I did not see much about this race, and I don'T always watch the Crankworx races, but I was happy to catch it live on my last vacation day and hearing Rob Warner with Elliott Jackson commentate is always a good time.
The track has a great mix of everything, hopefully it will be included in the rumored 10-12 world cup stops next year. It was bone-dry and dusty, conditions that we haven't really seen yet this summer in Eastern Canada. I drove all around BC, Alberta and the Yukon mahy times, but I never made it to Whistler. Don't ask why, I don't know.
The women's race was interesting, they were quick in this hard track and many less-known younger riders are coming up. Jenna Hastings won it by a good margin, so hopefully a sign that she recovered from her last injury.
Kirk Mcdowall (Norco factory rider and engineer) still did a pretty good time for an engineer that stepped to WC racing this year. It must be nice for a team to have a factory rider, while also being an engineer for the brand, and also racing alongside Greg Minnaar. Their race bike graphics are a bit out there, but I really like it.They went all out and it makes them stand out from the crowd even if I'm a sucker for a raw frame. That's the kind of too much that is enough to be nice IMO.
Fearon looked insanely quick, but it was not enough to secure a podium. Ronan went down right after the mental drop/roll onto a wooden ramp, but hopefully he was fine. I saw a preview last year with Rob Warner who rode the track and just rolly down that chute was scary. Seeing them jump into it really gives another perspective on WC racers. (I had no doubts, but still). Afterwards, Ronan stood up, took his bike and then stopped with the crowd, took a few sips of a spectator's beer and left the scene by doubling a crazy tech section right afterwards. He gave a good show and made the most of his run down. It must be hard to screw a race run, but when there is nothing left to do but having fun, it's nice to see that some riders do it for the fans and IMO it gives a nice image to the brand/team.
It might only be a coincidence, but watching the race, the only 2 male riders who took a quick "hand break" and shook their hands at the bottom were on SRAM Mavens. Many others were riding the same brakes and did nothing, though, so that might just be a coincidence. I did not remember their names and which forks they were riding either.
(Awaiting the replay for the last 10 riders).
The track has a great mix of everything, hopefully it will be included in the rumored 10-12 world cup stops next year. It was bone-dry and dusty, conditions that we haven't really seen yet this summer in Eastern Canada. I drove all around BC, Alberta and the Yukon mahy times, but I never made it to Whistler. Don't ask why, I don't know.
The women's race was interesting, they were quick in this hard track and many less-known younger riders are coming up. Jenna Hastings won it by a good margin, so hopefully a sign that she recovered from her last injury.
Kirk Mcdowall (Norco factory rider and engineer) still did a pretty good time for an engineer that stepped to WC racing this year. It must be nice for a team to have a factory rider, while also being an engineer for the brand, and also racing alongside Greg Minnaar. Their race bike graphics are a bit out there, but I really like it.They went all out and it makes them stand out from the crowd even if I'm a sucker for a raw frame. That's the kind of too much that is enough to be nice IMO.
Fearon looked insanely quick, but it was not enough to secure a podium. Ronan went down right after the mental drop/roll onto a wooden ramp, but hopefully he was fine. I saw a preview last year with Rob Warner who rode the track and just rolly down that chute was scary. Seeing them jump into it really gives another perspective on WC racers. (I had no doubts, but still). Afterwards, Ronan stood up, took his bike and then stopped with the crowd, took a few sips of a spectator's beer and left the scene by doubling a crazy tech section right afterwards. He gave a good show and made the most of his run down. It must be hard to screw a race run, but when there is nothing left to do but having fun, it's nice to see that some riders do it for the fans and IMO it gives a nice image to the brand/team.
It might only be a coincidence, but watching the race, the only 2 male riders who took a quick "hand break" and shook their hands at the bottom were on SRAM Mavens. Many others were riding the same brakes and did nothing, though, so that might just be a coincidence. I did not remember their names and which forks they were riding either.
(Awaiting the replay for the last 10 riders).
