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Photos: Danielle Baker

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As I was walking out the door to shoot the first morning of practice at the Dunbar Summer Series BC Cup at Kicking Horse Mountain last weekend, Chris Kovarik walked by, looked outside at the pouring rain and said, "it's like going into battle." That's how we all felt, the weather was unexpected and everyone was scrambling to be prepared for it. Garbage bags and corner store ponchos became, quite possibly, the first mountain bike trend to cost under $90. Those camping out in the parking lot did their best to dry out their gear over night and Max Berkowitz and I cursed as opening our camera bags seemed to trigger each new deluge of rain. But this is mountain biking, this is DH racing, and there were nothing but smiling faces through the weekend. We welcomed the opportunity to pull together, loan gear and garbage bags, and offer hot showers, dryers, and beers to those in need. We huddled together under team tents and waited out some of the worst spells with friendly harassment, course talk, and hot coffee while Brett Tippie's voice rang out referring to racers coming off course with broken helmet's, bleeding knuckles, and have the course tape in their cassettes as warriors.

The struggle was real for racers who were camping, but inventiveness and ingenuity took the win as no one came prepared for the weather. Racers learned the track during practice on Saturday, especially the new bottom section that the resort builders had changed, but it was anyone's guess about the weather for race day so little faith was put in the seeding results. On Saturday evening Stephen Exley, Race Organizer, hosted the long jump competition which went to Dean Tennant for the second year in a row - and possibly at the sacrifice of his man parts. Heal up Dean! When race day rolled around we saw Jack Almond and Kyleigh Stewart win prizes for the fastest non Elite times of the day.

Elite Women's podium - Clair Buchar (1st), Michelle Griffiths (2nd), and Britany Methot (3rd).

Junior Expert Men's podium - Jack Almond (1st), Adam Woodhouse (2nd), Alex Silverthorne (3rd), and Dillon Morrison (4th).

Elite Men's podium; Chris Kovarik (1st), Rob Fraser (2nd), Anthony Evans (3rd), Cody Macarthur (4th), and Nick Grimm (5th).

Full Results:

KHMR 2015 Western Open

Intense cycles generously donates a bike frame to each of the Dunbar Summer Series races for raffle. The proceeds from the ticket sales are donated to Love for Lola. And finally, to echo Brett Tippies closing sentiments, thank you to Rob Venables of Dunbar Cycles and Stephen Exley for making these amazing events possible.

Fortune favours the bold and we were all rewarded for our endurance despite the elements!


Thank you to all of the event sponsors who make DH racing happen - Dunbar Cycles, Intense Cycles, Panorama Bike Park, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Fernie Alpine Resort, Silver Star Bike Park, Troy Lee Designs, Atlas, Race Face, Momentum Professional Sport Watches, Trident Sports, KORE, Whistler Performance Lubricants, Pinkbike, North Shore Billet, and CCN Bikes.

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MENTIONS: @intensecyclesusa / @sexley / @raceface / @dbaker / @dunbarcycles / @bretttippie

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