Event #1 Victoria School Cycling League

[Lister Farrar]

First event went off with more than 30 middle and high school students taking part in a judged mountain bike skills competition. Stations included a skinny plank ride, a steep gravelly descent with rock and roots (down into the TTA for those who know it), a switchback course (of cones) on a wide part of the regional trail (ultra slow speed technical handling test), a log ride (not the disneyland kind, the kind where you have to get over a pile of three logs, a steep long gravel climb (pooh corner), and a rocky, rooty climb (Little Face west of centre fold). Schools attending included Reynolds, Oak Bay, Mt Doug, Spencer, Monterey. Arbutus, Central, and a few other have registered but didn't make it yet.

Results are not posted yet, but Oak Bay Tripleshot girls rode very well, Alex particularly conquering her fear of the steep descent that had her quaking Sunday, but saw her clean the section on her definitely-not-a-downhill-bike. Brenna is almost over her jet lag and showed composure on the climbs from her long mtb rides in France. Bow showed all the girls and a bunch of boys the way on the rock climb, (ie: speed gives you momentum) and nearly made it up the final pitch that only three riders cleaned.

Thanks to:

• TS'rs Jim Pauly (switchbacks) and Eric Simonson (the skinny) who judged. Eric also got all the permits and insurance for the series.
  O2 Cycling Club member Bruce Tonkin took all the registrations, created the score sheets and brought the clip boards and will probably have the results posted while I type this.
  Doug Carey judged the logs.
  Oak Bay student teacher and former Aviawest star Ben Turner judged the Pooh Corner climb.

Next week Tuesday at 4:30: Super D, a downhill-xc hybrid on the trail known as Night Shift hosted by Scott Mitchell of SIMBS and Trek Procity.

WQe could use some marshals if any TSr's are interested in bringing their kids out to watch.