麻豆社区

The Yukon dirt bike race season got off to a rip-roaring start Sunday.

Thirty-eight racers took part in the Yukon Cross Country Motorcycle Association鈥檚 Mosquito Enduro-Cross Sunday at the Schirmer family ranch near Kookatsoon Lake.

鈥淭he racing is more exciting to watch because it鈥檚 a shorter course and spectators can see more of it,鈥� said club president Mike Beaman, who finished second to Neil Ryckman in the Intermediate A race.

鈥淭he action is a bit more intense, and with the obstacles 鈥� you can make or break the race just by getting stuck on an obstacle. So it makes for some really good back-and-forth racing.鈥�

Shawn McFarland bested the field in the expert course, while Derek Kindervater took victory in the popular Intermediate B race.

Other winners included Broden Cull (Junior Over-15), Sawyer Adams (Junior Under-15), Brent McNeil (mini) and Sam Adams (peewee).

The enduro-cross format saw riders race three 15-minute heats through a short course full of new and improved obstacles.

A-loop riders experienced a more difficult short course with plenty of technical trail with log, tire and rock features.

Meanwhile, riders on the B circuit saw some obstacles, but more single track and open trail.

鈥淭rack master鈥� Hans Gatt played a large role in remodeling the well-used racetrack,鈥圔eaman said.

鈥淚t made it a lot more fun. Hans and a bunch of volunteers helped build a much bigger rock corner with a fence,鈥� said Beaman. 鈥淗e also dug in some big loader tires, recycled from Fountain Tire. Hans had a lot to do with getting our track more well-established out there.鈥�

The shorter-heat enduro-cross format was tried for the first time at last year鈥檚 season-ending race.

鈥淭here鈥檚 more racing for the kids and everybody gets to race all day,鈥濃�圔eaman explained of the switch.

鈥淔or family racing, it鈥檚 really nice. Everybody can hang out all day and the camaraderie within the dirt bike community is really nice. It makes for a real fun day.鈥�

The obstacle-heavy course evens out differences in motorcycles, said Beaman.

Smaller bikes have an advantage on the obstacles while larger bikes find their speed on the straightaways.

鈥淚t kind of levels the playing field.鈥�

The trick to being successful is going slow and steady until you鈥檝e mastered the track, said Kindervater.

鈥淭he advice I was given years ago was: 鈥楾o go fast, you have to go slow first,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淵ou have to go slow so you can manoeuver around the corners. Once you get used to them, that鈥檚 when you increase your speed.

鈥淵ou get tired. It鈥檚 only 15 minutes, but by the time you鈥檙e finished, your forearms are all pumped up, your grip is really weak and you鈥檙e glad it鈥檚 over.

鈥淏ut it was really fun. We were able to get reasonable speeds and some good competition racing.鈥�

Kindervater praised the volunteers who spent hours spicing up the track.

However, the newly-configured track did cause at least one injury, with Tim Schirmer being forced to withdraw with a sprained wrist.

On Saturday, the club hosted an enduro clinic for all levels of riders.

The next dirt bike race will see riders compete in a hare scramble format Aug. 9, followed by a final event Sept. 20. Enduro clinics for novice riders will occur the Saturday before each race.

Hare scramble participants will race longer tracks through the countryside, completing as many laps as possible within the allotted time.

For more information on the association or this summer鈥檚 race circuit, visit www.yccma.ca/.