4 Queens Stage race

The race is over, and I am done. It 's been a long couple weeks gearing up for the 4 Queens. Ever since the courses and format was announced all the riders in the valley we're talking.
"What tires ? " , " What bikes ?" Thank god, it was here. I was starting to lose my mind. I knew this year course was going to be super technical freeride, Dh race with some pedaling on stage 4.

THE PREMISE
Four unique stages. One rider. One bike. One set of tires. It’s pretty simple really. The Queens is a four day mountain bike adventure designed to test every skill and twitch every muscle in a rider’s arsenal in an attempt to crown the best overall riders around. No bike doping !!!


Stage 1 Freddie: Queen of Club
He loved to ride his bicycle, he loved to ride his bike ! The Freddie Mercury Memorial Time Trail kicked off the Queens with a bang! In the hot whistler air, we all were biting the dust here with dreams of GC aspirations. Clocking in at just over 10km of classic Westside, this roller coaster of a ride left us breathless but wanting more. We were asked to come dressed in your finest moustache (real or otherwise). No moustache, no ride. After a poor start and getting bottle necked, I started to finally claw up the chain. It was painful to be behind some people. After the race we all enjoyed a nice dip in the lake and a cold one.

Stage 2 :Her Majesty: The Queen of Hearts.

Oh, boy we headed back to the bike park for a full-on descent from the top of Garbo that pushes the one bike, one set of tires rule to the limit. The ride itself will blur reality and filled my head with hatters, rabbits, and groovy cats. There was alot of mechanical casualties at the finish line. Blow tires , lost shoes, bent chains. It was crazy! I had a smooth and safe ride down the park, I knew I was getting my ass hand to me by a bunch of full time park rats. I was ok with it, I knew I was going to make up some time in the next couple of stages.

Chris Johnson sending it! Before his tire blew off

Stage 3 & 4 : Rupaul: Queen of Diamonds

We all knew, it’s was a bit of a drag but we headed back in the dreaded No Flow Zone for the first half of the Chromag Double Shot. I was looking forward to this day, I love the "No flow zone" . It was shorter than last year with more emphasis on the technical features, it separated the drag queens from the real McCoys. The trail in the emerald zone are true old school , rocky and unforgiving trails. I had a great rip up section 102 and and around with no mechanical's. I wish Chris Heyen could say the same, He blew up his rear hub and had to DNF. Sorry, bro!

Chris H after the Xc race, a little worked ?

Many of the racers and problems. After the quick jaunt through Emerald, we headed North for the PHD Super D. The last time I rode this I torn my ankle ligaments a part 9 week ago. PHD is a shuttle trail between Whistler and Pemberton. This was literally a drag race starting with two quick road climbs with some super cherry descending. This used to be my favorite trail , until shuttle riders destroyed it ! This means it was lose and sandy and full of Gnar. I still had fun

Stage 5

Lady Macbeth: Queen of Spades The Bike Co. “Pemberton Tragedy”

Pemberton in the summer means two thing hot & lose. The race start at 10 am so the temps were going up from there. It was going to be a long grunt fest, that no one was looking forward to it. After a quick lap around the trails we headed up the 131 switchbacks of Nimby and Happy trail. If you think you like switchbacks you give these trail a go. After a 2 hr climb we entered

Middle earth a very fresh and loomie trail that sucks every ounce of energy with every pedal stroke. The downhill was Gravitout , but many of the riders made the wrong turn and headed down GRAVITRON!!! WTF?!?! Gravitron is a beast of a trail. Lose and sandy, with lots of rock. I would not advise riding it on XC bike. Once we hit the valley floor, it was Africa hot !

At the finish line the racers all watched all the poor souls coming with their heads down. After some water and cokes it off to the lake for a dip in the lake to sooth the pain from the day.

This race that couldn’t happen anywhere else, we have such amazing vollies.
Thank you to all the sponsors, volunteers, competitors, and friends who made this event possible.

Congrads to Dylan and Jo for pulling the win out on the last day.