It's one thing to win, yet another to blow away the competition. That's exactly what the Don Ross Secondary Mountain Bike Team did last Saturday (May 29), in winning the B.C. High School Provincial Mountain Bike Championships in Coquitlam.
The 39 racers, from grade 8 to grade 12, pedaled their way to the aggregate title with a whopping 1,480 points - almost doubling the 750-point total of the runner-up school. The Don Ross team competed against 45 other B.C. schools in the race at Bunson Lake, and won as a result of strong showing from many different riders.
"It's the culture of the community," said coach Peter Lang, commenting on why the team has been so successful. "We're surrounded by such a strong riding community here in Squamish. The support from Tantalus, Corsa and SORCA is amazing and it really helps the kids."
It was the third provincial championship title for the Don Ross team in four years. They also won this year's overall title in the North Shore Mountain Bike League. In the cross-country provincial championship race, riders had to complete an 8-kilometre lap in the fastest time possible. Grade 8 riders did two laps, grade 9/10 riders rode three laps, and grade 11/12 riders had to pedal and power their way through four laps. Medals for the top five racers in each grade category were awarded, as well as for the top team in each category.
The grade 8 boys and grade 8/9 girls teams finished first in the province, while the grade 9 boys placed second. On the grade 9 girls team, it was a clean sweep with riders taking the top four positions.
Aislinn Merkel took home the gold, while Jaclyn McClements, Danielle Dornik and Lauren Hughes finished second, third and fourth respectively.
"One of the reasons that we do so well in provincials is that we have a lot of girls riding," said Lang. "They've got no problem keeping up with they guys and being faster than some of the guys too."
Members of the girls' team said that it's the coaches who have kept them riding at an elite level."They're both really good," Lang said. "They're always so supportive and they always get us motivated."
In the boys' division, Philip Cairns placed second overall, with Chris Bandy taking third and Michael Mee taking fifth spot.
"It's really exciting that we got that ranking and I'm stoked that we also took the North Shore Championship - we put in a spectacular effort," said grade 8 rider Brent Bishop.
Mountain bike racing at Don Ross Secondary started in 1995 and the team continues to get stronger each year. The fact that Squamish boasts an incredible array of mountain bike trails is seen as the primary benefactor to the continued success of the team.
"Everyone in Squamish rides," said six-time Test of Metal rider and grade 8 student Michael Mee. "There's so much enthusiasm here and everyone supports you and we have so many good trails - the only problem is which one to choose.
The team starts their training with weekly group rides in September and October to introduce new members to the team and to get familiarized with one another. Then they step it up a notch in March to develop fitness, strength, and rider confidence.
"The kids also do a lot of independent riding which really keeps them fit," said Lang. "They'll go out together and just ride wherever; they're all really good friends."
Participation in mountain bike racing at Don Ross is hugely popular, with over 10 per cent of the entire school population enrolled. On the high school mountain bike circuit, the team from Don Ross has become known as the "Blue Wave" because of the steady stream of blue jerseys seen racing by spectators.
"We've tried to get as many kids involved as possible - and it seems to work really well," said Lang, who coaches the team along with Diana Kilby.
"We've got an excellent tradition of quality mountain bike teams that's building here. There are a lot of parents who ride and many younger kids who want to join the team when they get here."
Lang also went on to say that the friendly competitive spirit and good-hearted nature of each member is a huge factor in the success of the team.
"I think a lot of the kids just enjoy being with each other on the team as much as they do racing."
The student riders couldn't agree more.
"We're all friends even though we're really competitive," said several members of the girls' team. "We just like to ride."
