Pipeline Pump race # 15 - Coquitlam, B.C.
Pipeline Pump race #15.
My first try at Pump track racing was a blast, and a good primer for the indoor 4X season this winter. I've have just recently been paying attention to the Pipeline bike park and the 4X summer series. After a whole summer of DH racing all over the province, I'm starting to get prepped for the indoor 4X series this winter. Pipeline has been hosting a 4X series all through the summer as well as a Pump race series.![photo]()
With the recent good weather in Vancouver there hasn't been a shortage of mountain bike riding. I have been doing a lot of building and riding on the local mountains with Tyler Gorz. Tyler has dominated most of the Pump races he has entered. The race was on Sunday Oct.12, perfect for getting ready to eat some turkey!
![photo]()
Sunday morning was perfect weather, sunny, cool, great fall riding conditions. I showed up early to get some practice in before qualifying. I'm relatively new to pumptrack and 4X racing, my Cove Foreplay had only been ridden a few times before this. I got there right as things were getting set up, I hung out for a bit, chatted and tried to get the idea of how the racing worked. I got a few practice laps in, but nothing too serious. Matt Stevens is the Pipeline bike park director, and organizer of the races. I gave him 2 bucks, and was signed up for my first pump race.
![photo]()
Pump racing is different to all other types of racing. All racers have a timed 2 lap seeding run to set up the match ups for the race. The fastest rider gets to choose starting position. The race is a two rider pursuit, each rider starts at opposite ends of the track, and races two laps back to their starting position. The rider back to their respective starting position first wins. The racing is a double elimination tournament, ie. a racer has to lose twice to be eliminated.
![photo]()
The rules to pump racing are simple:
1. Rider is allowed a one foot push-off from the start (I wish I remembered that one)
2. Any pedal strokes and the rider is disqualified
3. If a rider misses a roller they are disqualified
![photo]()
Unfortunately only 8 racers showed up for the event. The racing was fast and furious with little time between heats. The event was still pretty relaxed, everybody had fun cheering on the racers and hanging out after the event. After the dust settled the results were as follows:
1. Tyler Gorz
2. Adam Muys
3. Blake Manning
4. Ken Faubert
![photo]()
After the race we headed over to the 4X track for some chit-chat, jumps, and mountain biking.
![photo]()
Check out www.pipelinebikepark.com to learn more about events and the park.
Checkers or Wreckers,
-Darryl
My first try at Pump track racing was a blast, and a good primer for the indoor 4X season this winter. I've have just recently been paying attention to the Pipeline bike park and the 4X summer series. After a whole summer of DH racing all over the province, I'm starting to get prepped for the indoor 4X series this winter. Pipeline has been hosting a 4X series all through the summer as well as a Pump race series.
With the recent good weather in Vancouver there hasn't been a shortage of mountain bike riding. I have been doing a lot of building and riding on the local mountains with Tyler Gorz. Tyler has dominated most of the Pump races he has entered. The race was on Sunday Oct.12, perfect for getting ready to eat some turkey!
Sunday morning was perfect weather, sunny, cool, great fall riding conditions. I showed up early to get some practice in before qualifying. I'm relatively new to pumptrack and 4X racing, my Cove Foreplay had only been ridden a few times before this. I got there right as things were getting set up, I hung out for a bit, chatted and tried to get the idea of how the racing worked. I got a few practice laps in, but nothing too serious. Matt Stevens is the Pipeline bike park director, and organizer of the races. I gave him 2 bucks, and was signed up for my first pump race.
Pump racing is different to all other types of racing. All racers have a timed 2 lap seeding run to set up the match ups for the race. The fastest rider gets to choose starting position. The race is a two rider pursuit, each rider starts at opposite ends of the track, and races two laps back to their starting position. The rider back to their respective starting position first wins. The racing is a double elimination tournament, ie. a racer has to lose twice to be eliminated.
The rules to pump racing are simple:
1. Rider is allowed a one foot push-off from the start (I wish I remembered that one)
2. Any pedal strokes and the rider is disqualified
3. If a rider misses a roller they are disqualified
Unfortunately only 8 racers showed up for the event. The racing was fast and furious with little time between heats. The event was still pretty relaxed, everybody had fun cheering on the racers and hanging out after the event. After the dust settled the results were as follows:
1. Tyler Gorz
2. Adam Muys
3. Blake Manning
4. Ken Faubert
After the race we headed over to the 4X track for some chit-chat, jumps, and mountain biking.
Check out www.pipelinebikepark.com to learn more about events and the park.
Checkers or Wreckers,
-Darryl
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
Checkout the schedule
http://www.pipelinebikepark.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=105
http://www.abbotsfordbmx.ca/Files/2008-2009%20Abby%20Indoor%20Schedule.pdf
Pump racing is just something else that we do. Most of the people at the race were DH or BMX racers, some are both. the pump track is right behind a full on 4X track and jump park. We are not bored, it's just another kind of race that is pretty fun. thats mountainbiking...!
What's wrong with you?
I've been part of the XC, DH, 4X, and BMX(20 & cruiser)racing scene for over 12 years. The clinics that I have run, for the kids at my local track, involve pump racing and pump laps. We do them to hone the skills needed to get over the obstacles on the track fast and efficiently.
If you're as amazing as you say, lets have a look at all the trophies and top finishes that you have had. I would be happy to see where you stand in the National rankings in the US, ABA or NBL. My guess is that you aren't ranked Nationally at all or for that fact even in your State. But hey I would love for you to prove me wrong, so go ahead and upload a picture or two of yourself on a podium sometime.
If not, then give up the trash talking about a fun way to spend an afternoon....riding our bikes at the pump track!