VIDEO: INSIDE CRANKWORX 2016
Telus Optik Local partnered with Crankworx, for the 3rd year, to go behind the scenes of the thriving gravity-mountain bike scene and discover what’s kept Crankworx, a homegrown, B.C. festival, at the pinnacle of an international race scene. Bikezilla consolidated these 3 episodes from Telus Optik Local Youtube Channel for your easy viewing.
The releases were done in reverse order … yes … and here goes …
PART 1: HOW TO BECOME A PRO MOUNTAIN BIKER
Follow 14-year-old Sooke, B.C. resident Piper Allman as Telus Optik Local features her quest to become a pro mountain bike athlete in the first of three videos.
Piper was born just as the Crankworx festival took flight, is a rising talent whose story shows how the right inspiration can launch a career.
Professional racer Claire Buchar, who runs the development team, Kovarik Racing, with her partner and fellow racer Chris Kovarik, provides motivation and support for the young rider, based on her successful career as a UCI World Championship medalist and national team member.
“I learn a ton from them,” says Allman, who admits going pro has been on the agenda since she was eight years old.
Allman started by following her father and brother out on rides, getting a push to the top of the hill and following her bliss down. She connected with Buchar after her short edit, Dream Chaser, came across Buchar’s desk, and is now pushing for the finish line on that goal to ride professionally. This year, she hit the podium twice at Crankworx, competing in the Canadian Open DH presented by iXS and Fox Air DH, and all while learning the ticket to success is all about knowing how to have fun.
“Mountain biking is more than a sport, it’s more of like a lifestyle. It’s just you and your bike and you don’t really need much else to do it,” says Allman.
PART 2: THE ADOPTED CHILD
Australian mountain athlete Josh Carlson shares how he moved halfway around the world to train in the Sea-to-Sky corridor. A story about pursuing one’s passion as life progresses.
“Five years ago, if you told me I was going to be living in North America and have a little baby, I would have told you, you’re crazy. Yet here we are and life couldn’t be better,” says Carlson, from his Kitsilano home.
Carlson, and his then girlfriend, made the move to Canada so he could train near the biggest race in his sport, the SRAM Canadian Open Enduro presented by Specialized held at Crankworx, in Whistler, each August.
Placing third in the race this year, Carlson shares how his success is the result of a big gamble, and the daily choice to build a family, and a new life, in a country far from home.
“After a big practice day it is easy to switch off and become a husband and a father, but at the same time, I almost don’t want to switch off that much because it’s all got to come together on race day,” he says.
Placing himself among a growing contingent of international riders who leave the supports of family behind for the chance to pursue their dreams, the decision is paying dividends. Carlson races enduro, a discipline which combines the excitement of downhill racing and the endurance of cross-country, and living and training on some of the world’s top terrain has made him one of the top 15 riders in the discipline.
PART 3: STEPS TO THE PODIUM
To learn from the best is a common ambition, but for star Slopestyle mountain bike athlete Logan Peat, it’s a lifestyle. Peat shares his story of living and training with legendary Slopestyle athlete Brandon Semenuk. The video is the third and final episode in a trilogy of stories from Telus Optik Local and Crankworx.
“Crankworx has definitely been up on the pedestal for me the whole time and to believe that we get to ride in it, it is just crazy,” say Peat as this story aspiration and inspiration opens.
The video brings viewers to the tiny town of Sechelt, population 8,500, where Peat and his crew of elite riding friends spend their days building trails and practicing tricks as they strive to become the best in the Super Bowl of all Slopestyle competitions, Red Bull Joyride, held at Crankworx in Whistler each August.
“The Coast is definitely small. You’re not getting food anywhere after 9 o’clock. We’ve got one bar, no girls, but we’ve got bikes,” says Peat.
He is making the “Steps to the Podium” a top priority by finding home in a place where he can learn from Semenuk’s extreme dedication with the support of the perfect community to fuel his dreams.
“I grew up building jumps and having to turn around and tear them down, so for me, once I saw this, it was like this is freedom. You can walk through the woods and there’s jumps everywhere,” Peat says.
This year Peat placed fifth at Joyride and was among the only riders to execute a clean, complete run before the crowd of 30,000 people, proving his dedication clearly pays off.
All photos and videos by Crankworx and Telus Optik
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