Video & Race Report: Trans BC Enduro Days 5 & 6 - Nelson
Days 5 & 6 Recap
Photography // Dane Cronin & Riley Seebeck
Videography // Ben Duke & Peter Wojnar
Well, here we are. The end of another epic Schwalbe Trans BC Presented by Yeti Cycles chapter. For the last hurrah, the circus rolled north 45 minutes to Nelson. Sitting on the shore of the Kootenay Lake, Nelson was a truly incredible spot to finish this epic week.
SPECIAL THANKS
But before we dive into day 5 & 6, there are two special people we need to highlight from the past 2 days. We can't even begin to explain how much these two individuals have done for their local community in Castlegar and the mountain bike industry. They not only head, lead and build most of the trails around Castlegar and helped shape what it is today, but they single handedly saved Day 4 of the event. We were all set to cross the Kootenay Bay Ferry to Gray Creek for a full day of riding, but with snow levels not subsiding with a very late snow melt we had no way of accessing those trails any longer. Our hats go off to Sarah Meunier (Executive Director of Castlegar Parks & Trails Society) who was also one of the event medics and Dave Sutton (one of the Board of Directors of the Society and has been building trails in the community for 20+ years). They warmly invited and welcomed us at Trans BC to stay an extra day in Castlegar to fill the now void day we had to allow us to ride their very special network that hasn't been raced before, known as Merry Creek Trail Network. The wet spring and cooler temperatures had the trail network in mint condition which meant this might be the only opportunity for the event to race the network that is usually too dry this time of year. Here is a recent video edit about them and the society and trail work they do. Thanks again guys, this means a great deal to us.
VIDEO LINK: Kootenay Trailbuilders Series - Castlegar
Photo Credit: Ryan Flett.
Ok, back to Day 5 of Trans BC. Day 5 was centered around the Kokanee Creek trail network. The morning started with a shuttle dropping riders into 4 stages of Nelson goodness that included everything from tight hiking trails, rock slabs, jumps, and everything else good. We saved the best for last though - Day 6. There could not have been a better way to finish the week off! Stage 1 dropped riders into Powerslave, an iconic Nelson trail, before treating them to a further 4 stages of steep, rocky, rooty goodness. So good in fact we didn't want it to end. But here we are, stoked on another epic Trans BC and already planning for the next.
A huge thanks has to go out to our epic volunteer crew. These guys and girls killed it all week long. They were out on the course before anyone else and were last off the course. From clearing trees, flagging, timing, shuttling, and absolutely anything else that was needed! Thanks team.
It was a pretty mellow start to the day.
Jo Peters tackling day 5 with ease.
Suns out, guns out.
It's wild out there.
We don't want it to end, it's just to good!
There's always time to add a little style in.
Dylan Carney picked his way through this little section smoothly where many dinged rims.
Zoe Dawson ended the week in 2nd for the Open Women.
We couldn't not include a party train.
Day 5 featured plenty of rock slabs.
Cheers team.
There's no better way to finish a long hot day on the bike than with a dip in the lake.
A huge thanks to this epic crew of volunteers! They hit the course earlier than anyone and are always the last back. This week would not be possible without them. Cheers crew!
Day 5 felt like a world a million miles from anywhere.
Riders hit the Nelson classic - Powerslave - for stage 1. What a way to start the day.
You never know what you'll come across out in the woods.
Jorts and no kneepads. Alex Pavon, you are one brave shredder!
Myles Trainer is hands-down the calmest race leader you will ever encounter. Nothing seemed to stop this man from training stages with buddies to gapping every side hit possible! That's how you win a race ladies and gentlemen.
We have to give a special mention to Ryder Knoll. Not only did he hold onto this wild moment, but the 17-year-old came out to race on the dirtbag package and crushed it. He rode to every days start location - often 20+ km, and climbed easily more than twice everyone else over the course of the week. Even crazier, we heard he was bluff charged by a bear in the morning on Day 2. Not once, not twice, but three times! And after all of this, he finished 6th in the Open Men. Legend!
Adam Prosise rocking the party shirt with extra airflow.
Conditions have been near perfect all week long.
The last party train of the week.
A job well done! A huge thanks to everyone that came out this week. This one will go down in the history books.
We saved the best for last. Thanks Nelson.
A huge thanks to: Schwalbe Tires, Yeti Cycles, Kazoom, USWE, Jimmys Cannabis Shop, Dirtlej
As well as all the local clubs for letting us use their local trails: Kootenay Columbia Trail Society, Castlegar Parks & Trails Society, and Nelson Cycling Club
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If you are a mid range rider like me you will feel brutality of the double black and black only trails quite often along with the fear of having to commit to blind features right at the limit of your skill levels. a lot !
The adrenaline rush this event provides along with the confidence you gain from riding these wild trails is out of this world.
Go do it - but go prepared and practiced for some steeps and gnar !!