April 2/98 23:15 pm - Burnt Bridge, Redden, B.C. Trail Access
Posted by Editor on 04/2/98
National Team To Attend Burnt Bridge
The 1998 edition of the Burnt Bridge International Classic, which will officially open the racing season in BC and Canada, is attracting the best Canadian mountain bike riders to the Island. After racing the first World Cup of the season last weekend, the top Canadian riders will stop at Burnt Bridge before heading to Europe for the continuation of the World Cup Series.
In the Senior Pro Elite mens category, National Team members and Victoria residents Andreas Hestler (Cannondale), Roland Green (Kona), Geoff Kabush (Kona) will be challenged by their National teammates Neil Grover (Rocky Mountain, Winnipeg), Chris Sheppard (Catera-Pure Energy, Kamloops) and Peter Wedge (Kona, NB). The Senior Pro Elite womens field will include some of the best in the world, starting with Lesley Tomlinson (Polo Sport, N. Vancouver), Melanie McQuaid (Rocky Mountain, Victoria), Melanie Dorion (Oryx, Montreal) and last year‚s Burnt Bridge winner Trish Sinclair (Kona, Victoria). Unfortunately, Olympic silver medalist Alison Sydor will not be racing at Burnt Bridge, as she will already be in Europe. Ryder Hesjedal (Kona, Victoria) should have no difficulties in the Junior Expert category after his victory in the junior class event that was presented in conjunction with the World Cup race in Napa, California. Ryder is showing good form, and it will be difficult for anyone to challenge him.
On Saturday April 11, the cross-country titles in 32 categories are up for grabs. The 13 km course is comprised of a mixture of fire road, single track, open trails and great downhill sections that will test the riders‚ abilities. The racing starts at 9:30 with the youth and beginners categories followed at 10:45 by the sport and expert riders. The pro-elite riders will tackle the course at 1:00 pm.
Sunday April 12 the downhillers, led by National Team members Daamian Skelton (Rocky Mountain, Whistler) and David Watson (Rocky Mountain, Victoria), will need good skills to handle the fast single track course. Using a best of two runs format; the riders will try to register the fastest time and grab the title.
Registration and package pick up will take place at Fort Street Cycle in Victoria on Thursday April 9 between 3:00 and 6:00 pm and Friday April 10 from 1:00 to 6:00 pm. The course will be fully marked and open for practice Friday April 10th.
Burnt Bridge is part of the 1998 BC Cup Series and the Island Cup Series. The BC Cup counts six events that are raced across the province, while the Island Cup offers 8 races to the younger riders (10-18) providing them with a home based good caliber series that will assist their development.
The organizers are looking for volunteers to assist with the event; those interested can contact Patty at (250) 656-7995 or Claire (250) 656-6165 ext.231. For additional information on the race try our website at www.pro-competition.com
(Note: we have arranged for live updates throughout the weekend, so check back regularly for Burnt Bridge coverage)
News From Chrissy Redden
Ritchey pro Chrissy Redden sent us an e-mail today filling us in on what happen at the World Cup in Napa (where she was a DNF).
If you haven't heard by now, I had a fairly serious crash in the first half lap of the Napa WC race. I was riding some single track quite fast and hit some greasy grooves which caused me to lose control. I tried to gain control, but was heading fast into a large tree, so I bailed it, going full speed into my barend with my sternum. After gaining my wind back, I got back on the bike to continue the race. At this point I had lost a lot of places and was around 20th. After completing the first lap, I started to feel a little better and started to gain back the places I had lost. At about 2 1/2 laps, and in 11th place, the muscles in my sternum seized, causing a stabbing pain in my chest. The pain and the not being able to breath made my decision to pull out of the race. That's it, ....the bike was perfect!
I am hoping to be perfectly able to ride Portugal, although the muscles in the sternum area are still quite sore. Aside from crashing and not finishing Napa, the rest of the trip went quite well! (Ed. Note: things went well enough for Chrissy to win a stage of the Tour of Hawaii; we hope to see Chrissy back in the top-10 shortly)
Seymour Park News (forwarded courtesy Liz Earle of EMP)
Many of you have asked me to look into what's happening on Mount Seymour (Vancouver) regarding ticketing for riding on the trails.
Seymour Provincial Park officials are trying to enforce illegal trail building and riding with a 3 month ticketing blitz. Last year Provincial Park staff tried to spread the word through the mountain biking community that they would not tolerate illegal trail building and that they want to work with Mountain Biking Groups to build or designate mountain biking trails. They did this through Deep Cove Bike Shop.
Please not that the North Vancouver Recreation Commission's Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee is also working on a proposal for a North Vancouver Mountain Biking Park.
If you have questions regarding trails in the District of North Vancouver, call:
Susan Rogers
Park Planner
District of North Vancouver
(604) 990-3809
rogerss@district.north-van.bc.ca
If you have questions about trails in Mount Seymour Provincial Park, call:
Larry Syroishko, area ranger supervisor
1610 Mount Seymour Rd
North Van
phone (604) 929-4818
fax (604) 924 2244
If you want to join forces with an organized mountain biking group:
1) EMP or West Coast School of Mountain Biking
Liz Earle or Dean MacKay (604) 327-2547
2) NSMBA - The North Shore Mountain Bike Association is an organization dedicated to the accessibility of trails and support of mountain biking on the North Shore. Our goals are:
- To keep trails challenging
- To be a voice for mountain-biking in the North Shore
- To maintain the trails
- To keep the trails open
- To promote respect of the environment through cooperative trail maintenance
- To promoting multiple use of trails
Membership fee can be paid at participating bike store. For more information call:
Mitch Diem/Kenny Maude at (604) 988-7034 ( kots@axionet.com);
Lee Lau at (604) 986-6367 ( lau@wedge.com );
James Wilson at (604) 970-9344 ( jamesw@ogc.ca ).
If you have any general questions regarding this e-mail or cycling in N. Vancouver or you don't know the jurisdiction boundaries, call me directly at (604) 990-BIKE (2453) or e-mail "bike@district.north-van.bc.ca"
Emma Dal Santo
Transportation Planning Department
District of North Vancouver
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