Using BC Ferries as our schedule, 28 racers boarded the 10:10am Queen of Burnaby at Little River bound for the aptly named Sunshine Coast and new adventures. The morning fog kept the weather cool in the Comox area but we could see bright skies on the other side. Registration was done on the ferry so racers could head straight for the start line.

The warmth of spring welcomed us as we departed from the ferry for the 4km ride to the race course. We met up with more racers at the start line bringing the racer total to just over 40 racers. Powell River Cycling Association had setup the start finish at the Open Air Farmers Market on McLeod Road. This local market opens in April so we look forward to coming back later in the spring next year to enjoy this great venue.

After about a 45 minute warmup we started at 1pm on the dot. The trails were setup in a figure 8 format with a start loop and a lap point. The trails were twisty and technical with lots of loam, moss and roots. Volunteers are a great part of any event and in this case a marshal greeted racers at every junction point with bells and noise makers to cheer them on throughout the course.

At the finish racers had a chance to sit back and soak in a few rays, while treated to fresh fruit, a chip wagon and smokie grill. Podiums and awards were presented with enough prizes for everyone. To top off the day a nice short pedal brought you back down to the harbourside pubs and then the ferry for the nice relaxing cruise on a 5:15 ferry back to Comox. We were very pleased with easy schedule for hosting an event with the ferry trip bookending the day.

It was the first trip to Powell River, but we will be back for sure. Thanks to the volunteers, the Powell River Cycling Association, Norco Performance Products, Cycles Lambert, BC Bike Race, Suncoast Cycles, Taws Cycle & Sport, Massive Graphic, the Open Air Market, the City of Powell River and Cycling BC.

Our next stop for the spring Island Cup XC Series will be Cobble Hill this Sunday, March 27th. For more information, course maps, full results, photos, videos and more check out our website http://www.islandcupseries.com

Top 3 Places

Expert Men

* David Huntley 1:28:52
* Chris Burch 1:30:02
* Craig Gillet 1:30:30

Expert Women

* Glenowyn Carlson 1:43:44
* Inge Tholen 1:55:56
* Laurie Kalf 2:05:45

Intermediate Men

* Matthew MacKinnon 1:07:58
* Joel Vanderlee 1:11:12
* Dave Morris 1:11:54

Intermediate Women

* Judy Villeneuve 1:21:26
* Pam Reid 1:22:26
* Roberta Wilson 1:22:52

Beginner Men

* Brian Chase 0:41:55
* Graham Hanson 0:54:54
* Tim Griffin 0:57:52

Beginner Women

* Jennifer Gorman 0:45:14

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The 2011 Vancouver Island Cup Mountain Bike Race Series, is BC’s premiere grassroots race series spanning the length of Vancouver Island. Cross Country, Downhill, Super D and Marathon disciplines are brought together from numerous local mountain bike clubs.

If you’re a first timer, seasoned pro or just out to have some fun we would love to see you experience mountain bike racing on Vancouver Island.
Island Cup Races are sanctioned by Cycling BC.

The Trail Bicycles Eatmore Sprouts Cycling Team is now accepting applications from junior cyclists, 18 years of age or younger, to fill six positions on the team. The team is open to both male and female riders, and four experienced senior cyclists whose primary responsibility will be support, coaching and mentorship will join the junior riders.

The team will compete in cross-country mountain bike, road and cyclocross races throughout Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. The focus of the team will be the Vancouver Island Mountain Bike Race Series, the Cycling BC XC Cup Series, Cross on the Rock Cross Series and other local and provincial events.

“For a lot of young athletes, the costs associated with travelling to competitions can be prohibitive,” says Jeff Beeston, owner of Trail Bicycles and one of the team’s senior riders. “Being part of the team will put these competitions within reach, thanks to our community sponsors like Rehabilitation in Motion, the Freakin’ Coffee Shop and Ryan Parton Writing Solutions.”

The Trail Bicycles Eatmore Sprouts Cycling Team is the only team in the Comox Valley that’s also a registered trade team with Cycling BC. That means it’s the only option for elite local cyclists who want to compete as a team in sanctioned races and be eligible for Cycling BC awards.

“Cycling is one of the fastest-growing sports in North America,” says Beeston. “Some of the more intangible benefits of being part of the team will include the camaraderie of their teammates, the mentorship of our senior riders and the opportunity to be part of a dedicated group of competitors whose strength is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Applicants should be residents of the Comox Valley or Campbell River, have at least some racing experience and be willing to commit to training with the team at least two nights a week.

For more information, or to apply, call Jeff Beeston at 250-334-2456 or send a brief racing resume to thecogdog@hotmail.com.

Island Cup MTB Race Series

While 2009 may still be a month away from completion, we have already been working hard on the 2010 Vancouver Island Mountain Bike Race Series. Race Calendar, insurance updates and series planning has been underway. We hope to have the calendar ready for you within the next few weeks!

Stay tuned for an updated 2010 website and all the info you need for racing on the Island!

