March 19/07 9:44 am - 2007 GearJammer Registration Opens

Posted by Editor on 03/19/07
 

2007 GearJammer Registration Opens

The epic Squamish singletrack ride is back for 2007, and is now open for racer registration at www.gearjammer.ca. The race runs on Sunday, July 15th, 2007, with a start time of 11:00 am.

The GearJammer, presented by G. Stewart Kerr Ltd, Chartered Accountants, is a 47 km cross country point-to-point mountain bike race that starts at Alice Lake Provincial Park, North of Squamish BC, and ends near downtown Squamish. 2007 is the fifth year for the event, which has an entry limit of 500 racers.

The race course covers some of the best cross country singletrack trails in Squamish - a place becoming internationally known for high quality mountain biking. In past years, the race has attracted entrants from as far away as New Zealand, with others coming from Japan and England to participate. Most of the racers are from Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Participants from outside Canada are welcome to take part without needing to be licensed by any racing body. Single day event insurance is included in the entry fee, and grass roots "citizen" riders are welcomed and encouraged to participate.

Riders come for the outstanding experience of riding an event where 70% of their time is spent on singletrack trails, rather than roads and double track. The course is physically challenging, scenic, and exhilarating due to its downhill runs through forested hillsides and glades. Winning times in the past have been around the 2 1⁄2 hour mark, with the average rider taking between 4 and 5 hours to finish the course.

This year, the GearJammer is sanctioned by the Grass Roots Mountain Bike Association of BC, a society formed to encourage and enable fun, grass roots oriented mountain biking clubs and events. Information about the Association can be found at www.grmba.ca.

As well, this will be the second year that The GearJammer is part of the "Hell of a Series" of cross country mountain bike races. The marathon series is made up of the Brodie Rat Race in Roberts Creek (May 5th), the Test of Metal in Squamish (June 16th), and the GearJammer in Squamish (July 15th). Information on the series can be found at www.hellofaseries.ca.

For information regarding the GearJammer, please contact Curtis Roberts, Race Director, at (604) 892-9296, or e-mail curtisroberts@shaw.ca.