Mountain bikers will be able to participate in the Vancouver Island Cup Mountain Bike Race series, coming to Powell River this weekend for the second consecutive year.
On Sunday, May 6, racers will complete the same 6.7-kilometre course as they did last year. They will start at the Open Air Market in Paradise Exhibition Grounds, then head onto the trails following Enchanted Forest, Fred’s, Blue, 13 Slurpees and West Lake.
Russell Brewer, president of Powell River Cycling Association, said about 55 people attended the race last year and hopes expectations will be exceeded again in 2012.
“I’m guessing we’ll see 65 or so people because of the increased awareness we’ve had because of BC Bike Race,” he said. “More people are hearing about trails and mountain biking in Powell River and they want to check it out.”
He added there was a lot of positive reaction last year to how great the trails are in Powell River. “They’re always taken aback by how many trails and how great the trails are,” he said. “A lot of the reaction was ‘Wow, we never knew there were a bunch of trails over here, we had no idea how cool Powell River was, we’ll be back and we’ll be coming back with friends’ which is great. It’s what we were hoping for.”
Beginners complete one lap of the course, intermediate riders complete two laps and professionals complete three laps.
Unlike last year, the Open Air Market will be open as the race starts. Riders who are coming off the Comox ferry can experience a 3.9-kilometre warm-up from the terminal up to the market, where there will be music and food to accompany the race. The schedule is being worked to fit with the 10:10 am ferry from Comox.
The entry fee for the race is $10 for adults and $5 for anyone under 18. Brewer added the race is still in need of volunteers. There are currently about 15 volunteers and about 22 or 23 more are needed. Anyone interested in volunteering can call Brewer at 604.414.8310.
