MOUNTAIN LIFE - Blue Mountains | Spring 2018

42 ML BLUE SPRING 2018 The multi-run format has been a definite selling feature for Downing as well. “If it was just 'one and done' racing, the value would go way down for me,” he adds. “The jam format allows racers to convene a bit more during the race, and if you mess up on one corner the evening isn’t a total wash.” Jane Thomson rode a bunch of races in the original cross-country series, and got back into the downhill series a few years ago. “I was nervous about starting, but having an ‘entry level’ women’s category helped a lot,” she says. This summer will mark the third year that Ontario has gone without a provincially-sanctioned downhill bike series, but the spirit of competition and camaraderie is alive and well on Tuesday nights at the Blue Mountain Bike Park. For riders thinking about coming out to race for the first time, Thomson suggests grabbing a friend who’s already involved with racing, or even someone who's not. “It's more fun, and less intimidating, to do it together.” “There's obviously a bit of a competitive aspect for some of us but no one takes it too seriously,” adds Keith Grant. “And at the end of the night, we're all just a bunch of friends riding bikes.” The 2018 Tuesday Night Downhill Series is scheduled to run weekly from July 10 to August 7. Visit bluemountain.ca/bikepark f or details. ABOVE Carson Webb, Fresh Air, 2016. BELOW Keith Grant,The Ridge, 2017.