Each year, close to 200 mountain bike racers travel from across Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and Washington to compete in the Island Cup mountain bike race series, and the first stop for downhill racing on this year’s tour is Cumberland on April 13.
To help the sport grow, promote athlete development, and encourage locals to fine-tune their mountain biking skills, local company Drift Mountain Biking is bringing professional mountain bike instruction and programs to the Valley.
To gear up for the Island Cup in Cumberland, for the first time ever, riders and racers will have the opportunity for high-performance coaching from professional downhill mountain bike racers and coaches to prepare for race day.
World-class downhill racers and coaches, Dunbar Cycles team rider Dean Tennant and Amber Zirnhelt, will instruct downhill mountain bikers and racing enthusiasts to fine-tune their skills.
Drift Mountain Biking will be hosting two one-day clinics on March 29 and 30 in Cumberland for downhill riders of all skill levels.
“We are really pleased to bring professional downhill mountain bike instruction to the Comox Valley for the first time,” says Amanda Ridgway, founder of Drift Mountain Biking.
“Dean and Amber have raced and coached internationally, and bring fantastic instruction, skills and a contagious enthusiasm for the sport that will leave participants super excited,” she added.
Guest coach Tennant was the 2014 BC Cup downhill champion and Island Cup champion. As a three-time Canadian National team member, he has competed at the Canberra, Champery and Mont Sainte Anne World Championships. He has competed in 11 World Cup races, and is both a talented rider and coach. Tennant currently resides in Victoria, B.C.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with Amber and Drift on a coaching camp for the Cumberland Island Cup,” Tennant said. “My first race ever was an Island Cup and they’re still highlights of my race season. If you’re a first-time racer or an expert, this camp will be a fun way to get some insightful practice,” he added.
Zirnhelt is Drift’s race instructor and has coached and raced throughout North America and Scotland. A past BC Cup downhill champion, winner of the 2013 DCDH Island Cup, and coach for Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Zirnhelt brings a breadth of experience in coaching riders to develop racing techniques.
She has represented Canada at several World Cup races and her past achievements include being ranked third in Canada in elite downhill.
Michael Linehan’s son, Misha, 14, was the first to sign up for the course. “After my son’s first coaching session with Dean Tennant, I asked him if it was good. His eyes widened and he said, ‘It – was – awesome.’ Skill progress is very visible, and he’s looking forward to more races. The more he can do, the more he loves riding and the more fun he has. Professional instruction is just going to make it even better,” Linehan said.
You will be sure to learn something new and advance your skills from this DH Race Tune-up clinic. Saturday’s clinic is for novice and intermediate riders, while Sunday’s clinic will focus on experienced intermediate and advanced riders. Women are strongly encouraged to participate.
Each clinic runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is limited to 10 riders. Registration is already filling up, so sign-up online now to ensure your place at www.driftbiking.com.
Instruction will focus on the DCDH Island Cup Race Course and will include group instruction, individual detection and correction, lunch and shuttle rides. Riders must bring their own bikes and full-face helmets, and additional protective gear is encouraged.
The fee is $149 plus tax with $10/participant donated to the Cumberland Community Forest Society to support their pursuit of securing more forest for everyone’s enjoyment.
– Drift Mountain Biking
