BC Bike Race came through Vernon in Spetmeber, with stages at Silver Star and in Kalamalka Provincial Park.
I would like to give a huge shout out to the North Okanagan Cycling Society (NOCS) for supporting the Vernon Stage of the 2022 BC Bike Race (BCBR).
The BCBR came at a time when NOCS and the trails were busy: The Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association (mbta.ca) had just wrapped up the Mountain Bike Tourism Symposium at SilverStar Resort and Bush Babes and Bros held their huge "Freaky Creeky" event at Kal Park with just 48 hours between. All of these events required the support of volunteers to whom we owe a round of applause!
The BCBR had approximately 350 riders from 27 countries set out on this epic 4th stage - which proved to be one of the most daunting courses of the 6 days! I was at the finish line and talked to many riders who were simply STOKED with the quality and variety of our trails.
Events like these help promote NOCS and reaffirm our sponsors they are involved with a professional organization. Sometimes the trails get a little extra love in preparation for the event and generally come with an influx of cash from the organizing body. These are a couple of the benefits of hosting events. At the end of the day though, events do not happen without the support of the Community - the entire NOCS Community that has built and maintains the organization and the trail network all year long!
Thanks specifically to those that helped pull this off - from trail maintenance and flagging / de-flagging the course to those that brought their voices, enthusiasm and local knowledge on race day! It was a day that the BCBR riders will remember for the rest of their rides:
Cynthia Kapicki
Randy Savoie
Kieran Eglin
Pedar Ree
Cody Cosens
Jason Martin
Brian Clark
Mike Giesbrecht
Scott McKenzie
John Matthews
Lyle Hinds
Daryl Chymko
Julie Melanson, Darlene Wood, Vanessa and Craig
Lynne - I'm not sure you signed up with through the NOCS channel but you were there...again! You've been a volunteer at every event I've been to lately - it is noticed!
Thanks again,
Brett Woods