Change is the only constant for a unique cycling race now firmly entrenched in the Foothills.
New is the operative word for the third annual Natural High Cyclocross Cup in Okotoks as the unique weekend event takes on a more competitor, spectator and family friendly spin on September 3-4.
“We really want to pump up the local racers,” said race organizer Jason Reid. “We’ve added a newbie race for people to try cyclocross, to give it a shot.”
The Newbie Race caters to newcomers to the sport in a shortened format featuring three loops of the course at Okotoks’ Wylie Athletic Park, approximately six kilometres in length.
“That’s for people who’ve never done cyclocross before,” Reid added. “They can use mountain bikes, they can use cross bikes.
“You get the feel of what cyclocross is about.”
Moreover, the popular kids cross race will be split up into two groups to accommodate the older children with the introduction of the Big Kids Cross, U14, and Kids Cross Race in separate divisions.
The race will be doubling in size in year three to a two-day event, more in line with traditional cross racing, with Savage Saturday to be followed by Surrender Sunday.
For Reid, it’s a case of giving the people what they want.
“We did a survey at the end of last year asking racers what they really enjoyed,” said Reid. “Overwhelmingly, it was ‘we would like to come to Okotoks for two days and stay overnight.’
“In the past we hosted one day because we were new to the circuit.”
Cyclocross, the fastest growing form of cycling on the continent, is a hybrid form of road and mountain biking with elements of obstacle dodging thrown in. It’s been labelled as steeplechase on a bike.
The sport’s growing influence in North America is mirrored in the Foothills.
Becoming an established race on the cyclocross circuit has afforded the Okotoks event a couple of privileges, namely drawing big names in the cycling world.
Two of the top competitors from Canada in Mark McConnell and arch rival Michael Van der Ham will be duking it out in the Men’s Elite division.
“These guys although they both live in Alberta sometimes don’t get to race each other,” Reid said. “The great thing about bike racing is I would never go and play pond hockey with Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux, but here you have these cool guys, very approachable and great ambassadors for cyclocross.”
Spectators will get a chance to see much more of the racers this go around.
Race Central has moved a few hundred metres north from Kinsmen Park to Wylie Athletic Park, adjacent to Percy Pegler School, where fans will have views of close to 90 per cent of the course including the start and finish line at the Okotoks Junior High track.
“That’s what cross should be, you should be able to see most of the race,” Reid added. “I always wanted to go up top, but because some of the work that was done near the track we weren’t able to use that area.
“My original thought was to have the cross race up top and we finally get to do that.”
Fans and the approximately 250 competitors alike will also have the opportunity to take in the cultural side of the festivities with three food trucks, a beer garden supplied by The George and a plethora of vendor expo tents set up along Race Central.
Proceeds from the charity race go towards KidSport Okotoks – an organization Reid says is especially important given the current state of the economy in the province.
“What we’ve seen in the last year or so is the need for more money to go to KidSport,” Reid said. “We’re really looking forward to donating a big chunk of money this year and having a two-day race we essentially double our donation – which is desperately needed at this point.”
The registration deadline for the Natural High Cyclocross weekend is Sept. 1
For more information on the race go to naturalhigh.ca
