The Squamish Test of Metal Mountain Bike Festival is an annual ritual for many of its 800 competitors, but this year it's also the third of four stops of the inaugural B.C. cross-country marathon series.
The fourth and final marathon race, the GearJammer, will double as the B.C. provincial championship cross-country mountain bike race. It is being held in Squamish, on part of the Test of Metal course.
"The Test has become a legendary race in its own right, and now Squamish, the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada, is also hosting the final marathon race and provincial championships on some of our world-renowned and extremely challenging cross-country single-track trails," said Cliff Miller, Test of Metal race director and president of the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association (SORCA).
The GearJammer, hosted by SORCA, will be held on July 24, five weeks after the June 19 Test of Metal.
Like the Test of Metal, it's a point-to-point race on a technically demanding course. The GearJammer, at about 40 km in length, is somewhat shorter than the 67 km Test of Metal, and like the Test, is a mass start event open to both licensed and citizen racers.
"Between the Test of Metal and the GearJammer, there will be some great racing taking place in Squamish this summer on some of the best trails in the world," Miller added.
To register or to find out more about the GearJammer, go to www.gearjammer.ca. While the Test of Metal's 800-racer limit was filled months ago, some of the Gear Jammer's 500 spots are still available.
