By Dominic Abassi

International race returning to Stevie Smith Bike Park; skills track expansion planned

Mar 28, 2019 | 8:31 PM

NANAIMO — The second full summer cycling season at Nanaimo’s Stevie Smith Bike Park is setting up to be as legendary as the man it’s named after.

It is confirmed the Red Bull Pump Track World Championship series will once again hold an event at the track in Beban Park. At the same time, volunteers and supporters are in the process of designing a skills track, with the goal of finishing the expansion of the bike park by the end of the summer.

Britta Peterson, a member of the local race organizing committee, said the international tour will return to Nanaimo on Aug. 24.

“We’ve heard conversations from our international crew about coming to show up at this event again this year just because they love the vibe of the Stevie Smith Bike Park. It’s one of the best bike parks in North America.”

Sixty-seven men and 14 women raced in the event last August, with Nanaimo’s Ben Leslie winning first place and a free trip to the world final in Switzerland. The top four finishers at individual stops earn a spot in the world final, but only the first place finisher gets airfare covered.

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Peterson said Nanaimo’s event had the most female participants on the entire 23-stop tour, something they’re hoping to build on this year. She said lining up the 2019 race to coincide with the Vancouver Island Exhibition should add to the buzz at the track.

So far, Nanaimo will once again be the only Canadian tour stop.

“We have the best bike community that I have ever seen…It is a family there and even though we have all these international names and headliners that show up at the park, the coolest thing is we have local guys and girls there competing at those world class events,” Peterson said.

Registration is now open and Peterson said 62 people have already signed up.

While planning for the Red Bull event is in full swing, volunteers are preparing to begin work on an expansion to the bike park’s footprint in Beban.

Kyle Riley said he and five others enrolled with Leadership Vancouver Island approached bike park organizers with the concept of a community project to complete a mountain biking skills track. The feature was originally envisioned when the park was built in 2017.

Riley said the goal is to create a beginner-to-intermediate level area for children and adults to develop mountain biking skills in a safe and controlled environment.

“People can be intimidated to head out into the vast trail network around Nanaimo. There is the potential of getting lost or injured if you’re inexperienced. So this will be a great way to introduce people and grow their comfort level,” Riley said.

The roughly half-a-kilometre feature will wind through an existing treed area between the off leash dog park and Labieux Rd. 

Riley said they hope to finish the volunteer-led expansion by the end of the summer.

Multiple community groups are involved in the initiative, including the Stevie Smith Legacy Foundation, Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre, and the Nanaimo Mountain Bike Club.

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi