Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by Marissa Tiel

AROUND THE CORNER – Dylan Sands rounds a corner on the Drop the Clutch trail at Mount Sima during Slam Fest Sunday. It was the final day the chairlift will be running for bikes at Sima before the Dec. 2 opening date for the ski hill’s winter season.

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Photo by Marissa Tiel

CONCENTRATION – Sam Fleming eyes the corner ahead of the finish on Drop the Clutch at Mount Sima’s Slam Fest.

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Photo by Marissa Tiel

SOFT LANDING – Jaylene Goorts cruises to the finish on a slippery course.

Bikes descend on Mount Sima for final chairlift day of season

The final day of downhill biking at Mount Sima brought thrills and very few spills.

By Marissa Tiel on September 19, 2016

The final day of downhill biking at Mount Sima brought thrills and very few spills.

Slam Fest, hosted by the Contagious Mountain Biking Club, saw 32 racers take on the Drop the Clutch trail and the downhill course.

Scattered rain showers made the courses slippery, but riders couldn’t be dissuaded from their downhill trajectory.

With Sunday marking the final day this season that the chairlifts ran with bikes, the trails at Mount Sima were dotted with many making use of the ride up.

Sam Fleming was signing up for his lift pass when he saw the sign-up table for Slam Fest.

It was his first time competing in the event. He was second in the youth class.

“It’s dirty. I like that,” he said, “I like getting mud everywhere, kind of like feels fun.”

He said Drop the Clutch isn’t a really technical trail, it’s more about going fast and feeling the trail out.

After a short rain delay, the mountain bikers then went out on the downhill course for another race. The competition was tight with the top three finishing within four seconds.

Drop the Clutch Race

1 Aidan Uiterwaal Open mens 6:11.56
2 Massey Baker Open mens 6:13.64
3 Ben Macpherson Open mens 6:24.27
4 Sam Reimer Open mens 6:41.36
5 Elijah Ens Open mens 6:44.11
6 Tobias Guzik Open mens 6:46.84
7 Sam Schirmer Open mens 6:52.46
8 Tim Schirmer Open mens 6:56.16
9 Jaylene Goorts Open womens 7:24.51
10 Nic Macdougall Open mens 7:25.86
11 Nathan Scully Youth 7:39.93
12 Sam Fleming Youth 7:53.57
13 Dylan Sands Open mens 8:01.30
14 Shannon Trott Open womens 8:47.93

Downhill Race

1 Massey Baker Open mens 4:14.59
2 Ben Kihvig Open mens 4:18.44
3 Brody Ryckmon Open mens 4:18.48
4 Julien Revel Open mens 4:27.21
5 Josh De La Salle Open mens 4:29.90
6 Shane Orban Open mens 4:31.60
7 Liam Mather Open mens 4:48.46
8 Ben Macpherson Open mens 4:49.00
9 Terry Morrison Open mens 4:49.72
10 Sam Reimer Open mens 4:52.78
11 Tim Schirmer Open mens 5:14.42
12 Elijah Ens Open mens 5:43.74
13 Aidan Uiterwaal Open mens 8:00.02
14 Shannon Trott Open womens 8:06.36
15 Ethan Davy Open mens 8:35.95
16 Finn Matrishon Open mens 9:37.96
17 Tobias Guzik Open mens 9:46.70

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