Cycling BC releases Premier Series and provincial championships dates

BC Premier Series calendar dates have been released by Cycling BC for the 2018 season, including separate series’ for XC, marathon and downhill. Featuring some of B.C.’s most competitive races from across the province, each discipline will award a Premier Series champion based on points earned at each event. Cycling BC will also award B.C. provincial champion titles in each discipline in addition to Premier Series titles.

Downhill racing kicks off June 23 – 24 in Whistler before heading to the B.C. interior for stops at Sun Peaks in Kamloops, Silver Star in Vernon and Fernie. Continuing to push east, BC Premier series joins in with Cycling Canada’s DH National Championships event in Invermere B.C. at Panorama. Downhill racing closes out with round six at Big White in Kelowna and the return of the second annual Steve Smith Memorial DH race at Mt. Washington on Vancouver Island.

The XCO calendar is still looking a little sparse, but the series will kick off on Vancouver Island with the Bear Mountain Canada Cup in Victoria, B.C on March 31. After that early season test of legs and lungs, the next scheduled race is on the Sunshine Coast, where the Coaster 50’s short course will be part of the XCO Premier Series. The provincial series rejoins Canada Cup racing for the final event of both series, the Whistler Canada Cup. Cycling BC has offered assurances there will be more events, but said it wanted to get the rest of the calendar out in a timely fashion while it sorts out final XCO details.

XC Marathon’s Premier Series is looking much more solid, with a string of strong events making up the series. The long standing Coaster 50, formerly known as the Sunshine Coaster, starts the series off May 5 in Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast. From there, racing moves to the revived and rejuvenated Vedder Mountain Classic in Chilliwack on May 12, part of the Vedder Mountain Bike Festival. Sea to Sky hosts the next two rounds, with the technically challenging Nimby 50 in Pemberton on May 26 and the second edition of Spakwus 50 in Squamish on June 17. Spakwus sold out in its first year, and the event picks up where the legendary Test of Metal left off at the conclusion of its 21 year run. BC Premier Series racing concludes for XCM in Kamloops at the Stop Classic on July 7.

Cycling BC runs a Premier Series in all cycling disciplines, including road, track BMX and cyclocross. Dates for all disciplines but cyclocross are included in the Cycling BC announcement. A number of BC Premier Series events crossover with Cycling Canada events. A full list of Cycling Canada mountain bike events can be found here.

Downhill Premier Series

DH #1 June 23-24 – Whistler Blackcomb – Whistler
DH #2 July 8 – Sun Peaks – Kamloops
DH #3 – July 15 – Silver Star Canada Cup – Vernon
DH #4 – July 22 – Fernie Canada Cup – Fernie
DH #5 – July 29 – Panorama National Championship – Invermere
DH #6 – Sept 2 – Big White – Kelowna
DH #7 – Sept 16 – Steve Smith Memorial – Mt. Washington

XCO Premier Series

XCO #1 – March 31 – Bear Mountain Canada Cup – Victoria
XCO #2 – TBC
XCO #3 – TBC
XCO #4 – Coaster 50 short course – Sechelt
XCO #5 – Whistler Canada Cup – Whistler

XC Marathon Premier Series

XCM #1 – May 5 – Coaster 50 – Sechelt
XCM #2 – May 12 – Vedder Mountain Classic – Chilliwack
XCM #3 – May 26 – Nimby 50 – Pemberton
XCM #4 – June 17 – Spakwus 50 – Squamish
XCM #5 – July 7 – Stomp Classic – Kamloops