Archive for the ‘Mountain Biking, Cycle Racing, BMX’ Category

We talked about this race in December, but as it is about to start we thought it well worth reminding you bout it and pointing out a few more details. After all, it is an extroadinary extreme endurance race with the aim to finally decide who is the faster over severe tough and varied terrain – mountain biker or runner.

Some seriously fit mountain bikers and long-distance endurance athletes will be determined to prove that their medium is king and will be either en route to Nepal or already there acclimatising to the very different altitude. This is a reminder of the imminent start of this year’s Yak-Attack.

“Yak Attack is not runner versus mountain bike, it’s man versus nature and nature seems to have the upper hand,” says Phill Stasiw, Manang to Thorong Phedi, Yak Attack 2007.

March 8th is kick-off day for the annual Yak-Attack with race registration beginning at 2pm infront of the Kathmandu Guesthouse. Starting in the heart of Kathmandu, the race follows a mixture of back country roads and jeep tracks to traverse the Himalayan foothills on its way to  Besi Sahar, where the real mountains begin.

After 9 days of riding (and 1 rest day) with stages ranging between 100 km and 18 km,the race will finish in Tatopani where competitors can enjoy a well deserved soak in the rejuvenating hot springs just a short walk away from the hotel and an all-important post race celebration. The final day incorporates a group ride to Beni and then transfer by bus to the lakeside tourist destination of Pokhara.

“I’ve come away with great memories, new friends and a pair of sore legs and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat,” says former entrant Geoff Bamber (runner).

“Yak Attack is the only MTB stage race to take place in Nepal and it offers competitors a rare opportunity to ride in the Annapurna region. There aren’t many locations around the world where you have to ride uphill for 4 days, followed by a close to 100km of descent,” says Phil Evans, event organizer. “The route also takes competitors through the deepest gorge on earth, with the trail passing between two 8000m plus mountains,” he adds.

Evans, the man behind Extreme World Challenges, liaised with Mr Chhimi Gurung, president of the Nepal Mountain bike Association,in 2007 and the idea for Yak Attack was born. It became Extreme World Challenge’s first independent event. Using one of Nepal’s most fabled trekking routes, the Annapurna circuit, as the venue, this innovative runner-versus-mountain bike race had its inaugural opening in March 2007.

Extreme World Challenges was born out of a love for traveling to far out places and a passion for pushing the body to its physical extremes.

This is a fascinating race between man and bike, and an incredible experience in some of the most beautiful and harsh terrain on earth. In 2007 a runner, marathon man Hari Rokaya, easily won the final stage and finished the entire Annapurna circuit in an astonishing 24hrs and 5mins, making him the fastest person ever recorded to complete the circuit.

In 2008 it was the turn of the mountain bikers with Kaji Sherpa winning in a hard fought battle in a time of 20:52:43. Amazingly, considering the weather had favoured mountain bikers, second place was taken by a runner, Phudorjee Lama Sherpa, in a time of 21:08:34. Both competitors beating the 24 hour mark and proving that that the Nepalese were stealing the show although Philip Morris held up the flag for the Europeans with a third place and a praiseworthy time of 22:06:22 !

2009 … can anyone tell us who won this race? I cannot find the results anywhere. We would also love to know if it was a runner or a biker…

The 2010 yak-Attack, starting on 8th March and ending the 20th, will be the best ever as this year there’s  330 km riding with over 8000 m of climbing. Brought to you by Extreme World Challenges UK in collaboration with Dawn Till Dusk, Kathmandu, this is the fourth Yak Attack challenge. Dawn Till Dusk is the first mountain bike company in Nepal run by professional Nepali mountain bikers, Chhimi Urkyen Gurung & Sonam Gurung. It runs bike tours to Nepal, Tibet, Ladakh, Sikkim and Bhutan.

We have devoted some column inches over the last couple of weeks extolling the virtues of Whistler, Vancouver which is to host a feast of extreme sports in the Winter Olympics and which start a week today with what, we are sure, will be a spectacular opening ceremony.

But Whistler is not only famous for its winter sports activities. It is a different mode of transport about which we write today. If you are seeking your thrills – and no doubt a few spills – you will have to change your mode of transport from the ski/snowboard to the mountain bike. In the summer the Whistler area becomes a haven for bikers of all levels – be you beginner or expert you will have a great time in the warm months of summer.

