Canadian enduro national champs return to Panorama, this time officially

First sanctioned championship event drops into the alpine at B.C. resort

Terry McKall August 4, 2019

In 2018, Panorama Mountain Resort and Norco Canadian Enduro Series teamed up to host the first ever Canadian enduro national championship event.

In 2019, the event returned to the B.C. resort. This time, Cycling Canada was along or the ride.

2019 Canadian National Enduro Championships started with an alpine-to-valley descent that can only be descried as epic. Photo: James Cattanach / NCES

The result? The first officially sanctioned Canadian enduro national championships.

Remi Gauvin was back in Panorama and intent on keeping his #1 plate. Photo: James Cattanach / NCES

That Saturday’s Enduro nationals were part of Gravity Fest at Panorama, which also included Canadian downhill national championshps on the Sunday. The big event brought Canada’s gravity racing scene together for a mega-weekend of racing, which saw many of the countries best internationally ranked talents show up to fight for the maple leaf sleeve of national champion.

Remi Gauvin (Rocky Mountain / Race Face), the winner in 2018, was back and looking to defend his title. While his teammates were absent due to injury, a host of other Enduro World Series pros did attend the event.

Miranda Miller. Photo: James Cattanach / NCES

Elite Women’s national championships

Miranda Miller (Kona Gravity Racing) raced to silver on the women’s side. After dropping time to eventual winner Jennifer McHugh (GT Racing) of Fernie on Stage 1, Miller worked hard to regain time over the remaining five stages of racing.

2019 Canadian enduro national champion Jennifer McHugh. Photo: James Cattanach / NCES

In the end, it came down to just 2.6 seconds after 41 minutes of racing. McHugh was able to hold off the 2017 downhill world champion, claiming the elite women’s Canadian title. Miller was second, just behind McHugh, with Marilyne Proulx (Bromont, Que) rounding out the podium in third.

Rhys Verner. Photo: James Cattanach / NCES

Gauvin defends – Elite men

In the elite men’s race, Remi Gauvin (Rocky Mountain / Race Face) was on a mission. The Squamish, B.C. racer opened up a lead on the epic, 13 minute Stage 1 and kept building all day. Gauvin won every one of the six racing stages at Panorama to defend his Canadian enduro national championship for a second year.

Behind Gauvin, Rhys Verner (Kona Gravity Racing) matched his teammate, Miller’s podium placing, finishing second. McKay Vezina (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) rounded out the podium in third, just 19 second behind Verner.

Steep descends back in the trees at Panorama. Photo: James Cattanach / NCES

Under-21 and under-15 racing

In the fiercely contested under-21 racing, Evan Wall of Revelstoke took the win on the men’s side, and Julia Long the women’s national championships.

Julian Long was followed by Emmy Lan in second and Lucy Schick. In an impressive display of endurance, all three young riders contested Sunday’s downhill race after finishing the huge 3,000 m of descending in Saturday’s final.

Krista Cook of Calgary on her way to winning the Open Women’s race. Photo: James Cattanach / NCES

Evan Wall was joined on the podium by Milton McConville (Port Moody) and Jack Menzies (Canmore)

In the Under-15 men’s race, Elijah Baron (Cowichan Cycles) is the new national champion, follwed by Oliver Cebuliak (Canmore) and Nicolas Mikkelsen (Whistler).

The view from the top of Stage 1 at Panorama. Photo: James Cattanach / NCES

National championships were the final event in the Norco Canadian Enduro Series. NCES spans from B.C. to Ontario, including several Enduro World Series qualifier events, an EWS Continental event and Sea Otter Canada.

Series Organizer Ted Morton (Left) Photo: James Cattanach / NCES

Highlights from 2019 Norco Canadian enduro national championships at Panorama Mountain Resort

Bonus: 60 seconds of alpine descending at 2019 Norco Canadian enduro championships