Miranda Miller is moving on up.
The Squamish downhill biker announced that she will bid adieu to the Team Squamish youth program after being an original member of the community based team back in 2005.
“I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to join Team Squamish at the time of it’s creation in 2005,” she told The Chief. “I’ve witnessed all the hard work of the volunteers and sponsors and benefitted from their generous financial support and I’m truly grateful. The program has played a large part in my dedication and development as an athlete.”
Miller parlayed her experience with Team Squamish into a spot on the Canadian national downhill team for six years and posting impressive results at races around the globe. She said that winning the Garbanzo downhill race in Whistler in 2009 was one of her top accomplishments, along with winning the U.S. Open downhill race in that same year. She noted that being part of Team Squamish has allowed her to develop as an all-around rider.
“When I first joined Team Squamish I honestly didn’t really like to ride cross country,” she said. “But through riding with the cross-country kids and having coaches like Paul Kindree and Mike Charuk, it really allowed me to get hooked on all disciplines of cycling, from cross country to track.”
She said she will continue racing in the international stage and training in Squamish and said she hopes to help the new generation of riders in any way she can.
“I hope to continue to work with the current and future riders and offer them any coaching or advice I might be able to pass on to them,” she said. “I’ve been extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to race my bike all around the world and I hope that many kids will have that same opportunity.”
Miller said she thinks Squamish will continue to breed top-level athletes because of the support of a sports-minded community.
“Squamish is the greatest place to live and train,” she said. “It’s a breeding ground for future athletes and we’re lucky to have a strong community to support us. We have an outstandingly talented group of young riders in town already so I can only imagine what the run-bike generation will be like.”
For more information on Team Squamish, visit www.teamsquamish.ca.
