The word is out. Long before anyone showed at the start
line the Seventh Ripper was 'officially' sold out. Fortunately there
were some no shows which allowed us to sneak in the folks who arrived with
a fistfull of fives on race day. In all we had 45 teams of two and
55 solo Rippers. A fantastic turn out particularly because the weather
was looking dodgy.
The rain held off though and the canopy kept the trails in
good shape until everyone had crossed the finish line. Speaking of trails,
the word from the descenders was that the line of sweet singletrack from
Seventh down to Griffen was in fantastic shape. Thanks to Dean
Reid and Peter
Morin and any others who have been helping keep those trails as well
as Leopard (Leppard!) and Krinkum ultra buff - but still fun and challenging.
The Ripper series is hitting a new plateau. It's starting
to feel like a big, happy, and ever-expanding family. Everyone who
comes out checks their ego and realizes this is more about having a good
time and raising money for the trails than it is about results. Riders
like Andreas Hestler, Andrew Shandro, Geoff Pendrel and Tyler Morland as
well as former World Cup XC racers Amber Chorney and Christine Platt were
happy as can be to be rubbing shoulders with solo weekend warriors doing
the whole Rip on 45lb DH rigs. Everyone truly is welcome at the Ripper.
That doesn't mean things don't heat up when things get rollling.
Friendly competition is still competition and there was some carnage on
the descent this year.
Watch out for raging climbers. I decided to stand
in front of the LeMans start with a video camera - fully aware there would
be carnage. I wasn't disappointed. Photo ~
Cam McRae
James Wilson used to be a racer. He was more of an XC
guy but he did some DH as well. For some reason though he derives
perverse pleasure from surprising the racers and generally messing with
their heads. The Lemans start is part of it but even that had a twist
this year. The racers started around a corner so they couldn't see
their bikes. While James was laying out how things would go a team of ne'erdowells
was scrambling the bikes. Those who had cunningly placed their bikes
at the front of the pack were moved back and vice versa. Much chaos
ensued.
Amber Chorney got off to an early lead in the solo women's
cat and never relinquished it. Photo ~ David Ferguson
Once bikes had been located the Rippers headed uphill, thinking
they were well on their way to the Entrance to Seventh Secret. Instead,
when they were almost at the second switchback the course ducked into the
woods and down Bobsled. The exit to Bobsled is right about where the
bikes were left at the start so you could call it a warm up lap. This
made for some great racing action though and what's mountain biking without
a little descending? It's always great when you can give the riders
with technical skills a leg up over those with 8 litre lungs!
A brace of riders head down Bobsled - saddles high and
proud!. Photo ~ David Ferguson
After Bobsled the riders ducked into Roadside Attraction
for a little more singletrack, this time uphill, before getting into the
groove on the road.
Keith 'Keefer' Mewis brought along a can of Lucky for
the uphill. Bottoms up! Photo ~ Cam McRae
Tyler Morland rode solo. Downhillers have good lungs
and good legs to go along with their skills. Photo ~
Cam McRae
The downhillers await their partners. Photo ~
Jay Sinclair
Who says the Rippers are a blast? Andrew Shandro
says. Photo ~ Jay Sinclair
Andreas Hestler and David Kvick were the class of the climbing field
and they soon put minutes into the pack. The pace as hectic
but after Andreas discovered that David was riding with a partner, and
therefore not in his category, he was content to sit on the Kvick one's
wheel.
David tagged team nsmb.com's Eamonn Duignan at the top and he ducked
into the woods just ahead of Hestler - well known as a skilled and fast
descender. Dre took the time to lower his saddle at the top and
was looking good until he went hard over the bars, injuring his right
hand.
Don't play stick with Harley the dog. Darren Butler
finds out the hard way. Photo ~ Jay Sinclair
"I heard Andreas for quite awhile and then nothing." Eamonn
was thinking he was home free - until fate bitch slapped him the first
of three times. Near the end of Leopard he ripped off his derailleur
hanger and it wasn't long before Dre took the lead for the good.
Eamonn continued along, coasting the descents and running the flats and
hills until he flatted near the bottom. This was followed by a nasty
fall and a sprained ankle which lead to another pass - this time by relay
competitor and eventual winner Trevor Kerr.
Eamonn managed to make it to the finish line but the rest
of the day was spent on crutches.
Daniel Crowe Hutchon is a third year Ripper - and still
the youngest lad out. He rode his light bike up and his dual bike
down. I guess he has different pedal systems on each bike because he had
to change shoes. Photo ~ Jay Sinclair
Some folks hurt on the inside - others on the outside. Photos
~ Cam McRae
It seemed like there was more carnage during this Ripper
than any previous ones. While there were no serious injuries it
seems that almost every rider lost at least one battle with gravity.
I'll let the photos tell most of the rest of the story and the results
will be pasted at the very bottom of this very long story.
Jerry Willows shredding the descent for team nsmb. Photo
~ David Ferguson
Andrew Sauter rode the whole race on his Knolly.
Photo ~ Jay Sinclair
Daniel nose wheelies for the camera on the descent. Photo
~ David Ferguson
Eamonn Duignan scored a fantastic climber. David
Kvick was first to the top. Eamonn was leading until disaster struck...three
times. He still managed to hobble to second place in the relay.
Photo ~ David Ferguson
Dave O'Dowd of Whistler
Action Video performed magic with camera and software once again and
came up with his best ever post Rip Vid. Photo ~ Jay Sinclair
Helena Juhasz going solo in her first Ripper. Photo ~
David Ferguson
