They were online in Saskatchewan and Quebec, in Switzerland and Hong Kong, and in Colorado and Oregon; but wherever they were located, they were ready to sell out the 800 spaces available for the 15th annual Test of Metal mountain bike race in less than 25 minutes.
"I'm amazed every year at how quickly this thing sells-out," said race director Cliff Miller. "And every year we seem to get entries from farther afield. This year we've got 64 riders coming from out of country."
Riders have registered from six different provinces, five states and five countries. Almost a quarter of the Canadian registrants are from outside the Lower Mainland.
"The race is great for Squamish. It brings a lot of people to town," Miller said.
He also acknowledge the efforts of the more than 300 Squamish volunteers who each year ensure that the Test of Metal continues to be the most successful mountain bike race in Canada.
"To be frank, without the volunteers and the people of Squamish lining the course, this would just be a bike race. It's the town that makes it the event that it's become. They're the ones who ensure this sells out so quickly," he said.
The Test of Metal, which takes place on June 19, is a gruelling 67-kilometre point-to-point mountain bike race across local trails.
The Test of Metal is the centrepiece of the Squamish Mountain Bike Festival which runs from June 18 to 21. The weekend activities include the downtown Pre-Test Festival and Valleycliffe's Rock Star Invitational Downhill.
