The Salty Street Fest and Salty Dog Enduro Race are set to take over downtown Salmon Arm and the South Canoe trails May 11-13 for their annual spring celebration of all things mountain-biking.
The main event, the Salty Dog Enduro bike race, is one of the longest running mountain bike races in B.C.. Contestants ride solo or in a team of 2 to compete for six hours on some of the best trails in Salmon Arm. This event brings over 600 riders from Alberta and B.C., with nearly 90% of riders making the trip from out of town to compete in the race.
Tom Peasgood with Skookum Cycle and Ski is the founder of the event and is amazed at the turn out for this year, saying “this will be an exciting event, both for the riders and for the community. By combining the enduro race with inviting the community to participate and join us at the Salty Street Fest, it truly is an ideal event for everyone to get involved. It is now one of the largest Bikes Races in BC, and we are drawing the majority of the riders from Alberta. It is definitely something for the community of Salmon Arm to celebrate. We are priming the trails now to be sure they are in optimal shape and working with the Shuswap Trail Alliance.”
In addition to the six hour Salty Dog there are several races available for younger or less experienced riders who want to get in on the fun but may not feel confident entering a gruelling six-hour race. The Salty Pup and Jr. Salty Pup races are aimed at young riders and take place on a 1km course. The Jr. Three Hour Enduro race is open to teams of two riders aged 15 and under on a 5km course, a stepping-stone race for riders not quite ready for the six-hour version.
The Salty Street Fest, which takes over much of downtown Salmon Arm with a host of family-friendly events, is packed with activities throughout the day on May 12.
There will be live music and street performers, a youth bike parade sponsored by The Candy Vault, face-painting, balloon artists, art gallery displays, a pie-eating contest sponsored by the Shuswap Pie Company, a 4-H Amazing Race themed scavenger hunt, and Demille’s Petting Zoo will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m..
The races will be held at the South Canoe trail system, with a pre-race meeting kicking off at 9:30 a.m.. The Salty Dog race starts at 10 a.m. with the U15, Jr. Salty Pup and Salty Pup races beginning in 30 minute intervals afterwards.
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