Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas shredded the Garbanzo DH at Crankworx in Whistler in 2015, will he be a strong contender in Les Gets? Photo: Sean St. Denis
First multi-disciplinary mountain biking game gives fans a chance to get in on the actionA five-day trip-of-a-lifetime to see the Crankworx World Tour wrap in Whistler awaits the lucky fan who can assemble the winning team in the Crankworx Les Gets Fantasy Contest. The brand new online fantasy sports contest will run from June 16 to 19, during Crankworx Les Gets, at
fantasy.crankworx.com.
Like a fantasy football draft or the office hockey pool, players will have to stick within a predetermined salary cap, and select athletes for their team based on their relative salaries, and the athletes’ probability of doing well in five core Crankworx events. The player whose riders bring in the most points wins the contest, and the VIP trip of a lifetime, including tickets, accommodation, transfers, spending cash and airfare to Crankworx Whistler.
“
We’ve seen fantasy contests in other sports create new interest and fans and, at the same time, give existing fans even greater reason to follow the action. The athlete list for Les Gets reads like an encyclopedia of contemporary mountain biking and now the riders’ loyal followers will have their chance to compete on a platform designed to let them support the world’s best. And the winner is coming to Whistler,” says
Darren Kinnaird, Crankworx General Manager.
The contest will run for the duration of Crankworx Les Gets, with players selecting two athletes from Dual Speed & Style, two athletes from Dual Slalom, four from the Les Gets Pump Track Challenge presented by RockShox, two from Slopestyle and four from the Crankworx Les Gets DH presented by iXS. Players begin with a salary cap of $116,200 and must have a complete line-up to have an eligible roster.
First multi-disciplinary mountain biking game gives fans a chance to get in on the action
The league is free to enter and open to fans in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, France, and Germany who have reached the age of majority where they reside. The grand prize includes a five-day trip, August 17-22, 2016, to see the second half of Crankworx Whistler and the grand finale of the Crankworx World Tour. Follow along with the action live on the Crankworx webcast - scoring update in real time and the Crankworx Twitter,
@Crankworx, for updates.
Those hoping to stack their team with French downhill dominator, Loic Bruni, seen here during the Crankworx Rotorua DH presented by iXS at Crankworx in Rotorua, New Zealand this year, may be out of luck; he is currently nursing an injury. Photo: Clint Trahan/Crankworx
The Crankworx Fantasy Contest will open Wednesday, June 1 and run to the end of Crankworx Les Gets, June 19, with players able to shuffle athletes until the start of each event. Roster spots will lock in place before each event begins. The competitions included are:
• Men’s Dual Speed & Style
• Women’s Dual Slalom
• Les Gets Pump Track Challenge presented by RockShox
• Crankworx Les Gets Slopestyle
• Crankworx Les Gets Downhill presented by iXS
Jill Kintner rounds a berm in the Mons Royale Dual Speed and Style at Crankworx in Rotorua; she is currently the front-runner in the Queen of Crankworx standings and sure to prove a valuable asset for any fantasy player. Photo: Clint Trahan/Crankworx
The Crankworx Les Gets Dual Speed & Style will feature 2015 Champ, Bernard Kerr (GBR) along with 2015 Whistler winner, Tyler McCaul (USA), 2016 Rotorua winner, Tomas Slavik (CZE) and contenders; Martin Sӧderstrӧm (SUI), Kyle Strait (USA), and the always competitive, Ryan Howard (USA).
The Les Gets Pump Track Challenge presented by RockShox could set the stage for a couple of rematches. The 2015 pump track world champ, Adrien Loron (FRA) and Anneke Beerten (NLD), were both bested by rivals Tomas Lemoine (FRA) and Jill Kintner (USA) in Rotorua and Loron will face additional challenges from previous Pump Track Challenge winners; Barry Nobles (USA), Joost Wichman (NLD) and Pump Battle World Series record holder, Noel Niederberger (SUI) in Les Gets. Beerten will also have 4x champion, Katy Curd (GBR) and Les 2 Alpes winner, Anne Caroline Chausson (FRA), as she makes her return to competitive Crankworx racing following cancer treatment.
Ryan Howard's amplitude and unbelievably sideways whip was just enough to secure him a second win in the Official Oceania Whip-Off Championships presented by Spank in March and players will able to add him to their team as a Dual Speed and Style competitor. Photo: Clint Trahan/Crankworx
Thus far, Nicholi Rogatkin (USA), Brett Rheeder (CAN), Thomas Genon (BEL), Brandon Semenuk (CAN), Logan PEAT (CAN), Tomas Zejda (CZE) and the Sams, Pilgrim and Reynolds, of Great Britain, have been invited to compete in Slopestyle, as the top eight riders from the 2015 FMB World Tour season. They will be joined by Tomas Lemoine (FRA), Yannick Granieri (FRA), Mehdi Gani (FRA), Paul Genovese (CAN), Torquato Testa (ITA), Max Fredriksson (SWE), Anthony Messere (CAN) and Szymon Godziek (POL)—the top eight riders in the 2016 FMB rankings—and wildcards, Diego Caverzasi, (ITA) and Ryan Nyquist (USA).
Anneke Beerten, proved an unstoppable machine in the Giant Toa Enduro at the last Crankworx and will be another key athlete for many players.
The Crankworx Les Gets Downhill includes; Troy Brosnan (AUS), Sam Blenkinsop (NZL), Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (COL), reigning King of Crankworx, Bernard Kerr (GBR), Mick Hannah (AUS), and current King of Crankworx leader, Matt Walker (NZL), to name a few. And on the women’s side, Canadian speed demon, Casey Brown (CAN), local favorite, Tahnée Seagrave (GBR), who resides at the base of the hill in Morzine, Tracey Hannah (AUS) and current Queen of Crankworx leader, Jill Kintner (USA) will meet the likes of two-time Crankworx Les 2 Alpes champion, Myriam “Pompon” Nicole (FRA) and Emilie Siegenthaler (SUI) in one of the stiffest rounds of competition yet.
Crankworx will be broadcast live on Crankworx.com and Pinkbike.com, and Slopestyle will be broadcast exclusively on Red Bull TV and Crankworx.com. The full broadcast schedule is:
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Crankworx Les Gets Dual Speed & Style and Women’s
Dual Slalom 5:30 p.m. CEST on Thursday, June 16 in Les Gets, 8:30 a.m. PST on Thursday, June 16 in Whistler and 3:30 a.m. on Friday, June 17 in Rotorua, New Zealand
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Crankworx Les Gets Pump Track Challenge presented by Rockshox 8:00 p.m. CEST on Friday, June 17 in Les Gets, 11:00 a.m. PST on Friday, June 17 in Whistler and 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 18 in Rotorua, New Zealand
•
Crankworx Les Gets Slopestyle 4:30 p.m. CEST on Saturday, June 18 in Les Gets, 7:30 a.m. PST on Saturday, June 18 in Whistler and 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 19 in Rotorua, New Zealand
•
CrankworxLes Gets Downhill presented by iXS 2:00 p.m. CEST on Sunday, June 19 in Les Gets, 5:00 a.m. PST on Sunday, June 19 in Whistler and 12:00 a.m. on Monday, June 20 in Rotorua, New Zealand
MENTIONS: @officialcrankworx /
@FMBA / @iXSsports