Video: Tom Bradshaw’s Return To Enduro Racing Adventure
Words by Tom Bradshaw
It had been a dangerously long time since I last raced. The Whistler EWS in 2019 was my last outing. Like everyone, I've spent the last two years coming to terms with the fact that you can plan all you like in the current climate, but be ready to throw those plans out the window. This weekend went exactly that way.
Thanks to the legends at Outdoorsy, who arranged for me to hire a RV or trailer and take on two challenges this year. You might've seen my attempt to ride 100 trails in Cumberland on the hottest day of the year. I thought another genius challenge would be to hire a full blown team bus and head off to race my first Enduro race in two years. It would be just like being on a pro team. Right?
Usually for a race weekend, I'd team up with some mates, set up camp in the car park in my dangerously dodgy Ford E-250 (aka 'The Beast') and have a great time from there. When I found the H.M.C.L.S. (Her Majesty's Canadian Land Ship) Fiona on Outdoorsy however, I knew she was the one and immediately pulled trigger. How good would sleeping in a bus that's bigger than my apartment be before my first race in two years?
What I didn't think about was the administration involved navigating a 36-foot, 10-tonne land ship, 1000 kilometres east from Vancouver into the Canadian Rockies and to Panorama Ski Resort...
Welcome to Pano
H.M.C.L.S. (Her Majesty's Canadian Land Ship) Fiona in all her glory.
We were here for the first round of the Canadian National Enduro Series.
The course was set for a huge riding weekend. We were in for a treat.
According to the plan, Sunday was the big day. My Type 2 loving self thought it was awesome. Sunday's course started with 1,480m hike-a-bike to the top of the first stage on Sunday. Yes, you read that right. A 1,500m (4,900 foot) climb to the top of the first stage, Mt Goldie.
It is a beauty, peaking out at 2,680m / 8,792 feet. Riders would be treated to a 17 minute+ stage that descended back to the ski resort over the 1,100m+ descent. You just had to earn it.
After the beautiful alpine mission, the course returned to the Panorama Bike Park for the remaining stages. It gave the riders a challenge of how to structure practice. Do you spend all Friday hiking to the top of Goldie to practice one stage, or do you spend your time focussing on the lower down valley trails and run the longest descent of the weekend blind?
Our plan was to get into the alpine ASAP. Because... look at it. That meant that I could practice Stage 2, and then squeeze in Stage 1 and 3 on Friday evening, leaving the remaining stages to practice before racing started the next day. What a plan. Or so I thought.
As I should've realized, nothing goes to plan anymore. The race organizers did a fantastic job pivoting to provide all the racers a chance still to race in the weekend due to a last minute health restriction change.
No matter the change, what blew me away was how genuinely happy people were to be there, back together again, exploring on their bikes.
The end result was taking plate #69 to the Pro Men podium, a dream result. But at the end of the day it was just a result. I took so much more away. It didn't matter that the event format changed. Seeing 200+ riders stoked, exploring a beautiful part of the world with new and old mates on their bikes, and 36 foot motorhomes, was something special.
Make sure you get a chance to watch the full video, it was a real laugh. A huge thank you to Outdoorsy for making this project possible.
As well as the Canadian National Enduro Series for having us, Jason and the Panorama Mountain Resort team for hosting, the local legends who built fresh loam trails to race, in particular Mayor Jose. And last but not least, all the racers, supporters and volunteers for getting together, rolling with the punches, and having a great event together. You beauties!
Must Read This Week
47 Comments
Funny.
My kids bought my wife one of those.
This is about government bodies saying "jump," and training everyone to respond with "how high?"