Big White is hosting an all women mountain biking event, July 12.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Big White
June 04, 2019 - 9:17 AM
KELOWNA - Mountain bike athletes from across North America will descend on Big White July 12 to compete in the inaugural Women’s Slopestyle Event – one of many mountain biking events scheduled during the resort’s Freeride Days.
Professional mountain biker Vaea Verbeeck, said having a women-specific event of this magnitude is key in growing interest and momentum for the sport among women.
“We are at a point where the awareness and interest of the sport is there, and it needs a platform to welcome all players to showcase what they are passionate about and what they are working towards,” she said, in a press release.
"There is still a long way to go in the sport's growth and this plays a big part in getting the engine going.”
Verbeeck has been racing downhill world cups since 2011, but in recent years, the 28-year-old shifted her focus to a different racing format with the Crankworx World Tour – a combination of different mountain bike disciplines. In 2018, Verbeeck placed third overall in the Crankworx World Tour.
“I feel very fortunate to be in the sport at a time where it is healthy and only getting stronger for all parties: male, female and youth,” she said.
That's a sentiment shared at Big White. Organizers are excited to play a role in garnering interest for the sport of mountain biking.
“With the introduction of the Women’s Slopestyle series, Big White will be an integral event that offers the first true Slopestyle course to our athletes,” said Stephanie Nychka, one of the event organizers, in a press release. “Not only will this showcase the calibre of riders in this style, but will provide an avenue for women to garner exposure and accolades for their abilities and help pave the pathway for the next generation of riders.”
The event will be held on Big White’s bronze-level slopestyle course, and is the biggest of the three stops on the inaugural Women’s Slopestyle Tour, with the other events taking place in Truckee, CA and Seattle, WA.
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News from © iNFOnews, 2019