From the desk of Guy Gauvin comes a reminder that Arrowsmith Mountain Bike Club (AMBC) is getting ready for its 18th annual Hammerfest Down Hill (DH) mountain bike race on June on Island Timberlands forestlands at the end of Errington Road in Errington.
This is, he pointed out “the longest running DH mountain bike race on Vancouver Island and possibly Canada.”
A favourite with Vancouver Island racers, Hammerfest DH typically attracts about 150 riders from as far away as Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.
This AMBC club race is sanctioned by Cycling BC, the provincial body that regulates cycling events. There are three racing categories, Beginner, Intermediate and Expert. All three categories ride the same course, the difference being in their racing pace.
AMBC is seeking local volunteers to help for the day of the race. They need three drivers with Class 4 drivers license (or similar) to drive our 15-passenger shuttle vans and organizers need three drivers with standard Class 5 drivers license to drive cube trucks to shuttle bicycles.
They also need about 15 volunteers to serve as marshals at various stations on the racecourse to be on the lookout for fallen riders.
There will be a mobile food vendor at the event and volunteers will get a complimentary lunch. Volunteers will have to commit to being available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Anyone interested in volunteering for this one-day event is asked to contact Gauvin at guygauvin62@gmail.com.
Include your name, phone number(s) and your preferred volunteer duty and someone will get back to you.
DH riders interested in racing can get more information on the Island Cup Series website or from the staff at Arrowsmith Bike shops in Parksville and Nanaimo.
For riders who are not club members, a one day race license ($10) is available at registration.
The registration fee is $35 for club members. Registration will start at 8 a.m. at the race site, and shuttling will begin at 9 a.m. Practice runs are mandatory for this race, “so racers should be ready to roll at 9 a.m.”
The race begins at high noon and finishes up around 4 p.m.
— News Staff
