steady progression of course design and tricks. Whether it is something new and unseen or taking a move to unheard of heights (360s and tailwhips off 25ft drops). The competition has provided stories, moments and memories that people who were on the side of the course will tell their grandkids.
A rider drops off the wood in the 2006 slopestyle event
Insane moves like Gareth Dyer's backflip to eat shit and a ticket to surgery to put his arm back together in the very early years, Bearclaw spinning over the road gap in 2005 or Timo Pritzel gapping the finish scaffolding step up to step down (he didn't stick the landing, but hot damn did he fly). All stories that will go down in the history books of the sport. Moments that become legendary as time passes.
The slopestyle has helped build names and careers for many young rippers. The same year that Timo smashed himself up a young lad from Nevada came out of nowhere. A BMXer who jumped on a mountain bike for shits and giggles then turned around and schooled everyone. In a moment that was made for a television mini-series, the story book happy ending, underdog and unknown rider wins the biggest slopestyle event in the world. In one run Paul Bass went from an unheard of to the most talked about rider in the sport. In a classic line that sums up everything for Paul up to the point of the win is a line from a NWD flick, "I would like to thank my sponsors….If I had any."
Local whiz-kid Brandon Semenuk tailwhips the Kokanee Drop. He has won most of the big events, but hasn't been able to put it together at home yet. Will this be his year?
Paul is not the only lad who has made a name for himself in this slopestyle venue, guys like the big Kiwi, Kelly McGarry, Cam Zink, Mike Montgomery and several others have shown their riding steez to the world and experienced a jump in their careers after competing in Whistler. With cameras lining the course and hundreds of videos popping up on the internet and DVD detailing what goes on the exposure from competing and doing well here can make a rider's name a household word.
Every year the legend of Crankworx grows. More people show up, more companies get involved and events come and go. For 2011 opening day will see a return of the Fat Tire Crit. Cedric has been on a tear this year and may just be able to put a stop to Lopes' five year winning streak in the Air DH and maybe Aaron Gwin, who is looking to be the strongest rider on the World Cup circuit this year, will show up for the Garbanzo Endurance Downhill. Most exciting of all is the return of Paddy Kaye. One half of the original energy behind the start of this mountain bike extravaganza is back with his company Joyride Bike Parks and in charge of building the slopestyle course in the Boneyard. This year's course promises to be one of the most exciting seen as there has been significant rider input from top competitors like Darren Berrecloth, Semenuk and Vanderham. Things are changing and the mountain is being put back into mountain bike slopestyle.
Everyone that comes out becomes a piece of the history that is Crankworx, riding, checking out new gear, spectating and partying will all go down in the history books as the fat tire clan celebrate the culture of the 26" inch (and the 29er freaks too) wheel.
-Matthew Mallory
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All and all what i want to say is im inspired to start riding again (:
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