Westcoast Racing have been holding a cyclocross style event in Vanier Park for longer than they can remember; it must be for over 15 years. That is a pretty long time …
At first it was pretty rough since cross was new to most of us. They used old road bikes and of course old hardtails. But back then they were KREBS Cycle Club anyway and still under the bridge, on the other side of Vanier Park. They still had lots of fun and fought hard and dirty.
Now they run the event on one of best pieces of land Vancouver has to offer. Thanks to the City of Vancouver they can play in the open overlooking the fancy skyline across the water.
And cross has evolved, too. We have dedicated bikes and a real BC Cup series with event all over the Lower Mainland, some on Vancouver Island and in the interior.
And the course and the rules have changed, too. We have a mix of gravel, tarmac and grass, some stairs and some barriers and our bikes have tubular tires and lots of carbon. We drink protein shakes and eat space age gels before the start.
But we still have lots of fun, fight hard and dirty and even get the kids involved.
Welcome to the 2011 cyclocross season and welcome to the Vanier Park Cyclocross 2011.