So just in case you mountain bikers are feeling left out we thought we would give you a little information on Whistler – or ‘a mountain bikers heaven’ as some would rather have you call it.

The Whistler website reckons a lot of work is being done to the intermediate trails in Garbanzo, to a new Whiskey Jack single track trail and increased maintenance of existing trails. Sure sounds mouth watering and if you include the A line opening you can look forward to an exiting year mountain biking at Whistler.

Photo courtesy of Whistler Outfitters

Whistler Mountain Bike Park lift tickets provide access to over 4,900 vertical feet of lift-serviced gravity fed, adrenaline fueled descending trails. Something for every level of rider. Gentle, banked cruisers through the Coastal forest. Tight and twisty single track – perfect for intermediate riders. For the armour clad, full face wearing, 50lb. bike groupie there are steep rock faces, gnarly, root strewn lines, drop offs of all descriptions and more.

Day ticket prices vary depending on the time of year you vist. It is best you check the website http://www.whistlerbike.com/tickets-passes/lift-tickets/index.htm but they vary from $52 to $45 for an adult and $46 to $40 for a youth. These prices are based in the Loonie (Canadian dollar for those not acquainted with the vernacular) but there isn’t much difference these days.

If you need to rent a bike there should be no problem – rental shops offer downhill and valley bikes at $100 for the day and should you require armour that is also available!

In this great video below from SnowboardPowder you can experience through the eyes of a helmet cam some of what Whistler has to offer: here we see both the upper and lower A line followed by Double Vision and then Spinal Tap – wicked!

If that hasn’t whet your appetite nothing will.  Below are the 2010 opening times: -

The Bike Park opening day is set for May 15, 2010.

There’s no such thing as “too old” – or not in Poul Rasmussen’s case. At 85 years old his passion is kitesurfing (AdvanceCopenhagen).

There are many much better and much longer videos, but unfortunately all with a lot of interviews included – and the language is Danish. Now, I have nothing against the Danish language, but I’m not sure how many of our readers are fluent in it! So I apologise to Poul, but the quick snip I’ve shown of a man to emanate will, I hope, whet your appetite to keep reading!

So that’s kitesurfing out the way, what about some of our other favourite sports?

Donna Vano is the oldest pro-snowboarder in the world. At 56 she is a legend in the snowboard and skateboard industry- an action sports veteran in every sense of the word. For 16 years she  has competed in Superpipe, Slopestyle, Boardercross, Slalom and Giant Slalom. She currently holds three Guinness World Records as the Oldest Inline Vert Skater in the World, the Most Gold Medals in the USASA in all 5 disciplines, and the Oldest Female Amateur Snowboarder Competing in Pro Tours in the Superpipe. She also runs the South Tahoe Snowboard Series USASA Nationals, which was the top for 8 years in a row and has been top in the series for 12 years. “I’m not getting older, I’m getting better,” she says.

The oldest person to have climbed Mount Everest is a Nepalese Sherpa called Min Bahadur Sherchan. He was 76 years and 340 days old. The second oldest is 75-year-old Japanese Yuichiro Miura, who reached the top two days after him, and the third is another Japanese, 71 year old  Katsusuke Yanagisawa, a teacher by profession.

In 2009,  Amanda Richmond, 54, a PE teacher from Ipswich, England, battled electrical storms, giant snow plumes and freezing temperatures to scale the 8,850m mountain, the highest on earth and so became the oldest woman to have climbed Everest.  She said: “It was incredible. I feel privileged to have been in that situation – to stand on top of the world.”

I’m trying to find the oldest wingsuit flyer, but in the meantime I have come across the oldest skydiver. Frank Moody, aged 101, made a tandem jump in 2004. Now that’s quite something isn’t – anybody who ‘doesn’t dare’ should be ashamed of themselves!!!

Still struggling to find the oldest wingsuit flyer, I have to allude to Yves Rossy – or ‘jet’ or ‘fusion’ man as he is also known. At 50, he has to be the oldest and most successful person to have achieved sustained human flight with the aid of a jet-powered fixed wing strapped to his back. His next project is to fly across the Grand Canyon. Rossy is both a highly experienced skydiver and a veteran aircraft pilot.

