VIDEO: THE CRANKWORX COMMUNITY Part 1
TELUS OPTIK™ TV FEATURES
THE CRANKWORX COMMUNITY
TRIOLOGY OF SHORTS LAUNCHES WITH LOCAL AMATEUR’S STORY
Brad Bethune shares how
Crankworx and the Whistler Mountain Bike Park
got him hooked on racing
This December, Telus Optik TV showcases the Crankworx experience at its finest with participants from the Whistler area sharing how important the 10-day mountain bike festival is to their community experience.
The three-part program was made possible by a Community Programming Production Support grant from TELUS Optik Local Community Programming and highlights the many ways Crankworx draws new mountain bike enthusiasts into the fold, allowing riders of all levels and abilities to improve their skills, connect with the scene and, generally, push the boundaries of what is possible to do on a bike.
“As big as Crankworx is to mountain biking culture, at its core it remains a grassroots festival dedicated to inspiring new fans and providing riders with the opportunity to ride and race alongside their heroes,” says Darren Kinnaird, Crankworx General Manager.
All three episodes of the program will be available for free on demand on TELUS Optik TV.
The first episode, Brad’s Big Day, launches today with amateur rider Brad Bethune taking viewers through his experience of the 2014 Crankworx Canadian Open Enduro. Bethune found his life’s passion at in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and shares what it’s like to compete in the festival where he first caught the mountain biking bug.
“Things like Crankworx just hooked me and I never really looked back. Now I want to bike all winter and all summer. It’s an addiction that’s probably not going to end any time soon,” says Bethune.
Over the course of the ten-minute episode, Bethune challenges the five-stage race, affectionately referred to as Crankzilla, turning in six hours of climbing and descending over 40 kilometres of stunning Coastal mountain terrain, and all for the glory of crossing the finish line.
“It’s the rush of competition and the adrenalin that happens. As soon as I’m done with one race, I’m wondering when the next one is,” he says.
Enduro racing sees professional and amateur riders challenge the same course, competing on timed descents after riding to the top of each stage. Bethune’s story illustrates how those who pay their own way, investing hours of training and racing time after working a full day, revel in another level of challenge and reward.
We will be sharing the coming episodes when they launch. Community events attract and reveal new talents to the sports. This is one of the reasons why Bikezilla supports community events – wherever they are and for whatever cycling discipline. Let's hope that there are more events in Asia that allows amateur riders more chances to shine. Ride on!
Photos by Crankworx