Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by John Tonin

GETTING IN A LAP – A mountain biker cycles down a hill during Klondike Krankfest’s eight-hour festival on Saturday on the trails behind Mount McIntyre. Riders try to accomplish as many laps as they can in the time frame.

Cyclists ride in inaugural Klondike Krankfest

On Saturday and Sunday at the dirt park behind Mount McIntyre,

By John Tonin on July 19, 2019

On Saturday and Sunday at the dirt park behind Mount McIntyre, Contagious Mountain Bike Club (CMBC) held the inaugural Klondike Krankfest. For 18 years prior to the weekend, CMBC held the 24 Hours of Light festival but as a club, they decided it was time for a change.

Sammy Salter, the president of CMBC, said that all things considered and based on the changes everything went well for the first Klondike Krankfest.

Klondike Krankfest was originally slated to be more of a festival centred around mountain biking, Salter told the Star in June. However, due to circumstances out of their control and rising costs, the original idea had to be tabled, at least for this year.

“So rather than outright cancel the event, what we decided to do was reframe the event into something smaller-scale back into the grassroots style,” said Salter before the event. “(It will) still incorporate some of the fun festival feel.”

Klondike Krankfest incorporated some elements of 24 Hours of Light. On Saturday, mountain bikers participated in an eight-hour festival where they tested themselves to see how many laps of an eight-kilometre course they could do in the time frame.

For 24 Hours of Light, cyclists would ride as many laps around a course in 24 hours over the summer solstice weekend.

Salter was happy with the turnout for the eight-hour ride.

“We had about 40 people sign up,” said Salter. “I was surprised at the number of people who registered on the day, it was over 10 adults and kids. It seemed people were having a good time and some raced.

“Kids had a great time and the feedback was good. It was a casual fun time.”

When the mountain bikers made it back to the start they would put a sticker on a board next to their number to indicate they had done a lap. Salter said those who were not competing had a fun time watching those actually racing.

The course which, followed the trails behind Mount McIntyre, were according to Salter, fun and just short enough that it made climbing bearable.

“It was fast and flowing,” said Salter. “It was everything you would expect from a Whitehorse lap.

“(When designing a course) you have to think about a reasonable length that starts and finishes at the same place. Then you have to make the loop and a shorter loop for the kids, then trying to make it fun.”

Some of the mountain bikers, Salter said, went off and did some of the unmarked courses.

“The dirt park was a great headquarters,” said Salter. “Some people went off course. It is kind of funny because the location is so accessible (to other trails) people could do their own course.

“The people who did not want to race went off for a ride then came back, hung out and had some chips.” Another element from the original Klondike Krankfest idea was the skills clinics which were held on Saturday and Sunday.

“There has been a really high demand for skills clinics this year so we thought we will still run them, and it still makes it a weekend event,” said Salter in June.

The clinics were run by Dylan Sherrard and Massey Baker. Sherrard, now living in B.C., spent some of his youth in the Yukon.

The Saturday youth clinic only had two kids sign up but Salter said they were still able to get the training.

The adult clinic on Sunday was sold out. Salter said there has been a want from the CMBC members for more advanced clinics.

Salter said the clinic took the fundamentals further.

“The fundamentals don’t ever change,” said Salter. “It was advanced because it showed how to take it further. It was how to turn faster, how to rotate your body, breaking, and taking lines.

“It also showed how to do all those things faster while on more challenging terrain with steeper slopes.”

Salter said the clinic tailored to where the mountain bikers were at skill-wise and that the Mount McIntyre trails are so versatile that there is a trail for every level of rider.

With the first Klondike Krankfest now over Salter said there is a good foundation for the event to grow.

“What we found out is that we need to keep the family-style, lap-style type of event,” said Salter. “ (As well) we need to come back to a one-day event.”

The type of event Contagious Mountain Bike Club holds next year, Salter said, depends on the volunteers.

“I know I always come back to this but we are volunteer-driven,” said Salter.

“They’re amazing. What we do next year comes back to the volunteers and their drive.”

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