Canadian Enduro Championships join Crankworx Whistler for 2023
New Canadian Enduro League puts nationals in prime July spot
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Andréane Lanthier Nadeau races Whistler EWS in 2022. Photo: Chris Pilling
2023 Canadian Enduro Championships are stepping up into a prime position, joining Crankworx Whistler’s big week of events this July. The Canadian Open Enduro, a past Enduro World Series event, will now award the national championship titles for 2023. The new calendar spot also comes with a huge increase in prize money. Elites will race for their share of a $20,000 prize purse, split between the men’s and women’s events.
Canadian Open Enduro will be jointly organized by Crankworx Whistler and the newly revived Canadian Enduro League. With enduro moving further under the UCI’s umbrella as a World Cup event (EDR) for 2023, Cycling Canada steps in to sanction the event.
Canadian Enduro Championships will be a one-day event on Sunday, July 30. Training takes place Saturday, July 29. Entries will be capped at 300 riders. Registration opens 10:00 a.m. PDT April 13, 2023.
Connecting Canada to the world stage
Crucially, for aspiring Enduro World Cup racers, the Canadian Open Enduro will be one of the few events in North America to score qualification points needed to race in future EDR seasons.
“Having Canadian Championships is huge for us,” said Jesse Melamed. “Our Canadian numbers are growing on the World Circuit and having such a prestigious race at home in Canada will help bring more kids into the sport and grow the racing passion. It’s great to see Crankworx step up and make this as big as it should be.”
Last year, Canada’s enduro nationals conflicted with an Enduro World Series event, meaning several top riders, like Melamed were unable to contest the event.
“I am stoked that I get to race in Whistler again this year and fight for the sleeve,” Melamed added. The Whistler local won the Whistler stop of the EWS on his way to winning the overall title. “It is an honour to wear it. The race in 2022 was one of the best yet so I can’t wait to see what Crankworx will provide for the championships race this year.”
2023 Canadian Enduro Championships open to Elite and amateur events
Canadian Open Enduro will switch from its usual opening weekend to occupy the final weekend of Crankworx Whistler. True to Crankworx and Candian Enduro League style, there will be elite and amateur events.
Elite racers (17+) will race for Canadian national titles. Amateur racing will be open to two categories: U21 and 21+.
“The goal going into this was to bring these three great organizations together to stage a world-class enduro in Canada for our local riders, and for the world who wants to get in on the action,” said Darren Kinnaird, Managing Director of Crankworx, on the joint efforts of Crankworx, the Canadian Enduro League, and Cycling Canada. “So far it has been incredibly exciting working with these great advocates for enduro in Canada. We’ve been hosting enduro races during Crankworx Whistler for most of our history, including the EWS from 2013-2022. The spirit has always been about hard-charging racing in our amazing backyard. Combining what we do with Ted and the community he’s grown through CEL is going to result in a pretty special race and a great way to send the 2023 Crankworx World Tour out with a bang.”
“The Canadian Enduro League is honored to bring our experience into such a unique and collaborative partnership,” said Ted Morton of the Canadian Enduro League. “Crankworx’s willingness to co-produce this event with us and partner with Cycling Canada highlights their ethos of wanting to ‘celebrate mountain bike culture,’ and that means providing racers with a high level of communication, on-course safety, clear direction and of course, amazing trails with lots of love! This is the culminating opportunity for aspiring and veteran Canadian Enduro racers, and to be showcased in Whistler, during Crankworx, unbelievable! As a racer myself, I’m elated to see the return of the Canadian Open Enduro, an opportunity to compete against friends from around the world, while racing on some of the best trails in Canada.”
With the Canadian Open Enduro registration limited to 300 spots across categories, this event is expected to sell out. Sign up for the event’s newsletter to stay informed. Registration will go live at 10 a.m. PDT on April 13, 2023.