“My biggest concern is what happens when I get bored with this (wingsuit flying),” says veteran BASEjumper Phil Smith on the risks of wingsuit jumping from buildings, bridges and cliffs, and that’s about the last word I have on the oldest wingsuit flyer. I know Dwain Weston was 30 when he died practicing the sport he loved, but as for the oldest wingsuit flyer?  Mum’s the word.

Since 2006, Russell Allen, an American cyclist has been the oldest living American Olympian Cyclist – he got his medal in 1932. But cycling has a venerable reputation for more aged participants. The oldest participant for the ‘Les 24 Heures Velo’ – a team-endurance cycle event to be held in August this year at the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit – will be 82 years old. Whereas, In 2007 in Ladysmith, South Africa, Mkhulu Mkhize, was given a brand new set of wheels at the venerable age of 112. Ok, fair enough, he’s not about to be competing at that age – but to still be cycling yourself around the countryside is quite something.

And as for the Olympics, it seems like our sportsmen are going on for ever and ever. The 2008 event was a real eye-opener. Japanese horseman Hiroshi Hoketsu lead the pack at Beijing, returning to the Games after a 44-year break, aged 67. Laurie Lever turned 60 in October 2007, the last thing on his mind was retirement with the Australian show jumper focused on riding in his first Olympics. The title of oldest Olympian is held by Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn, who collected his sixth medal at the 1920 Antwerp Games aged 72 years and 280 days. “We are a fitter generation,” said Lever, whose appearance on Ashleigh Drossel Dan in the show jumping in Hong Kong is believed to make him the oldest debutant at the 2008 Games.

Laurence J. Brophy of Wales at 77 years old took part in last years’ RacingThePlanet Atacama Crossing – surely one of the most testing of the ultramarathon/endurance races. He didn’t complete all stages, but he did most of it. An extraodinary undertaking for any human being let alone one on the other side of 70 and at 74, Jack Denness of the UK, took part in  the Sahara Race. He said: “It is fantastic to be here. I love it. It is great for my ego as even the front runners give me lots of respect because of my age.”

Sports academics are not surprised by the ability of athletes to remain competitive longer and expect increasing numbers of over 40s to stay competing at top level sport as training techniques and technology continue to improve.

“Ageing is inevitable for humans. But if you have goals in life, you should go through the physical and mental training, forget about age and embark on the challenges,” said Yuichiro Miura.

Something to think about, isn’t it…

Many of the events and people we talk about do the things they do, not only to have an enormous amount of fun and sense of achievement, but also to help others by raising money for various charities.

AdventureCORPS is no different and on the 13th February they are hoping to make a noticeable difference…

Their aim is to raise money for the tragic people of Haiti, but rather than me waxing lyrical, let me copy AdventureCORPS’ proposition directly, and if any of our readers are living in the area or can donate – please do. It is a worthy cause…

