It was hot, hot, hot last weekend in Kimberley but for the super-fit, a little heat can't get in the way of a good four-hour bike race. The Kootenay Rockies Enduro Race, sponsored by Norco Bikes and supported locally by Kootenay Mountain Works, visited Kimberley this past weekend.
Kimberley served as the second leg of the five-race series, which kicked off in Canmore in June. Races also take place in Golden and Rossland, and the series finishes up in Revelstoke Sept. 13 and 14.
The Kimberley race started in the Platzl, and riders headed up the Peak to Platzl Trail, up to the Nordic Trails for an hour to hour and a half loop around those trails before climbing the ski hill, then Musser's Trail and back down to the Platzl. The first rider crossed the finish line in just under three hours — Trevor Knight of Kootenay Mountain Works, putting his local trail knowledge to work.
Most of the rest of the riders were in under four hours, with some stopping for a dip in Mark Creek before heading to the finish line where cold beverages awaited.
Megan Rose, event manager for the BC Enduro Series, said the stop in Kimberley was a great success, much enjoyed by riders.
"It proved to be a long, hot day in the saddle but a day where everyone still returned with big smiles, albeit tired, but with sweet comments about how much they loved the course and the day they just had on their bikes on the Kimberley trails," Rose said.
For a complete list of race results and for more information on upcoming races, go to bcenduro.com/kr-home.html