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

Sunday short-track races have become something like consolation races at national series weekends. There is at least a hair less prestige associated with winning a short track, rather than a cross-country, and a more relaxed atmosphere on the start line reflects that.

But while there is perhaps less professional stress, there is often more personal pressure. There are always a few riders — OK, everyone except Saturday’s winner — determined to redeem their weekend. And Saturday’s victor is set on showing that win was no fluke.

What this all leads to is the argument that Sunday short tracks are often the best races of the weekend — all-out painfest throwdowns, like a Sunday hammer session between buddies with a few grudges to work out, all held in full public view.

Nash gnashes, Pendrel crashes

Nash was the first off the line and rode aggressively the first few laps as the women’s field shook down to a core group of five: Nash and teammates Catharine Pendrel and Georgia Gould (in her new short track national champion kit) and their Subaru-Gary Fisher rivals, Willow Koerber and Heather Irmiger.

Vermont local Lea Davison, cheered on by a raucous cadre of girls from her Littlebellas youth program, fought her way onto the back of the elite group, but then crashed on a rutty right-hander. She got up slowly, bleeding from her arm, and said later she only continued because of her cheering section.

Luna had a three-to-two advantage in the group, and Nash and Pendrel attacked several times, forcing Koeber and Irmiger to chase. Pendrel threw down a big attack just after the finish line on the seventh lap, about 15 minutes into the 20-minutes-plus-two-laps race.

“It happened so fast I’m not sure what happened,” said Pendrel, who flatted and bent her wheel and walked away disappointed.

Gould had got dropped on the accelerations so the remaining lead group became a two-to-one affair, with Subaru-Gary Fisher now holding the advantage.

But Nash didn’t give the pair any time to use their numbers, accelerating away on the climb and opening a small gap with three laps to go.

Koerber chased alone and then was joined by Irmiger. The pair worked together to close to within a bike length or two at the top of the final climb, but Nash managed to get over the top before them and held her lead to the finish.

The next five places were identical to those places in Saturday’s cross-country: Koerber was second, followed by Irmiger, Gould, Mary McConneloug (Seven-Kenda) and Davison.

Kabush plays the waiting game again

Twelve minutes into the race, Wells bridged up to Taberlay, who had attacked alone a lap earlier and was enjoying his lap or two in the pain cave.

Wells sat on the Australian rider for a lap and then took off on his own. He may have timed his effort a bit too early, however, because Kabush suddenly bridged to Wells with two laps to go, rode with him for a bit and then dropped the Coloradan on the last climb of the day, taking the win by about five seconds.

Behind, Craig had found new life and blasted by a handful of riders in the last three laps to take third.

Craig later explained that his legs were sore at the start from doing the Super D race earlier in the day, but he started to feel better late in the race (Craig finished second in the Super D, behind teammate Carl Decker).

Race notes

• Wells and Irmiger now lead the series short track competition. Check www.singletrack.com this week for more Mount Snow galleries, an interview with Lea Davison and a report on the Mount Snow Mountain Bike Festival, which was held concurrent with the races.

Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain’s Geoff Kabush, formerly of Courtenay, got the win of his career Sunday winning the Bromont, Quebec World Cup mountain bike race in a stacked field.

Kabush, who is currently tied for the most U.S. series cup wins of all time and has had 8 previous World Cup podium finishes, but until now had never stood at the top of the World Cup podium.

The men’s race began under worse conditions than the women, if that was possible, with officials reducing the distance by one lap to six. T

he rain and the 50-plus women racers had churned up the mud, making the climb an even harder grind than usual. The mud also began to impact equipment, with most riders experiencing brake failure at some point in the race as brake pads wore away in the gritty mud.

Ralph Näf (Multivan Merida) got off to his usual fast start, and was quickly joined by Absalon, with Kabush steadily making his way up towards the front.

Näf dropped back from Absalon on lap two, to be passed by Kabush, who joined the Olympic champion near the top of the climb, just before Absalon broke his chain, putting him out of contention as he lost nearly 40 places before rejoining the race.

Kabush was now alone at the front, with Näf dropping back to a chase group with his team mate Jose Hermida, Florian Vogel (Scott-Swisspower) and Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower). Kabush would continue to power away from the chasers to finish over 90 seconds in front of Hermida, with Näf holding on for third ahead of Vogel and Lukas Flückiger (Trek World Team).

Geoff Kabush

Both Todd Wells (Specialized Factory Team) in ninth and Adam Craig (Giant) in tenth moved up in the latter half of the race.

“To win here, in my own country, it still hasn’t sunk in,” said Kabush. “I knew I was riding well, after finishing third a week earlier, and this course really suited me, so I was confident that I could go head to head with Julien. It’s too bad that he broke his chain, because I am still confident that I could have ridden against him.

“I didn’t have any of the mechanical problems the other riders were having, so I really have to thank my team and the mechanics. I went with the hardtail and the mud tires, and I was able to ride everything with no problems. This win is the biggest of my career, because with Julien so strong, for anyone to win a World Cup is very hard. This just shows that it can be done.”

For more information, please visit www.bikes.com and www.maxxis.com