PRESS RELEASE: The Merritt CrownMerritt, BC, Canada - June 22, 2019“For Canada’s 150th birthday, I wanted to create something that celebrated our country’s landscape and freedom.” Those are the words of Darch Oborne, creator of
The Merritt Crown—the new epic singletrack mountain biking race in the Nicola Valley. The
route links Merritt’s four distinct riding areas—Coutlee, Iron, Lundbom, and Swakum—making a shape similar to a crown. To date, only two riders have completed the challenge:
120 kms of riding, over
11,000 feet of vertical, in less than
12 hours.
We’re looking for the next riders to dub King and Queen. Come to Merritt this summer on
Saturday, June 22, 2019, if you think you have what it takes to ride the crown.
Register today to secure your chance at becoming mountain biking royalty.
Course creator, Darch Oborne, meets racers at Nicola Lake, the ¾ mark of the race. - Emily Briggs
Without ever mountain biking before his late fifties, Darch Oborne has become an active member of the mountain biking community in both Arizona and British Columbia. Last year at the age of 73, Oborne completed the 1000 km-long BC 1000 Epic in six days. He has built over 15 trails, conducted riding and trail courses, and is now championing Merritt’s first endurance race.
James Oborne and Lennard Pretorius conquer the Hamilton Hill climb, just past the halfway point of the Crown. - Emily Briggs