Name: Cyclists feel the burn at annual cyclocross event in Vernon
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Cyclists feel the burn at annual cyclocross event in Vernon

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Skip to contentHomeSports‘It’s like steeplechase but with bikes’Bowen AssmanPreviousNext/ExpandPreviousNextRacers took to Vernon’s DND Fields for a full day of heart-pumping cyclocross (CX) action on Sunday, Oct. 1.The race, dubbed, The Burn in Vernon, was a part of the B.C. Interior Cyclocross calendar, running for its 12th year.“It’s a beginner friendly sport and race discipline. Once the gun goes off, everyone is going at the same time,” said Steve Gaucher, an organizer of the event. “We tell all our racers to bring all their friends. You get some spills and people take some tumbles so it is entertaining to watch.”CX is a blend of road and mountain biking. Think of a road bike but with treaded tires, like a gravel bike. The races are spectator-friendly, consisting of numerous laps of a course that encourages racers to hop off their bikes and carry them up and down obstacles.“Throwing your bike on your shoulder and running up hills, makes it more exciting than your typical road race,” Gaucher explained. “We like to call it steeplechase but for bikes.”It is one of the few sports where bad weather is encouraged, as Gaucher mentioned the wet, muddy atmosphere elicits falls and tumbles.“This being a carry on from the summer road season, we anticipate that conditions will get a little bit sloppy, cold and rainy, although we haven’t had a lot of cooperation from the weather in that respect.”Despite an influx of bike purchases since the pandemic, it has been a struggle to maintain and increase participation in the sport, something that has baffled Gaucher.“We are having disproportionate difficulties in the Interior, as the coast, Alberta, and Ontario are not having the same participation problems, which we are hoping to change.”There are three more races on the CX calendar in the Interior. Sunday, Oct. 22, racers will be at Mariposa Park in Penticton, and the following week is a doubleheader of action, at Knox Mountain in Kelowna on Saturday and Sunday, Oct 28 and 29.“For people who are new to the sport or don’t have a compatible bike, you are still open to race, in the open and youth categories,” Gaucher said. “No one is taking it super duper serious and no one is going to be shamed for not having the newest and coolest bike so its a great sport to try for beginners.”More information can be found at bcinteriorcross.ca.Below is a list of the podium placers at The Burn, where 38 racers took part:Open CategoryAndres Jaramillo (first), JP Viljoen (second), Mike Pearson (third).U13 MenMattie Lane (first), Killian Russell (second).U13 WomenGrace Szabadi (first), Holly Szabadi (second).U15 WomenEmily Lane (first).U17 WomenBrooke Bates (first).Masters WomenLina Augaitis (first), Helena Coney (second), Marta Green (third).Single Speed MenChris Angermann (first), Joe Wessel (second), Brad Denison (third).Intermediate MenMichael Rullkotter (first), Eric Deare (second), Chris Angermann (third).Masters MenAaron Weiss (first), Jamie Sprules (second), Alex Lane (third).Elite WomenHelena Coney (first), Kira McClellan (second).Elite MenAidan Oliphant (first), Tyson Green (second).READ MORE: North Okanagan Knights blown out by Kelowna ChiefsREAD MORE: Okanagan athletes get national call for Pan Am GamesBe Among The First To KnowSign up for a free account today, and receive top headlines in your inbox Monday to Saturday.I joined The Morning Star team in January 2023 as a reporter. Before that, I spent 10 months covering sports in Kelowna.Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our&nbsp;Community Guidelines.More from Today In BC &gt;

Skip to contentHomeSports‘It’s like steeplechase but with bikes’Bowen AssmanPreviousNext/ExpandPreviousNextRacers took to Vernon’s DND Fields for a full day of heart-pumping cyclocross (CX) action on Sunday, Oct. 1.The race, dubbed, The Burn in Vernon, was a part of the B.C. Interior Cyclocross calendar, running for its 12th year.“It’s a beginner friendly sport and race discipline. Once the gun goes off, everyone is going at the same time,” said Steve Gaucher, an organizer of the event. “We tell all our racers to bring all their friends. You get some spills and people take some tumbles so...

Cyclists feel the burn at annual cyclocross event in Vernon

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