Hardwood Ski & Bike is set to host the Canadian Cross-Country Mountain Bike Championships later this month.
Race director Glenn Meeuwisse says the event will welcome more than 500 of the best cyclists from across the nation.
“Part of our goal is to host these international- and national-level races to increase exposure to the sport in our area,” he said.
Hardwood is celebrating 25 years of hosting international races this year. In 2015, the facility hosted the mountain bike championship component of the Pan American Games and created its legacy course, which is up to a world-class standard.
“If people can race here successfully and be challenged by the course, then when they go over to Europe they will be ready for those kinds of pro courses,” said Meeuwisse.
A number of local cyclists will be competing during the championship weekend, Meeuwisse says.
“We have a number of amazing local riders who are highly competitive on the World Cup circuit,” he said. “We have past Olympians and past world champions here.”
Local competitors will have an edge over the competition, Meeuwisse says.
“Home course advantage is a huge advantage,” he said. “They’ve been riding on this (legacy) course any time they want since 2015 and they’ve been training on it for the past two weeks.”
Meeuwisse says the event makes a huge tourism impact on the entire region.
“There are people staying in hotels for up to a week,” he said. “They are eating at restaurants and pumping gas in their cars.”
The short track races kick off on Thursday, July 21. The championship races go on Saturday, July 23. The event is free to spectators other than the local Hardwood cross country ski team will be asking for a donation to park.
“It’s an amazing thing to see,” Meeuwisse said. “When else do you get to see a sport of this level in your backyard?”
The legacy course is shaped in a clover leaf pattern which allows spectators to see racers five times per lap in the stadium area.
“You don’t have to go wandering back into the bush,” he said. “All the teams are set up like a Formula 1 team with their areas, bikes, and mechanics. It’s quite a show.”
Meeuwisse says the event has a carnival-type atmosphere with cycling and food vendors. For more information, click here.
