2020 BC Cup downhill preview

Racing season is just around the corner and, should all go as scheduled, Coast Gravity Park is set to host the first round of 2020 BC Cup downhill racing on May 3.

Whistler-based photographer Kevin Gelinas keeps close tabs on the west coast downhill scene. From shooting photos as Crankworx to Whistler’s Phat Wednesday weeknight series, he sees not just who is going fast already, but who is looking ready to break out in the coming season.

Gelinas checks in with which west coast downhill riders to watch out for when the BC Cup provincial downhill series gets started this spring

Words and photos: Keven Gelinas

It’s less than two months before the first stop of the BC Cup, which will be at a brand new venue. This will be the inaugural race hosted by Coast Gravity Park on the Sunshine Coast. The riders are very excited about the new course and the opportunities it brings to the competition.

There were a few standout names from last season, including athletes from the 13-14-year-old category all the way up to the elite men’s and women’s divisions. These racers have been waiting all winter and are ready to show off what they have got installed for the coming season.

Ryan Griffith

Ryan Griffith is no stranger to the podium. Griffith has been racing both Phat Kids and Phat Wednesday races for the last few years as well as competing in the BC Cup.

Last year he was old enough to be able to enter the Canadian Open Downhill, where he finished in second place in the 13-14-year-old category. Griffith is looking set to reach the top of the podium this year.

Tegan Cruz

Tegan Cruz is probably the fastest kid in the Sea to Sky corridor. It helps when your brother (Lucas Cruz) is competing in the UCI, you might say. However, Tegan is putting in the effort and he can always be seen riding his bike. There is no question he will try to enter as many races as he can this season. He came prepared for the Garbanzo DH last year and won his age group by 28 seconds. This year the younger Cruz will advance to the next age category and take on new challenges.

Jacob Jewett

Jacob Jewett is dominating the downhill racing scene at the moment. He also showed speed in the Pump Track Challenge at Crankworx Whistler 2019, where he finished in fourth place in elite behind the biggest names in the biking world. This season, Jewett will be joining Seth Sherlock, Patrick Laffey and Drew Mozell in the UCI Junior ranks. You can also see him in the movie Return to Earth, riding in the Whistler Bike Park.

Adam Woodhouse

Adam Woodhouse has been on the circuit for a while now and keeps improving.  In 2019, he won the BC Cup Elite Overall. He is an example that consistency and hard work can pay off. He is also a leader in the C4 Norco Racing team and they are already training for this upcoming season.

Vanessa Bouffard

Vanessa Bouffard is dedicated and passionate about mountain biking. She has been seen competing in previous years at the Canada Cup, BC Cup, Canadian National Championship. She’s also a regular at Phat Wednesdays race, which take place in the Whistler Mountain bike park. Even if she went through a couple of injuries last year she is still focused on her goals. This year could be her year.

Ryan Mentakis

Ryan Mentakis is racing in both the Enduro and Downhill circuits. Mentakis had very good results last year finishing in third place at the Enduro World Series, in his category. He also finished first at the top of the podium in the Canadian Open 19-29-year-old category in 2018. He is planning to enter into the Northwest Circuit and also compete at more BC Cup and Canadian National Championship events in 2020.

The racing scene in B.C. is getting bigger and better every year. 2020 has already seen several of the province’s juniors move up to full Factory Team support for the season, including Lucs Cruz, Seth Sherlock and Patrick Laffey. There’s plenty of talent emerging from B.C.. The new season will be a whole new season of opportunities for these riders to shine.