Island Cup opens Canadian race season at Hammerfest XC
Greasy corners and slippery roots greet racers at the first domestic mountain bike race of 2022
Photo by:
Patrick Burnham
The 2022 Canadian race season started on Sunday with the return of Island Cup racing to Hammerfest on Vancouver Island. 130 racers showed up for the 26th running of the Hammerfest XC, one of the longest continuously running events on the Canadian mountain bike calendar.
With this year’s race coinciding with the tail end of a Canadian national team training camp in Victoria, there was a strong group of riders at the sharp end of Sunday’s racing. They weren’t the only pros in attendance, though. Enduro elites Remi Gauvin, who grew up nearby, and Miranda Miller were out to try their hand at cross country racing. Ellevate XC also had most of its team on the Island for the race.
Overnight rain meant riders were greeted by a mix of perfect dirt, very slippery roots and the occasional extremely greasy corner in the Hammerfest singletrack. Organizers threw a new course at racers this year. Shorter laps connected rolling sections of singletrack and short doubletrack sections.
Sandra Walter and Logan Sadesky took the expert women’s and men’s wins. Solid fields in Intermediate, Beginner and, on a separate course, youth also took their turn on the Hammerfest trails.
Lief Rodgers (Giant Canada) and Ian Ackert (Stimulus Orbea) followed in second and third on the men’s side. With several of the young Cycling Canada camp riders showing up, Remi Gauvin (Rocky Mountain Race Face) was the only rider over 22 to crack the top-10.
Emily Williams (Ellevate XC) was second behind Walter in the women's race. Photo: Patrick Burnham
Remi Gauvin grew up racing Island Cup (DH) and, while visiting home, dropped in for the XC race. While not his normal race format, the EWS pro went head to head with the young guns and was the only rider old enough to rent a car to crack the top 10. Photo: Patrick Burnham
Miranda Miller - EWS pro and DH world champ - took a swing at XC racing, too. Photo: Patrick Burnham
Camore's Cycling Cafe making an appearance on Vancouver Island. Photo: Patrick Burnham
A fast group of Canadian junior and u23s, led by Ian Ackert chased Logan Sadesky into the first section of singletrack. Photo: Patrick Burnham
On the women’s side, Emily Williams (Ellevate XC) and Ontario’s Dana Gilligan followed Walter (Liv Racing Collective) across the line. With Hannah Simms (Ellevate XC) and Edmonton’s Sidney McGill rounding out the top-5, three provinces were represented at the front of this local XC race.
Island Cup racing continues with the second cross country race of the season in Victoria, B.C. this Sunday. With most of the Cycling Canada contingent headed south for the first World Cup XCO of the year in Brazil, the Vancouver Island locals could get their chance to fight for the win again this weekend.
