Born in Whistler, BC, in 2004, Crankworx has evolved into a multi-stop international festival series that brings together the best mountain bike athletes to compete in elite-level competitions in a variety of disciplines.
But this year's event had to lean in a new direction. Traditionally, fans from around the globe would flock to Whistler to witness the action, but following the cancellation of this year's Crankworx Whistler due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crankworx Summer Series is pioneering the return of mountain bike competition.
This innovative shift is showcasing three world-class mountain bike destinations while adhering to the restrictions of Phase Three of BC’s Restart Plan to keep us all stoked and safe.
As of this publication date, the event is currently underway. Therefore, we've provided a recap of week one and two below followed by instructions so you can watch the final week!
We've even added a little bit of bonus content at the end too. Enjoy!
Week one went down at SilverStar Mountain Resort in Vernon, BC, with the best in the province going head-to-head in four different disciplines from July 28 to 31.
Riders found their racing legs in the SilverStar Enduro to kick things off before chewing up the rowdy SilverStar Dual Slalom course built by Coldstream-local rider, Bas Van Steenbergen, who ultimately took the stage win. The last day of competition was packed with action. Revved up and ready to rock, riders raced rough and ruthless descents in the Maxxis SilverStar DH and SilverStar Air DH one after another.
After all four back-to-back close races, Coldstream-local, Vaea Verbeeck, emerged atop the Women’s division just ahead of Vernon-based Casey Brown as they headed into the second week of competition.
In the Men's division, Finn Iles, from Whistler, stole the top spot from local course builder, Bas Van Steenbergen, to set the stage for an epic week two in pursuit of the overall Summer Series title.
For an in depth recap of week one’s results and best shots from SilverStar Bike Park, check out this Pinkbike article.
Stop number two on the CLIF Crankworx Summer Series was Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in the Rocky Mountains of Golden, BC where riders hucked themselves down some of the gnarliest terrain of the series.
Hot off his week one results, downhill racer, Finn Iles, continued to dominate in the Kicking Horse Enduro, making him the deserving recipient of the nickname Finnduro. In the Women’s division, Andréane Lanthier Nadeau (ALN) took the win by only 0.03 seconds over her fellow Squamish based rider, Miranda Miller.
High above the town of Golden at the summit of Mount 7 is a beast of a trail named Psychosis which for 12 years since it was last raced, has laid dormant. That changed on August 5th as the first rider dropped into the start of Kicking Horse Air DH and awoke the beast.
21 year old, Henry Fitzgerald, walked away unscathed and victorious in the Men’s division while also slaying the course record set back in 2008 by well over a minute.
Day three saw BC’s best face off head to head once again in dual slalom style. The reigning dual slalom king, Bas Van Steenbergen, was ultimately dethroned by Pemberton local, Lucas Cruz, while Vaea Verbeeck defended her Women’s title from SilverStar to win the Kicking Horse Dual Slalom.
Following the final race of the week, both divisions were set for a wild ride with four more races to go as the Crankworx Summer Series headed to Sun Peaks Resort to decide the overall champions. Despite Casey Brown’s MAXXIS Kicking Horse Downhill victory, Vaea Verbeek remained atop her division while Finn Iles managed to defend his top spot in the Men’s division.
The dust cloud is on the rise over the resort village of Sun Peaks this week as the riders make their last stop of the series and battle for the Crankworx Summer Series overall title.
On August 11th, Finnduro completed the three-peat with the fastest time of the day in the Sun Peaks Enduro, while ALN claimed her second victory of the series.
The competition schedule for the remainder of week three is as follows:
Wednesday, August 12
Thursday, August 13
Crankworx Connect: 12:30 to 1 pm PDT
Live Broadcast: 1 to 2:30 pm PDT
Friday, August 14
Crankworx Connect: 12:30 to 1 pm PDT
Live Broadcast: 1 to 2:30 pm PDT
Get stoked. Be safe. Watch #CrankworxFromHome at crankworx.com.
Even though spectators are not permitted on site, if you’re feeling inspired to explore the numerous world-class mountain bike networks right here in your backyard, here’s a quick guide to help you plan your next ride.
Crawford - Kelowna’s cross country network with 156km of rock and roll terrain
Gillard - Shuttle or pedal the road knowing the old school descents are well worth the grind
Big White Bike Park - Gravity fueled lift-accessed downhill biking for a break from the pedalling but not from the fun
Smith Creek - An enduro playground for all ages with one of the best climb trails around
Rose Valley - Home to amazing viewpoints looking back towards Kelowna and crazy fun cross-country singletrack that winds around Rose Valley Lake
Three Blind Mice - 124km of singletrack flowing through beautiful ponderosa pines, rock bluffs and grasslands overlooking the vineyards that border Okanagan Lake
Rock Oven at Skaha Bluffs - One epic loop of slab rock and views of both Okanagan and Skaha Lake
Kalamalka Lake - Twist and turn over the wide variety of terrain while taking in the water-break worthy views of picturesque Kalamalka Lake and its surrounding hillsides
SilverStar Bike Park - Canada’s second largest bike park and one of the most progressive, welcoming riders of all levels looking to shred downhill, XC, or enduro
South Canoe - Home of the legendary Salty Dog 6hr Enduro, every local has their own favourite loop of singletrack satisfaction
Rubberhead - OG lines revamped to perfection by the Shuswap Trail Alliance including a wicked three-part climb trail for real cyclists
Bike Ranch - Famous for its fast-flowing, A-line style downhill trails, and jump park to push anyone’s limits, the Bike Ranch is where you’ll find local legends sending it big
Pineview - 63km of classic Kamloops cross country for every skill level
Don’t forget to check out the local bike shops for details on upcoming trail maintenance days so that we can all continue enjoying our amazing trail networks for years to come.
In the meantime, enjoy the ride!
