Enter To Win Grand Prize Including Expert Coaching At Each Resort



Picture this: a man on a bike skids to the stop at the bottom of a high speed quad. The bike is enourmous and features suspension worthy of a 4X4 truck. He is dripping with sweat, dust coats his body and makes muddy rivulets down his face. His body is thickly armoured with pads and a full face helmet. Intimidating? Yes, until you notice his eleven year old daughter wheel up next to him. Enormous smiles are plastered over both their faces.



Downhill mountain biking is no longer for the hardest of the hardcore. Thanks to lift-accessed bike parks, advancements in bike design and safety equipment, and the emergence of well-trained bike guides offering clinics and camps for all levels of riders, learning to downhill mountain bike has never been more accessible. Women-specific clinics and programs designed to introduce kids to the sport have been met with success at every Bike Parks BC.



“The purpose behind our women-specific programs is to put everyone in the right group for their ability level and the goals they want to achieve. Everyone is very encouraging of eachother and that support really helps riders progress,” says Darren Kinnaird, the Whistler Bike Parks Women's Bike Program coordinator. “The bike guides teaching the clinic ensure proper technique while exposing riders to the right kind of trail for their skill set.”



Bike Parks of BC's roster of lift-accessed resorts offer opportunities to get in the saddle all summer long. Each resort features women-specific clinics, as well as camps geared towards kids, and most can accommodate lessons any day through their biking season. Check out the round-up below for what's on offer at each Bike Parks BC resort this bike season.



Fernie Alpine Resort

July 9-10 Beginner Kids Freeride Camp (8 years +)

July 11-12 Women's Mountain Bike Camps

July 24-26 Advanced Kids Freeride Camp (10-15 years old)

August 6-7 Intermediate Kids Freeride Camp (8 years +)

August 8-9 Women's Mountain Bike Camps



Fernie Alpine Resort also offers private bike camps for up to four riders with 24 advance booking any time through the bike season.

http://www.skifernie.com/summer/rentals-and-lessons/clinics-and-lessons.aspx



Mount Washington

July 12-16 Rocky Mountain Learn to Ride Week

August 7-8 Women's MTB Clinic

August 21-22 See Jane Jump

http://www.mountwashington.ca/en/camps-a-clinics.html media@bikeparksbc.com



Silverstar Bike Park

June 26 Novice “Chicks on Bikes” with Claudia Sorensen

July 3 Intermediate “Chicks on Bikes” with Claudia Sorensen

July 3 Forrest Desmarais Intermediate Bike Camp

July 4 Forrest Desmarais Advanced Bike Camp

July 5-9 Learn to Ride Week

July 10 Novice “Chicks on Bikes” with Claudia Sorensen

July 16-18 Betty Go Hard & Loeka Ladies Getaway Weekend

July 17 Intermediate “Chicks on Bikes” with Claudia Sorensen

July 17 Forrest Desmarais Intermediate Bike Camp

July 18 Forrest Desmarais Advanced Bike Camp

July 24 Forrest Desmarais Intermediate Bike Camp

July 24 Novice “Chicks on Bikes” with Claudia Sorensen

July 25 Forrest Desmarais Advanced Bike Camp

July 31 Forrest Desmarais Intermediate Bike Camp

August 1 Forrest Desmarais Advanced Bike Camp

August 23-28 BaSE Mountain Bike Camps

http://www.skisilverstar.com/events_showEvents.html



Sun Peaks Resort Bike Park

July 4 Ladies Mountain Bike Camp

July 11 Ladies Mountain Bike Camp

July 19-23 Freeride Camp with Matt Hunter and Graham Agassiz



Sun Peaks Resort Bike Park offers lessons through their bike season with 24 hour advance booking.

http://www.sunpeaksresort.com/summer/bikepark/camps.aspx



Whistler Mountain Bike Park

May 29-30 Trek Dirt Series (women)

June 5-6 Richie Schley’s Mountain Bike Adventure

June 26-27 Trek Dirt Series (women)

July 4-11 Summer Gravity Camps

July 11-18 Summer Gravity Camps

July 17-18 Richie Schley’s Mountain Bike Adventure

July 17-18 Trek Dirt Series (co-ed)

July 18-25 Summer Gravity Camps

July 25-Aug 1 Summer Gravity Camps

July 31-August 1 Richie Schley’s Mountain Bike Adventure

August 1-8 Summer Gravity Camps

August 5-6 Richie Schley’s Mountain Bike Adventure

September 11-12 Trek Dirt Series (co-ed)



The Whistler Mountain Bike Park features lessons throught their entire bike season ranging from Bike Park 101 and Kids Mountain Bike Adventure Programs, to private lessons with a maximum of five riders. The DFX Club is also a popular choice for locals. This summer-long program gets kids ages 5-14 in the bike park twice a week and maximizes development in all aspects of mountain biking.

http://www.whistlerbike.com/camps-lessons/lessons/index.htm



In Bike Parks BC's “Ultimate Summer of Free Ride” contest riders can enter for their chance at free expert guiding and a season pass at eachBike Parks BC resort. Two lift tickets, two nights accommodation and two days of bike rentals at each resort plus $1,000 rounds out this prize so the winner can create the most epic summer road trip ever with a friend.


The rider's top submission explaining why they deserve summer-long access to Bike Parks BC on www.bikeparksbc.com or www.facebook.com/bikeparksbc will earn that rider the grand prize. Riders can submit their photo or blog online until midnight June 14. The public will be able to vote for their favourites to determine the finalists announced June 15. A panel of celebrity judges will then determine the winner and on June 19 someone's ultimate summer of free ride with Bike Parks BC will begin.



For more information and official contest rules and regulations about Bike Parks BC “Ultimate Summer of Free Ride” contest check out www.bikeparksbc.com . Don't forget to “like” http://www.facebook.com/bikeparksbc and follow @bikeparksbc on Twitter for all the latest news.



About Bike Parks BC

Formed in 2005, Bike Parks B.C. is a partnership of British Columbia's top all season resorts, Tourism British Columbia and the Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association. Bike Parks B.C.'s resort partners offer the very best facilities and services for mountain biking found anywhere in North America.



Bike Parks BC partnership is managed and coordinated by the Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association (MBTA). The goal of the partnership is to create greater awareness about the many mountain biking resort destinations found in British Columbia. Each resorts offers a full range of accommodation and service options, professionally lead programs, high speed lifts, outstanding trails and fabulous mountain scenery.

Posted 05/25/2010 by Frank Addelia | Filed under: General

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