Shuniah Forty Miner XCM, Thunder Bay

It's back. Blacksheep Mountain Biking Club will be holding the second annual XC marathon event, the Shuniah Forty Miner, on Saturday, September 23rd, 2017. For those unfamiliar with the XC marathon format, it’s basically all about the distance. The name of the game is seeing if you can outlast the course.


The Marathon

Once again our race guru’s have assured us of a stellar course which will be in top notch condition come race day. We’ve also heard rumors of something big in the works for the course but may have said too much already. Rest assured you’ll be riding all of the best trails in all of the best directions. You can print out a race description here, although we strongly recommend for you to print out this stunning course map too!




New for this year is the addition of the Mini-Miner! You asked for it and we heard you. We will be working on a fun and fresh new course for all the little lambs to try.

So how far do you need to go? Check out these course lengths!

• Mini-Miner – 5km
• 40-Miner Short Course – 1 lap = 12km
• 40-Miner Medium Course – 2 laps = 24km
• 40-Miner Long Course – 4 laps = 48km

As always, our results will be tabulated by our top-notch timing crew that is equipped with the latest in timing technology. We mean business.

Still not sure what distance to choose? Our very own Colin Pendziwol has done his best Claudio impression and given us this full course preview.




Entry Fees

Riders frequently talk about how much you get for your money with the Blacksheep, and the Shuniah Forty Miner is certainly no exception! The 2017 entry fees for the event continue to be the best bang for your buck anywhere in town:

• Full members of Blacksheep Mountain Biking Club get to race the event for the low, low price of $10
• Pay-as-you-go members within Blacksheep race for $15.
• Non-members of the club will have an entry fee of $25. Those without racing insurance from the OCA will also need to purchase the $40 racing insurance.

All proceeds from the event go to help fund all the big plans Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club has for expanding mountain biking opportunities in the community of Thunder Bay, Ontario.



Registration

You must be a registered member to participate in the Shuniah Forty Miner. Even if you are a full-member of the Blacksheep you must still register separately for the Shuniah Forty Miner. Remember, registering for the Forty Miner is also your free access card to the after party hosted by Sleeping Giant Brewing Company.

Register here

Before completing registration, be sure to include a limited edition Shuniah Forty Miner shirt. According to legend, if we sell a lot of shirts, the ever-mystic and coveted Trail Wizards will give us a visit. Only $15 a shirt!

Kits are available to be picked up starting at 9:00am on race day. The race begins at 11:00am, so we’re giving you plenty of time to get your pre-race socializing in or check out all the great sponsor tents! Once that gun goes off it’s time to shred some tread. Yahoo!

Registration for the event closes Wednesday, September 20th at midnight.


Venue

Kinsmen Park at Trowbridge Forest is the traditional roaming grounds of the Blacksheep. It is the official trailhead to our extensive trail network and staging area for many of our events. The trails have seen more than their fair share of races for nearly twenty years. These double track trails also provide an access point to our single track trail network, Shuniah Mines. Shuniah has changed substantially over the years, and we’ve got a cracker-jack team of trail wizards that make the magic happen. Most of the trail work we do is focused in Shuniah Mines, because who doesn’t love a good section of swooping, flowing singletrack or a bit of gnarly, technical singletrack?


After Party

Sleeping Giant Brewing Company is once again our grand host for what will surely be a legendary after party. This year this masters-of-the-brew have opened the doors to their all new tap room located within the brewery at 712 Macdonell St. The tap room comes well stocked with plenty of excellent beverage choices for everyone.


Awards Ceremony

To give our awards ceremony some much-needed added flare, we’ll be presenting awards at the after party. The top three male and female riders in each distance will be walking home with a hefty dosage of hardware. As always our generous sponsors have also kicked in a ton of great draw prizes! What can you walk away with? Well, check back here or on our Facebook feed regularly, as the list is always growing.