Island Cup gets a early start to spring racing in Canada

Vancouver Island riders enjoyed an early start to the cross country racing season in Victoria on Sunday, when the opening round of the Island Cup series basked in the warmth of some unexpected sunshine.

114 riders were treated to perfect trail conditions, a fast race loop and short sleeve weather for the first event of the season. The hero dirt was a welcome surprise, given that most of Victoria’s trails were still covered in snow a week ago. While some of Hartland’s higher elevation trails still had a solid layer of lingering snow, down low race conditions were fast.

Felix Burke and Emily Unterberger led out the elite race categories, taking their first wins of the season. Canmore’s Logan Sadesky followed in second, with Carter Nieuwesteeg close behind in third. Sechelt, B.C.’s Katie Button was second in elite women, with Unterberger’s Pendrel Racing teammate close behind in third.

Further back in the field as riders enjoyed the early season warm weather, with a occasional grimaces from those who had found the limit of their winter fitness. With most of Vancouver Islands trails under snow for the last two months, many riders were just getting back on the bike. However the legs were feeling, juniors as young as 11 years old, enduro racers, and XC fitness fiends all looked happy to be back out in the woods!

Island Cup cross country racing continues next weekend at the Hammerfest trails outside Parksville, B.C.

Logan Sadesky was seond in expert at round one of the Island Cup series in Victoria, B.C.

Carter Nieuwesteeg led Sadesky early on, but the 19-year-old Canmore rider ended the race in front

Katie Button on her way to second

Elyse Nieuwold chasing fast for third

Eric Ashton is another fast junior from the Comox Valley

Comox's Trail Bikes has a whole team of fast juniors in the men's and women's races

Downhill and Enduro racer Dean Tennant getting some early season fitness by racing cross country

There was snow a week ago, not riders were climbing through the deep green of early spring

A solid battle in the berms

Not a junior, but Adam Christensen is another fast Trail Bikes rider

There were so many young riders enjoying the race out on course

Mark Karu finding the inside line

First race weekend of 2019 is done. Next up, Hammerfest!