“It’s huge for us,” Manara said. “That event is the marquee event of the bike park. It really helped to put us on the map.”
Organizer Darren Berrecloth created a good flavour for the event and focuses on the riders as well as spectators – and the event can draw as many as 5,000 people to watch.
“In my 10 years I don’t think I’ve seen as many people out for any single event,” Manara said.
“That type of event is the exposure we need to get more people riding up here.”
It will draw the world’s best free riders, from Spain, Europe, BC and the United States.
The Bearclaw includes practice and the Lucky Downhill on Thursday, Aug. 4, qualifying on Friday, Aug. 5 and the main event on Saturday, Aug. 6 from noon to 4 p.m. A big air competition will run off the jump following the slopestyle events.
The BC Cup Finals on August 13-14 will likely max out at 250 downhill and 75 cross-country riders, Manara said. This downhill event will take place on the Monster Mile, touted as one of the most challenging routes on the BC Cup circuit.
The citizen class usually draws local riders from Duncan, Port Alberni, Nanaimo, Cumberland and Campbell River, and the Resort offers a reduced entry fee to encourage Island-based riders to participate. The cross-country event runs Saturday, Aug. 13 and the downhill Sunday, Aug. 14.
See Jane Jump on August 20-21 is a women’s Mountain Bike Festival put on by pro Darcy Turenne, rounds out three solid weekends of mountain biking.
The festival aims to bring women riders of all skill levels together for a weekend of riding, coaching, eating, drinking, and relaxing.
The goal of the event is to provide a fun, non-threatening environment that encourages beginner riders to progress their skills, and pro riders to strut their stuff on some of the most fun trails that Vancouver Island offers, including slopestyle features built specifically for the event.
All participants will have access to professional coaching, free bike set-up and maintenance tips from Norco bikes, and walk away with prizes from our amazing sponsors as well as a DVD of professionally shot images from the event.