Thursday 6 August 2009

Are You Tough Enough?

Scouting Mission: Scorching heat is the norm for the Provincial Championships in Manitoba Canada. The biggest mountain bike race of the year will be held on Sunday at the Birch Ski Area.
Course builder extraordinar and race organiser Dale Cramer said the combination of technical riding, difficult climbs and extremely harsh conditions will make for much tougher race then we have had the privilege to ride in the past. This course possesses all the elements of an unadulterated mountain bike course and the forecasted wet weather should make for some really exciting, if not epic racing.

Hype: This is Provincials is not an event for the casual, or recreational rider. Mountain Bike Provincials Categories will be in effect. You can finish this race with careful pacing and riding, but don’t take it lightly. Mother Nature has not been playing nice all year, and will likely bring all her fury and wrath to the Carman Winnipeg Manitoba on Sunday August 8th. In fact, it’s likely to be colder and wetter than you expected. Do not bring sunscreen. Bring a rain coat with your “A” game baby, because you are going to leave covered in mud and very very tired with a big smile!

Race Course Description: This year Dale has constructed a SWEET 6 km loop which demands heads-up riding all the way. This challenging loop has many technical single track sections (which are mostly off camber), a plethora of short power climbs (runs for the weak), 1 bridge crossing, the typically rolling autobahn sections of twisty single track, some rough newly cut trail, and a few typical Dale surprises that will kick your *ss. Although the entire course is rideable by the top experts and Elites (with gears), I would bring some running shoes and stoke the inner fires of determination and aggression if you hope to even survive this race-to-end-all races after 2-days of torrential rain. This is a `mountain bikers` mountain bike course and the best overall rider will win. Are You Tough Enough?

Reg Here

Update: It occurred to me that the technical section at Birch is very much like a easier version of the `Twister` section of xc8.com.


Forecast:

Friday
- Showers ending early in the afternoon then cloudy. 30 percent chance of showers late in the evening. Risk of a thunderstorm late in the evening. Amount 10 to 15 mm (*update 10-20 mm). Wind southeast 20 km/h becoming light in the afternoon. High 21.

Saturday:
Cloudy with 60 percent chance (*update 70%) of showers. Low 16. High 22.

11 comments:

  1. Kevin… hey, thanks for the directions on the course last night BTW. would have been impossible otherwise. some crazy chit out there...

    No prob. I was thinking I had left you scratching you head and wondering why I talk so much.

    ReplyDelete
  2. no, it worked, it actually worked. not sure i am tough enough though.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just crashed hard and blew a sidewall out today... hope to be there if finger is not broken...

    Maybe my way of saying change tires? Nah.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kevin… I think you are more then tough enough… this will be a race of attrition rather then outright speed. Greg… you only need two fingers and a thumb to grasp a bar so htfup ;)... And a kit for the rain...I will bring a wing and a prayer!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Broke pinky and severed a tendon, but out at the end, so I hope to take this splint off for the race, but who knows. Supposed to be splinted for 4 weeks.

    sucks.

    ReplyDelete
  6. mmmm… dude you need to get your priorities straight… when they say 4-weeks min they really really mean 4-weeks! Personally my health is more important then any race. I would give up body parts for my Daughters but not for a hobby. I have raced 20ish races a year for 15 or so years, and I can only remember a few of them. I would hate to remember races for the wrong reasons. EVERY ONE is going to crash multiple times. Stay save so I can beat you next year ;)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks Dave, but I still may make it, there has been alot of work put in towards this.... I am on!

    I know you know alot about the body, and trying to take your advice but....

    I'll see in the am what I feel... I can almost grip the bars with the splint on.

    Pissed... xc8 is in 4 right?

    ReplyDelete
  8. "I can almost grip the bars with the splint on."

    now that put a smile on my face!

    wv - gregsnughtz

    ReplyDelete
  9. see the blog ticker… You Can Do It! Now if I can just figure out what gear to race...

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm in, just got back from 45 mins of bunny hops, cruising, bashing through rough stuff... all wit no gloves and on the tops of my corked taped cx bikes bars!

    see you there!

    I just HTFU'd

    wv: Imanidiot

    ReplyDelete
  11. prolly shouldn't have done that.. finger is killin, and all black and blue now... sucks. (re brake?)

    looks like I'm out for a while.

    Have a great race guys... see you someday.

    ReplyDelete