Event Preview: Yukon Canadian Cross-Country Marathon Championships & Yukon Bike Fest

Words: Canadian Enduro

For many, the Yukon is a bucket list riding destination. Now's the chance to extend your summer and tick this world famous riding experience with an epic week of bikes!

The Cycling Association of Yukon (CAY) is proud to present the 2023 Canadian Cross-Country Marathon (XCM) Mountain Bike Championships and the Yukon Bike Fest. With a ton of free events like mountain bike shuttle rides, air-bag sessions, to a mid-week downhill race and bike polo, we're excited to welcome you to the Yukon!

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From September 1st until September 3rd, the Mt McIntyre trails in the heart of Whitehorse, Yukon, will host the country's fittest and fastest riders, all vying for the Cross-Country Marathon (XCM) Championship title and the coveted maple leaf champions jersey! This will be the first time the Yukon has held a National cycling event, making it a truly unique event.

The marathon course is roughly a 30km / 500 meters of elevation lap and is located on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council.

Each lap will test all aspects of the rider’s abilities, with the trails ranging from fast green and blue flow to technically challenging sections of black trail littered with steep, lung-busting climbs and technical rocky singletrack. Race distances span from 20 km up to 90 km in distance, meaning there is a course for everyone, including Youth, Open, Masters, and Elite categories. As a Cycling Canada-sanctioned event, important UCI points will be on offer for both the Elite men and women, meaning racers will be giving it their all and leaving absolutely nothing in the tank over the course of 90km and 1500m of climbing! The stage is well and truly set for the fastest racers in Canada to put it all on the line in their pursuit of glory.

With riders like Haley Hunter-Smith, Carter Nieuwesteeg, Jenny Lehmann, Hannah Simms, Andrew L’Esperance, Alex Lefebvre, Cory Wallace, and more on the start list, we're sure to see a showdown like never before.

This event isn’t just for the pros though, as ‘challenge categories’ (unsanctioned categories) will give all riders from U13 right through to the Masters 65+, an opportunity to put their fitness to the test on this world-class course. With a total of 18 challenge categories, there is something for everyone.

If you wanna skip the article and get the goods, jump to the Technical Guide here where all the information lives!

Register here for the XCM

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The fun doesn't stop with just the XCM event though, as the Yukon Bike Fest will kick off on August 26th, starting a week-long festival of activities for every rider!

Throughout the week leading up, CAY will be hosting a multitude of fun and exciting bike events. From a gravel race the weekend prior, to a lift-accessed downhill night at nearby Mount Sima and a shuttle night at a local mountain, to a female group ride. The kids are covered as well, with a "Ride With The Pro's" event, and last but not least, the President's Gravel Recovery Ride to Winterlong Brewing on Monday, September 4. This one will be well-earned!

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Quite simply, it is paradise. With over 1,200 km of trails spread across trail networks in Whitehorse, Carcross, and Dawson City, it's fair to say mountain biking is a part of daily life. The Yukon mountain bike experience is revered for its unique landscape, culture, and history. Unbelievably, Whitehorse itself is home to 900 km of trails. You will be welcomed with uncrowded singletrack, breathtaking panoramas, First Nations footpaths and historic gold and silver mining routes mix history in with the adrenaline of the Yukon mountain bike experience

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We're keeping things simple. Everything you need to know for the weekend ahead can be found on the event page. Keep checking this as it is updated frequently. If you need more information, please feel free to send us an email - events@yukoncycling.com.

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90KM(3 laps), 60KM(2 laps) and 30KM(1 lap) Course Route - each lap is 30km. The 20km lap will feature a small course deviation that will bypass Rock Lobster.

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These events do not happen without the amazing volunteers! They are quite literally the backbone of the event. A huge thank you goes out to all of the volunteers who have already signed up to help out. If you're interested in volunteering, please reach out and let us know how we can make your Yukon Bike Fest week exceptional.

If this sounds like you,register here as a volunteer.

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A huge thank you has to go out to all of the event's partners and sponsors for helping pull this together: Air North, Yukon’s Airline, Winterlong Brewing Co, Icycle Sports, Metro Chrysler Whitehorse, Neighbourly North, Cadence Cycle, ATCO Electric, Northland Beverages, Save On Foods, Wykes Independent, Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club, Lotteries Yukon, Government of Yukon, Yukon 125 Fund, Tim Hortons and Domino's.

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• Visit the event Website
• General Inquires | events@yukoncycling.com

Event Production and Management by All Mountain Productions and Consulting Inc.