Deniz Merdano & Pete Roggeman
Yesterday’s wet and wild conditions gave way to clearing skies and a slowly drying track for qualifying. Contrary to popular belief—at least among visitors to the Sea-to-Sky area—the day after the rain isn’t less slippery. Quite the opposite. Mud gets dragged onto roots and rocks, and with no rain to keep washing it off, those surfaces become extremely challenging to navigate. How much can you lean on them? How many risks do you take on a deteriorating track with unpredictable conditions, axle-deep ruts, and off-camber root balls causing nightmares around every corner?
8″ deep and 20″ wide ruts on berms that lead riders into massive features. The 1199 track was not kind today.
If it had kept raining, the track would have been somewhat easier to manage today.
The Canadian contingent has held the weight of a nation on their shoulders all week. Newly re-minted World Champ Jackson Goldstone and Finn Iles may have received the most attention, but Gracey is returning from injury as a favourite, too, and there are a plethora of other Canadians racing in front of friends and family, hoping to pull a hometown win à la Rob Boyd.
Various photographers our team spoke to said that yesterday’s practice saw more fans than they’ve ever seen before for a practice or qualifying session, and that today’s qualifying crowds were larger than those found at finals at many World Cup rounds. It is a partisan crowd, but they are cheering on riders from all teams and nationalities. Some riders not used to being recognized were being warmly cheered on from the sidelines, according to someone we spoke to from the Whistler administration.
Golden boy had a lot resting on his shoulders this weekend. It would all come undone on Qualis for him.
The rider of this machine performed in 2013 on home ground. Stevie Smith “The Chainsaw” has inspired many young athletes over the last decade. RIP (You too can see this bike at Can-Ski Rental Shop in the Creekside Village).
The vibes on the sidelines were great. Fans are patiently waiting for each other to carefully negotiate the muddy steeps—it’s not only the racers choosing lines carefully this weekend. There is lighthearted heckling; “do whatever makes you feel comfortable!” was heard after one rider had an off in the Rock Garden and was unsure about how to save his dignity as the next rider’s arrival loomed large.
If you’re coming up tomorrow and want to absorb the most trackside atmosphere, the Rock Garden is it. Get there early, though. We estimated 8-900 spectators there today, on a truly uncomfortable hillside to stand on, but one that has good views of one of the trickiest sections on the 1199.
This corner is a great viewpoint for the Rock Garden.
But be mindful of the dirt flinging into your face in wet conditions.
When the chips began to fall, Q1 ended up pretty straightforward for many of the elite women, although Tahnee Seagrave, Nina Hoffmann, Myriam Nicole had to rely on Q2 to advance, and Marine Cabirou also missed out on Q1 and was a DNF for Q2. Gracey Hemstreet put in a solid run, qualifying third with a time of 4:39:166, 3.3 seconds off the time of top qualifier Lisa Bouladou.
For the elite men, qualifying was anything but straightforward. Jackson crashed in the penultimate corner, forcing him to rely on a top-10 Q2 performance, and he just didn’t have it in the tank today. Finn bobbled his way through the Rock Garden in Q1 and crashed in Q2, but he was also fighting a bad flu over the last few days and was flat out of gas. They both handled the disappointment admirably. The hurt was clear, but they stood tall and took their lumps like the champs they are. Their misfortune, however, was offset by some heroics from some other Canadians. Dane Jewett crushed the rest of the Q2 challengers, winning the session in a time of 3:40: 353, and up by 2.9 seconds over Luke Waymann in second and Tuhoto-Ariki Pene in third. His brother, Jake Jewett, placed fifth, in a dead heat with Bode Burke in a time of 3:43.871. Rounding out the Canadian elites to qualify was Jonathan Helly in 9th with a time of 3:44.130.
Aaron Gwin qualified by virtue of a 4th-place performance in Q2.
Canadians that Qualified for Finals
Bring your cowbells and noisemakers and make sure these Canadian racers hear your support on Sunday.
Junior Women: Tayte Proulx-Royds, Piper Graaten
Junior Men: Jack McCredie, Ryder Wilson, Landon De Vall, Rhys Vath, Noah Milner
Elite Women: Gracey Hemstreet
Elite Men: Dane Jewett, Jakob Jewett, Jonathan Helly
The clouds cleared for Saturday’s Qualis. Which meant slow-drying peanut butter dirt on every rock
Seth Sherlock is a force to reckon with on a bike. The North Vancouver local was putting on a wet-weather show all weekend until his terrifying moment in the rock garden. He may have ridden out unscathed, but his chance to qualify was over.
You know we like alloy candy and the new Nukeproof DH bike looks right up our alley.
This mountain scooter has proven itself under both Reese Wilson and, more significantly, Hattie Harnden.
Martin Maes is always a threat in adverse conditions, and his custom Orbea Rallon means business.
The real MVPs of Whistler transportation.
On Friday, this was the view of the finish line. Aaron Gwin, shown here, lived to tell the story, but Jackson had a huge-y.
On Saturday, the hills fit for a cheese rolling competition were more hospitable to the viewers and the racers.
The corner that has caused a few bobbles for the massive drop after it. You mess this up, you have no speed for the 35-foot gap drop that’s after.
Tegan Cruz with the textbook line.
Home base: on the Sunshine Coast, away from the riff raff
Age: 50
Height: 6’1 / 185 cms // Weight: 195 lbs / 88 kg
Inseam: 32″ / 81 cm // Bar width: 780 – 800mm // Reach: 790ish
Flats or clipless: Default clipless, flats when it’s frightening or frigid
Trail(s) of choice: would rather talk about favourite builders