Max McCulloch was on a roll at the B. C. High School Mountain Biking Championships in Powell River.
The Grade 11 student at Oak Bay High picked up a gold and bronze medal competing against athletes from across the province at the May 23 event.
McCulloch attributed his success to his love of the sport and support he has received from his family.
“I have been getting lots of racing experience in the Victoria School Bike League and Island Cup Race Series over the last few years, but I have also been getting great coaching from National Team coach Dan Proulx and Cycling NextGen coach Jeff Ain,” he said. “I have had the opportunity to ride with members of the National Team and other great riders which has had a big impact on me.”
The championships included two types of mountain bike racing – cross country and enduro. Cross country is a longer race on mostly single track trails where the athlete’s technical skills and fitness are challenged. Enduro racing is based on stages where cyclists pedal to the top of a trail, but are only timed on their descents.
In the B.C. championships, the enduro included three stages where the combined time over all three stages determines the winner. McCulloch won all three stages to secure the gold medal and was crowned the B.C. high school champion. Earlier in the day he also raced for 54 minutes in the cross-country event to win the bronze medal.
McCulloch has been riding competitively for the past four years and currently trains six days a week, much of it with the School Bike League, which is open to all students in grades 6 to 12.
He is now gearing up for the Cycling BC 2015 B.C. Mountain Bike Cross Country Championships in Whistler on June 27.
McCulloch hopes to ride his skills in mountain biking to one day earn a spot at the World Cup or Olympic Games.
“Since I was a little kid I’ve always dreamed of being on the Canadian National Team so that would definitely be another goal as well,” said McCulloch, adding he is grateful for the support he has received from Oak Bay Bikes and Rumble Supershake.
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