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Crankworx B.C. brings back Psychosis for 2021

Full rider and event list released for 10 day roaming festival

Georgia Astle Psychosis Photo by: Chris Pilling

As Crankworx B.C. is getting closer, more details are being revealed. The latest, events and rider lists, include some big news. For one, the legendary Mt. 7 Psychosis DH course is back in the mix.

Read on to find out what else is in the works and who will be in B.C. for the 10-day roaming festival.

Casey Brown Psychosis
Casey Brown on course. Photo: Clint Trahan.

Psychosis Returns

In the last update, Crankworx revealed a new course constructed by Brett Rheeder and Matt MacDuff at SilverStar will play host to Crankworx B.C.’s big FMB slopestyle event. The event will stand in for Red Bull Joyride, the traditional highlight of the festival in Whistler years.

This week, the big news is that Mt.7 Psychosis is back again. Crankworx Summer Series revived the event in 2020, 12 long years after the iconic, and infamously steep course was last raced.

“This has been a goal of ours since we got to bring Psychosis back last year,” said Crankworx Managing Director Darren Kinnaird. Psychosis challengers over the years include Stevie Smith, Claire Buchar,  Sam Hill and Chris Kovarik. Last year, Andréane Lanthier Nadeau and Henry Fitzgerald added their names to the history books, both taking the win and setting new course records in the 11+ minute race. “To be able to share this experience with our international racers in 2021 is going to be something special. We had a rider briefing at the top of Mount 7 before the race in 2020, talking about the history and explaining the terrain, and you could have cut the anticipation and nervous energy with a knife. This race is a part of our sport’s history. To be able to carry it forward into the present is an honour. It’s a great addition to the roster and I can’t wait to see it all come together in B.C. in September.”

What makes this course so special? Aside from the history, and the opportunity for riders to put their names next to legends in the sport, the course itself is a beast. Racers descend 1,200 vertical metres, starting with the notorious drop into Dead Dog from the para-glide summit. While a vertical kilometre of racing is had enough, it’s not all downhill. There’s also one lung and leg-busting hike-a-bike section mid-way into the race.

CanCon heavy 2021 Crankworx B.C. rider list

There’s eight Canadians on the rider list for Crankworx B.C., including six women and two men. All are in the hunt for King and Queen of Crankworx titles. Two-time Canadian downhill national champion Kirk McDowall will join Crankworx regular Bas van Steenbergen on the men’s side. Casey Brown and returning Queen of Crankworx Vaea Verbeeck are joined by Georgia Astle, Micayla Gatto, Rachel Pageau and Bailey Goldstone in the women’s hunt for the crown.

They join a long list of international riders from Australia, New Zealand, France and even Argentina. For many, it will be the first time back in Canada since the Whistler festival was put on hold.

Harriet burbidge Smith
Harriet Burbidge-Smith. Photo: Clint Trahan

“I’m so excited!” said Harriet Burbidge-Smith. “It’s been two seasons missed due to injury and COVID, so I haven’t been back to Canada in a long time – I feel ready physically, but mostly I am just so stoked to ride a bunch of different spots with my friends!” The Australian lands in B.C. as the current leader in the Queen of Crankworx competition. “It’s a cool feeling, I am just living out my dream at the moment! What was supposed to be a 3 week trip has turned into a 7 month trip and I am just loving being on my bike and feel confident in my riding.”

Another 17 riders are headed to SilverStar for the slopestyle contest. That roster includes the top names in the sport, including Swedish phenom Emil Johansson and his U.S. rival Nicholai Rogatkin.

Kirk McDowall Crankworx
2x Canadian downhill national champion Kirk McDowall is headed to Crankworx. Photo: Clint Trahan

2021 Crankworx B.C. Detailed schedule

Athletes will be competing in the following disciplines. Events marked with an asterisk will be live on Red Bull TV.

Stop 1 (September 22-24) – Sun Peaks Resort:

Specialized Dual Slalom Sun Peaks*
Crankworx Downhill Sun Peaks*
Crankworx Air DH Sun Peaks

Stop 2 (September 26-27) – Golden and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort:

Mt7 Psychosis
CLIF Speed & Style Kicking Horse*

Stop 3 (September 30-October 2) – SilverStar Mountain Resort:

Specialized Dual Slalom SilverStar
Crankworx Air DH SilverStar
RockShox Pump Track Challenge SilverStar*
Title Slopestyle @ SilverStar Bike Park*

The full schedule of events is now available online.

Thomas Lemoine Crankworx
Thomas Lemoine. Photo: Kike Abelleira

Full Crankworx B.C. Athlete list

King and Queen Contenders (and those keen to disrupt)

Women

Georgia Astle (CAN)
Danielle Beecroft (AUS)
Casey Brown (CAN)
Harriet Burbidge-Smith (AUS)
Amy Ertel (CAN)
Micayla Gatto (CAN)
Bailey Goldstone (CAN)
Robin Goomes (NZL)
Jill Kintner (USA)
Angie Marino (USA)
Camila Nogueira (ARG)
Rachel Pageau (CAN)
Vaea Verbeeck (CAN)

Men

Niels Bensink (NED)
George Brannigan (NZL)
Joe Breeden (GBR)
Fabien Cousinie (FRA)
Jackson Frew (AUS)
Mick Hannah (AUS)
Peter Kaiser (AUT)
Bernard Kerr (GBR)
Adrien Loron (FRA)
Kirk McDowall (CAN)
Garret Mechem (USA)
Tomas Slavik (CZE)
Bas van Steenbergen (CAN)
Keegan Wright (NZL)

Slopestyle’s Elite (final list will be determined August 23 based on FMB World Tour rankings)

Alex Alanko (SWE)
Timothé Bringer (FRA)
Diego Caverzasi (ITA)
Paul Couderc (FRA)
Erik Fedko (GER)
Max Fredriksson (SWE)
Thomas Genon (BEL)
David Godziek (POL)
Lucas Huppert (SUI)
Tom Isted (GBR)
Emil Johansson (SWE)
Lukas Knopf (GER)
Tomas Lemoine (FRA)
Nicholi Rogatkin (USA)
Torquato Testa (ITA)
Jakub Vencl (CZE)
David Lieb (USA)