Words by Martha Gill
Photos by Boris Beyer
Whistler...the place everyone wants to be, and the round everyone wants to win!
There’s something so different and special about the Enduro World Series round in Whistler, it combines the famous Crankworx series with an atmosphere that also marks the nearing of the end of the season. The whole village is a buzz, bike riders young and old, experienced and novice, all come together to enjoy the enormous and amazing trail networks.
For me, Whistler is one of my favorite places to be. It feels like I’m here for more of a holiday than a race, racers arrive early to lap A-Line and chill by the lakes. Everyone seems to be more relaxed and in higher spirits than usual.
The organisers did a great job of creating the race course. Stages 1 & 2 on the Blackcomb side of the resort were super rough and natural, full of dusty rock rolls and snaking roots. 3 & 4 on the Creekside side were simply amazing with two natural stages of fresh flowing loam which left everybody grinning from ear to ear! The final stage started on the mountain's most well-known trail, Top of the World, and continued down 12km of Whistler’s finest bike park trails. It was a hand blistering stage and took me just shy of 30 minutes!
During the race, I struggled to push to my limits and find the speed I know I’m capable of, I didn’t get the result I wanted but I had such a fun time riding my bike! It’s easy to get wrapped up in results but I’m so grateful for the opportunities bikes have given me!
