麻豆社区

There aren't too many events in the world like the Whitehorse 24 Hours of Light Mountain Bike Festival, hosted by the Contagious Mountain Bike Club.

A community springs up for one day, deep in the woods, where riders from across the country and the United States are brought together by a love for mountain biking and the midnight sun.

Beginning at noon this past Saturday and wrapping up at noon on Sunday, cyclists attacked a 15-km loop trail for 24 hours straight.

The course, which featured a mix of single-track and ski trails, started and finished at the Copperbelt Railway and Mining Museum.

The grounds of the museum were scattered with multicolored tents, campers, bike racks and jovial riders.

The cyclists were provided a stunning view of the city and the local landscape along the route, which took about 45 minutes to an hour to complete.

The event has grown significantly over the years, attracting riders from across North America.

This year participants ranged from within the territory, B.C, Alberta, Alaska and as far east as Newfoundland.

At $90 to participate, the race is affordable and much cheaper than comparable events.

The top riders this year all hailed from the Outside, a testament to the growth of the race.

Leading the way was Alaska's Anthony Berberich, who completed an insane 23 laps.

Alaskans Jill Valerius and Darcy Davis set the pace on the women's solo category with 18 laps apiece.

The event also hosts a team division, where riders can compete as a duo and all the way up to an eight-person team.

The varied divisions allow for the competitive cyclists to push themselves, while team divisions open the field for more recreational riders.

Alaskans were once again at the top of the podium in the two-person team event where Petra Davis and Janice Tower won the event with 21 laps.

B.C.'s Ferris Fast Cycles, competing in the four-person team event, put Alaska's reign to an end.

The B.C. squad completed 31 laps to get the win.

The final division, the eight-person team, was led by Alaska's Afternoon Sockeye Delight who completed 30 laps.

While Whitehorse riders failed to top the podium in any of the events, they remained competitive.

Michele Wood was one of the Whitehorse participants and arrived at the course on Saturday night after working a 12-hour shift.

"I really enjoyed it,鈥� she said.

"It was very inspiring to see the level of athleticism.鈥�

She referred to the trail as "a piece of artwork.鈥�

"It was beautifully crafted and really gorgeous. I had to stop a few times to take pictures.鈥�

A total of 45 teams took part in the event.