North America’s most epic mountain bike race kicked off in Rossland on Saturday for the first three legs of the Singletrack 6 - TransRockies race.
Singletrack 6 is an annual six day mountain-bike adventure showcasing the best mountain-bike communities in Western Canada. This year’s six-stage race focuses on the West Kootenay region including a stop in Rossland and the world-famous Seven Summits trail, where the first three stages ride before heading to Nelson for Stage 4, Kaslo for Stage 5, and back to Nelson for Stage 6.
Organizers also created a Singletrack 3 category for those only participating in the first three legs of the event in Rossland.
Singletrack 6 selects a new route every year, and is always on the lookout for the perfect blend of cross-country, panoramic vistas and epic descents. Over 300 riders from across North America and 18 countries attacked Stage 1, which, took riders on a run through Santa Cruz Trail - a distance of 40.3 km, a 1,600-m climb, and a timed descent of over 2 km.
Stage 2 on Sunday, started and finished at Red Mountain Resort with a 200-m climb to start the race. The riders wound through ski-area access roads, and then onto the Paydirt descent back to the base area. From there, bikers took to the trails on the northern slopes of Rossland, starting with a climb up Techno Grind and then descending further onto Full Monte, Coffee Run and Milky Way. From there the riders climb back into Rossland, past the cemetery and up North Star, then the upper slopes of Mount Monte Christo, circumnavigating the peak before heading back over to the resort. To complete the 32 km route, riders then pedalled to the summit of Red Mountain, for a final and well-deserved descent to the base.
For Monday’s Stage 3, riders tackled the famous Seven Summits Trail. Using a time-trial format, the route starts with the biggest climb of the day right off the hop, transitioning directly into alpine on a remote singletrack to the upper slopes of Mount Lepsoe. A series of shorter, but still strenuous climbs lead to fun and fast descents, culminating with a long descent to the south trailhead. Racers finish up with a descent down Dewdney Trail and all the way down to the highway, dropping over 2,300 metres after a 1,500-m climb over the 35.2-km route.
Stage 2 Results:
Rossland’s Kirsteen Exner finished in second place on Stage 2 of the Singletrack 3 race on Sunday, after coming in sixth in the first leg. Nelson’s Travis Hauck came fourth overall and first in the Team Category with Chris Benson.
Team Category
Open Men Chris Benson and Travis Hauck
Open Women Mindy Mulliken and Karen Tremaine
Open Mixed Nathalie and Michael Schneitter
80+ Men Christoph Zimmermann and Tobias Zaehringer
Solo Riders
Open Men Evan Guthrie
Open Women Nicole Muzechka
40+ Men Michael Robinson
40+ Women Laurence Champavier
50+ Men Pat Doyle
SINGLETRACK 3
Open Men Frédéric Gombert
Open Women Chloe Cross
STAGE 2 TIMED DESCENT
Men Evan Guthrie
Women Nathalie Schneitter
Go to https://zone4.ca/event/2017Singletrack6/ for more results.