L’Union Fait la Force / Strength Through Unity = National Motto of Haiti

LA JOLLA, CA -  AdventureCORPS, Inc., an athlete-run firm producing some of the world’s toughest sports events – including the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508 races in Death Valley – will host “80 FOR HAITI,” a cycling benefit ride for Haiti relief supporting Mercy Corps on Saturday, February 13, 2010. The event will feature an 80-mile ride along Old Hwy 80 in southeastern San Diego County. There will be an $80 entry fee and 100% of the entry fees will go directly to Mercy Corps, one of the most respected relief organizations worldwide. AdventureCORPS will absorb all costs, but food, drink, and support sponsors are being sought.
The “80 FOR HAITI” cycling event start / finish line is just 44 miles east of San Diego, in Pine Valley, CA. The route is spectacular, on absolutely quiet roads through rolling terrain.
As international relief efforts continue in Haiti, a Mercy Corps earthquake response team is in Port-au-Prince responding to urgent needs.
Registering for this ride – or donating to the cause, if you can’t do the actual ride – will help families in Haiti recover from the most powerful quake to hit the country in more than 200 years. Mercy Corps relief workers with experience in disaster responses ranging from Hurricane Katrina to the Myanmar cyclone are converging on Haiti from Africa, Asia, and North America. They’re focusing first on the immediate needs — for water, food, temporary shelter supplies and much more — and expanding their work to three areas: clean water, post-trauma support for children, and job creation.
The needs in Haiti are immense. Its capital lies in ruins, as many as 200,000 may be dead, and survivors are increasingly desperate for food, clean water and shelter. Please ride “80 For Haiti” and/or give what you can to help families recover.
Cycling participants in 80 FOR HAITI must pre-register for the event, so that we can plan accordingly. PLEASE register prior to February 6 for the ride. Donations will be accepted through February 13, and beyond.
Click here for all the 80 FOR HAITI information and the Link to Registration / Donation: http://www.adventurecorps.com/80/index.html
Don’t Want to, or Can’t, Ride 80 FOR HAITI, but you still want to donate? Or perhaps you and your friends want to ride your own “80 FOR HAITI” near where you live? Go for it! Please use this link and DONATE NOW directly to Mercy Corps: http://www.mercycorps.org/fundraising/adventurecorps
80 FOR HAITI HIGHLIGHTS: • February 13, 2010 • Held along Eastern San Diego County’s Old Hwy 80: Minimal traffic, no traffic lights, and just a few stop signs. • Three well-stocked checkpoints, plus roving SAG support vehicles on the course. • The entry fee is a minimum $80 donation: 100% of ALL entry fees will go to Mercy Corps.
ABOUT THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake with the epicenter near Léogane, approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, striking at 16:53:10 local time (21:53:10 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 13 kilometres (8.1 mi). The United States Geological Survey recorded a series of at least 33 aftershocks, fourteen of them between magnitudes 5.0 and 5.9. The International Red Cross estimated that about three million people were affected by the quake, and the Haitian Interior Minister believes that up to 200,000 have died as a result of the disaster, exceeding earlier Red Cross estimates of 45,000–50,000. Several prominent public figures are among the dead. The Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive recently announced that over 70,000 bodies have been buried in mass graves. Source (and more details): Wikipedia.com
OFFICIAL CHARITY The Official Charity of 80 FOR HAITI is Mercy Corps. Mercy Corps is a team of 3700 professionals helping turn crisis into opportunity for millions around the world. By trade, they are engineers, financial analysts, drivers, community organizers, project managers, public health experts, administrators, social entrepreneurs and logisticians. In spirit, they are activists, optimists, innovators and proud partners of the people they serve. According to their website:
“Mercy Corps has long been recognized as an excellent steward of the resources entrusted to it. Over the past five years, more than 89 percent of our resources have been allocated to programs that help people in need. Ensuring that resources are wisely spent is the cornerstone of our values, vision, and strategy for growth in the future. We are proud of the awards, endorsements, memberships, and honors that substantiate our track record of accountability.”

More info about Mercy Corps’ Efforts in Haiti: http://www.mercycorps.org/haiti

Thank you.

If you are a very adventurous person, you have high levels of strength and endurance and you are brave enough to challenge difficult terrains and rocky mountainsides, then maybe Extreme Mountain Biking would be great for you. So what is extreme mountain biking? It is not just taking bike tours such as you see in biking magazines; there are a lot of things to consider with this sport, from mountain biking attire to the type of mountain bike tours to make.

Photo courtesy of seasonallyunadjusted.com

Extreme mountain biking is a sport where people race their mountain bikes on rocky mountainsides and dirt terrains. Mountain bikes are very powerful bicycles. They have unique features that allow the cyclist to balance even on the most rocky, off-road terrains. A lot of mountain bikers participate in mountain biking races that include amateur cyclists who just join for the experience.

One of the most innovative and fresh multi-disciplined sports is mountain biking. For every specific category of extreme mountain biking, participants are forced to undergo lots of training. This is to monitor development in skills as well as retaining past techniques. Each category varies in terms of rules and regulations. This is why this sport requires a lot of practice, patience and discipline. Imagine riding and taking control of a bicycle that is on a bumpy and wild hiking trail.

Risks, stunts and courses that challenge the cycle and rider makes for a rare breed of athlete. Of course, being an excellent extreme mountain biker requires hard work to hone skills for years. Sometimes bikers can be unprepared by the unpredictable road surface and the obstacles in the challenge.

