Downhill riders tackle Tabor mudbog
For Kevin Bartkowski, spiked rubber made all the difference Sunday on the muddy trail at Tabor Mountain.
It gave him the grip he needed to win the overall title in the inaugural Prince George Cycling Club Chainsaw Downhill.
“It was a pretty fun race, really muddy, and I had some mud tires on, which was a major advantage compared to half the people in the race,” said Bartkowski. “Spiked tires have less tread but the spikes get rid of the mud right away and you can carve in it.
“Where everybody has to have a foot out, you can just rail the corner. I practiced (Saturday) with normal tires and my friend had spiked tires on and I could barely keep up to him, so I went home and put my spikes on.”
Bartkowski covered the Loosey Goosey trail at Tabor in two minutes 5.86 seconds. Conor Sproull (2:08.76) and Brendon Lehmann (2:09.86) were second and third overall. Anne Butters of Williams Lake (2:52.23) was the top female rider.
“I’m stoked I won – I haven’t won a race in so long, I just kept getting seconds and thirds, this is exciting,” said the 31-year-old Bartkowski, a former sponsored bike racer who lived in Whistler for 10 years.
Bartkowski moved back home to Prince George in 2011 and like the rest of the mountain bike community he’s excited about Tabor reopening its bike park, 10 years after it shut down. The facility 20 minutes east of the city is giving downhill riders lift access to its expanding trail network and Bartkowski predicts the local hill will help develop more nationaland international-calibre riders.
“This is a game-changer,” said Bartkowski. “Instead of going to Cranbrook Hill or Pidherny and getting two or three runs, your skills go through the roof because you can get more runs here and you get your bike more dialed-in.
“There are so many good riders who have come from P.G. like Kenney Smith, Kyle Norbraten, Tyler Morland, Gareth Dyer, Jeremy, Adam and Rob Cook, but there’s been a lull for awhile. It’s good riding here and everything is going to go up. As kids get older they’re going to get better and better.”
Sproull, 23, rides with Bartkowski and he knew he was in tough trying to beat the World Cup veteran’s time, but he came close.
“Kevin is kind of the old-school guy in Prince George and I kind of look up to him and try to learn from him – he’s a big guy in the biking community and I’m happy to be his friend,” said Sproull.
Rain and snow showers on Saturday left the race course boggy and slippery, especially on the wooden bridge section near the top of the hill, and several riders in the race crashed.
“It was pretty loose and wet and muddy, on the edge of disaster,” said Sproull. “There were definitely a couple ‘oh-my-God’ moments. I went a bit too quick on the last jump and landed a little crooked but I kept it on two wheels and came in first.
This is a game-changer. Instead of going to Cranbrook Hill or Pidherny and getting two or three runs, your skills go through the roof because you can get more runs here and you get your bike more dialed-in. — Kevin Bartkowski
“The wood section is about 25 feet long and it was pretty greasy, like snot on glass. Almost all my friends crashed on it, including myself (Saturday) in practice, so I knew to take it easy on it.”
Richard Smith, a 28-year-old from Dublin, Ireland, managed to keep his bike upright and placed third in the 19-29 category, stopping the clock in 2:12.45. Smith’s racing background includes European junior and world junior championship downhill events and he also has World Cup experience. He says he can’t wait to race again at Tabor.
“It was really good fun, slipping and sliding a bit – the track was really good and it was well-organized,” said Smith. “It’s not steep but you can really get going on it. It’s fast and really flowy. It’s nice to ride that loose stuff, it make’s it better. There’s always a bit of grip somewhere, you just have to find it.” The race attracted 50 riders. Nicole LeBlanc captured the 30-plus women’s title in 2:53.82, while Spencer Coletti topped the under-19 men’s class in 2:18.36. The 17-year-old from Prince George competed this summer on the B.C. Cup downhill circuit and finished 10th overall in his category.
“It was pretty wet and there was a lot of dirt to deal with, but the run was pretty good, a lot of fun,” said Coletti. “I’ve ridden the trail a few times but the wood bridge was really slippery and scary.
“It’s super-loamy with deep ruts and it’s hard to keep both tires on the ground. It’s not too steep and not too technical but a lot of fun for everyone of all ages. It’s real exciting to see how this hill has done and how far they’re coming.”
Sunday’s downhill race foreshadows an even bigger event planned for next year, when Tabor will host a B.C. Cup enduro race as part of a new northern B.C. circuit. Richard Smith gets set for a corner while ripping down the muddy trail Sunday at the Prince George Cycling Club’s Chainsaw Downhill race at Tabor Mountain. Smith finished third in the men’s 19-29-year-old category. The inaugural event attracted 50 riders.