The 亚洲天堂 Lake Mountain Biking Association held its 11 Annual Big Pig Mountain Biking Festival last weekend.
Riders from MacKenzie, Prince George, Williams Lake, Kamloops, Fraser Lake, Houston, Smithers, Terrace, North Vancouver, Alaska, and Switzerland joined local riders in this action packed weekend of mountain biking.
This year there were a few changes from previous years鈥� festivals. The weather caused a change in the Kids鈥� Events schedule as it was postponed from Friday evening to Saturday but that did not dampen the spirits of the competitors as they cruised through the cross country event around Kager Lake, shredded the downhill on Betweaked, and pounded the pump track in the Wee Piggy Skills Park.
Luke Bowen and local Lola Wilson, were the overall winners in the eight-nine year old category. Walker Green, local ride, rand Sophia Haehner, took the overall placements in the 10-12 year old categories. The seven and under riders took part in a scavenger hunt around Kager Lake. Smiles were aplenty, while the young riders navigated their way around the 3km course.
Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny for the adult cross country events. The Burnt Bike Challenge 30km race (allegedly 36km this year) saw riders climb up the Razorback trail and cruise down Pigasus with a finish back at Kager. First in the men鈥檚 side was Smithers鈥檚 Peter Krause with a sizzling time of two hours and 36 minutes while the first woman was Helen Purslow from Terrace who cruised to the finish in three hours and 56 minutes. The Dante鈥檚 Inferno, a timed five hour race around a 10 km route where riders try to complete the most laps, was won by Kris Yip from Prince George who racked up eight laps as a solo rider. The team event was won by the Burnt Bikes team of Dave Sandsmark, Susan Russell, Ken Giesbrecht and Cameron Stewart. Wilbur鈥檚 Wheelay, a team and solo event similar to Dante鈥檚 but only of three hours duration, was won in the team category by local riders Laura Stewart and Patti Dube who teamed up with Heiko Krause of Smithers. They completed 10 laps of the 5km course. The only solo rider and winner in the female category was local Rachelle van Zanten who completed five laps.
Sunday was the downhill day with riders dangling down the 4km Charlotte鈥檚 Web downhill course or fiercely fighting foes on the 4 Cross. For the downhill in the Cutlet Boar category (males 12 and under) the winner was Walker Green, the Junior Tender (13 鈥� 15 years) Boar winner was Matthias Haehner while Avril Thom-Lucy took the top Sow honours. The Senior Tender Boar (16 鈥� 18) winner was Braydn Makowichuk with Paul Bertrand taking top spot in the Lean Boar (19 鈥� 34) category. Jason Stebbings from Kamloops was the fastest Gristle Boar and overall fastest rider of the day and once again today Helen Purslow was the fastest Sow. In the Freezer Burnt category Urs Erzer was the fastest Boar and Maggie Donnelly was the fastest Sow.
Over at the 4 Cross the winner in the Cutlet Boar category was Kirk Charlie with Simeon Weller taking the top Senior Tender Boar position. Winner in the Sow category was Rachelle van Zanten.
