The third annual Peel Out mountain bike event attracted more than 400 riders to Williams Lake on the weekend — a turnout Cariboo Mountain Bike Consortium executive director Justin Calof is thrilled about.
“This is such a rad event,” Calof said. “It’s such a great kick off to the riding season, and people seem really stoked on the whole format of the event.”
The festivities began Saturday with the Fox Mountain DH featuring more than 180 racers in multiple competitive classes.
Alexandra Hamm took the under 18 girls class with a time of 7:05. Wilson Thompson claimed the boys 8-11 category with a time of 6:14. Ben Lesley won the under 18 men’s category with a time of 5:10.
The elite women’s category was won by Janelle Robichaud with a time of 5:44. The senior men’s category was taken by Ivor McMahen in a time of 5:51. Bryon Black claimed the elite men’s division with a fast time of 5:07, followed by Calof with a 5:29.
In the junior men’s category Connor Tennant crossed the finish line in 5:29 for first place.
Williams Lake’s Cory Brunelle completed the triple crown capturing all three races in the pro class. Brunelle took the DH with a 4:43 — 15 seconds faster than the 2011 winning time. Brunelle also won the pro men’s category in the Sunday Super Downhill on the Westsyde with a time of 10:06.
When asked about his performance in the 2012 Peel Out Brunelle said “the Peel Out was super fun.”
Following the Fox Mountain DH riders shifted venues to the Boitanio Bike Park Jump Jam Saturday afternoon, judged by Ian Hylands from Pinbike, local pro James Doerfling and Mark Savard.
The junior men’s category was won by Thompson, while the senior men’s went to Tennant, who landed a back flip after a 360-degree tail whip.
Calof said Saturday night’s concert featuring entertainment Drum and Bell Tower was attended by 100 people at the Central Cariboo Arts Centre.
Sunday’s Super Downhill took place under cloudy skies with another 100 riders participating.
Thompson made the sweep of his category taking the win with a time of 14:07.
Jannette Kwiatkowski of Whistler took the pro women’s class with a time of 13:20, while McMahen claimed a double victory in his category with a time of 11:58.
Black also made it a double up in the competitive senior men’s category, racing the course in 10:32, slightly edging local Ryan Oliver by five seconds.
Cole Feldinger took the junior men’s category with a time of 12:22, while Landon Pinette finished second in the pro men’s category with a 10:42. Calof, racing in the Cariboo class, finished in 11:51 — fifth in the elite men’s category.
Jesse Hohert, event organizer and manager of the Super DH course, finished third in the elite men’s with a time of 10:48.
Also on Sunday the first annual pro Westsyde DH took place on Dead Sailor — one of the steepest lines on the Westsyde.
After washing out on his lead, Calof said, Doerfling gave way to Brunelle who took the win and the clean sweep of the event.
For full results from Saturday’s Fox Mountain DH and Sunday’s Super Downhill visit www.ridethecariboo.ca/news.
Editor's note: The slideshow posted at the top of the page is public and everyone is encouraged to upload their Peel Out photos. To add a photo to the group pool click on the "Peel Out 2012 group pool" and upload your photos to Flickr. They will then need to be added to the "Peel Out 2012" group pool and will appear in this story in the slideshow.
Saturday Fox Mountain DH
Girls Under 18 Time
1. Alexandra Hamm 7:05
2. Abayah Hunt 9:10
3. Emma Feldinger 9:37
4. Grace Turner 15:10
Boys 8-11
1. Wilson Thompson 6:14
2. Cole Turner 7:03
3. Bjorn Hunt 7:09
4. Luis Rohner 7:10
5. Colton Seaward 7:23
Boys Under 18
1. Ben Lesley 5:10
2. Sandy Thompson 5:17
3. Harry Tudor 5:37
4. Paul Rohner 5:39
5. Dono Wilkinson 5:51
Elite Women's
1. Janelle Robichaud 5:44
2. Aja Philip 5:48
3. Nicole LeBlanc 6:15
4. Heidi VanLith 6:18
5. Crystal Verhaeghe 6:20
Senior Men's
1. Ivor McMahen 5:51
2. Shawn Salmon 5:58
3. Sean Donahue 6:21
4. Stewart Bell 7:04
5. Charles Newberry 7:17
Elite Men's
1. Bryon Black 5:07
2. Justin Calof 5:29
3. Jesse Hohert 5:33
4. Brett Woods 5:35
5. Colin Labelle 5:36
Junior Men's
1. Connor Tennant 5:29
2. Matthew Simard 5:46
3. Peter Navratil 5:49
4. Tyler Jensen 5:52
5. Cole Feldinger 5:53
Professional
1. Cory Brunelle 4:43
2. Jeremy Stowards 4:59
3. Brody Borg 5:07
4. Landon Pinette 5:07
5. James Doerfling 5:09
Cariboo Category
1. Trevor Porter 5:07
2. Devon Knopf 5:19
3. Clayton Chamberlain 5:22
4. Brandon Douglas 5:23
5. Dave Vanderveen 5:29