There are five specific categories in extreme mountain biking, all of which may be set over rough, steep and rocky trails or tracks. Sometimes, they can take place on very narrow trails in fields, forest or streambeds.

1. Downhill mountain biking. This includes huge jumps that span up to 40 feet and drops down of 10 feet. The terrain is expected to be steep and rough. It is definitely one of the most unsafe and it requires a lot of physical work when compared to the other categories.
2. Free riding. This is the most spontaneous of all. There is no need to restrict yourself to any particular style. A rider is given a choice to perform any combination or series of downhill courses, a few drops and jumps probably. Stunts are more important than skills in this category.
3. Cross country. This is the most common category. It is probably the most popular too. It includes a bike trail of around 30 miles in a loop or in terrain full of jumps and descents. It is great for amateurs, especially if a rider is planning to move to more dangerous types.
4. Dirt jumping. The events for this category are just about showcasing the boldest and scariest, most insane stunt or trick where you can see bikers playing in the air.
5. Street riding. This can be done anywhere. It commonly includes grinding ledges and obstacle riding. Rotations on flat ground are also common.

For any rider who wants to get involved and excel in extreme mountain biking, great training is essential. It is very important that you decide on which category you you want to try and then gear up for it, so that you can play safely. We will over the next few weeks examine in more detail the mountain biking categories in an effort to inspire you for the year ahead.

This compilation of the various forms of mountain biking has been put together by watanidiot from material provided by Vario. You can see why mountain biking has such an appeal to the young and fearless.

This inaugural event, not really a race, is to be a multi-surface cycling festival and will involve 3 days of cycling on the best trails and roads in the Marin Headlands. It will be held on the 23rd – 25th July, 2010. Organised and run by AdventureCORPS Inc. an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, it promises to be a weekend of adventure and fun.

This event sees a longterm dream coming true. Ever since his  article on ‘Mountain Bikes: Who needs them?’ in the February, 1993 issue of Bicycle Guide, Chris Kostman of AdventureCORPS has dreamed of hosting a rally to celebrate the “Any Bike, Anywhere” ethos and lifestyle.

In his opinion, Rough Riding is a state of mind, a riding style with limitless freedom and an all-pervasive sense of adventure. The Rough Riders slogan is “Any Bike, Anywhere” and the general idea is to use as little technology as possible while traversing a variety of riding surfaces and terrains.

The region chosen for the event, the Marin Headlands, offers truly spectacular cycling with views of the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, Mt. Tamalpais (“Mt. Tam”), Tiburon, Mill Valley, the Bay Bridge, a bit of the Golden Gate Bridge, and dramatic, rugged Northern California coastline.

Some consider the route chosen to be “mountain bike territory,” but this route is 99% rideable by an accomplished Rough Rider on a road bike with 32mm cyclocross tyres (or on a cyclocross bike), and perhaps 90-95% rideable on a road bike with 28mm road tyres.

It promises to be a great weekend in an absolutely spectacular cycling paradise.

Friday will be check-in, get to know the other Rough Riders and collect your goodie bag. There will be a very hilly to mountainous ride all on paved roads with option for a trails bypass from Ross to the Fairfax-Bolinas Rd and a pizza party in the evening.

Saturday will be the epic, ultimate rough riding adventure with roughly 55 miles and approximately 6000′ of elevation gain and features single track, double track, fire road, gravel road, abandoned paved road, and newly paved road.

Sunday sees an 8 a.m. start with a ride up Railroad Grade to the summit (East Peak) of Mt. Tam, time to enjoy the view, pose for more photos, and a regretful return.

Admission to the Rough Riders Rally is $169. There is a 100 rider limit and it will SELL OUT! Sign up NOW! Please note, once the event is sold out, it is SOLD OUT. Photo ID is required to check-in for the event. Entry includes: Friday evening Pizza Party, Saturday evening Awards Dinner, route maps, the opportunity to enter the bike ridden that weekend in the Bike Show, the opportunity to enter photos in the Photography Competition, Rough Riders Rally Magazine, Rough Riders water bottle, Rough Riders patch, Rough Riders decal, Rough Riders pin, Rough Riders cycling cap, AdventureCORPS tote bag, Hammer Nutrition samples, plus discounted services from Tam Bikes…