A staple on the Canmore mountain bike scene, 24 Hours of Adrenalin returns to the Bow Valley this weekend with more improvements and more opportunities for riders to celebrate trail ripping in the Rockies.
As the biggest event of the year at the Canmore Nordic Centre, 24 Hours of Adrenalin attracts 5,000 people – equivalent to the population of Jasper – to celebrate mountain bike culture in the Canadian Rockies. The event has grown significantly over the past 19 years, evolving from a local party race to one that attracts weekend warriors and top riders from across the country. About 1,600 teams and 200 solo riders will hit the trails on Saturday (July 19), riding through the night in one of the most unique races in Western Canada.
Race organizer and 24 Hours of Adrenalin CEO Stuart Dorland said last year his event helped the community celebrate the recovery, and he wants to keep that vibe alive for the group’s 19th season.
“We were fortunate to put on the event last year. It was almost like opening the door and we were able to say to the entire world Canmore is open for business again. We’re building on that this year,” Dorland said.
New this year is an improved transition area, which will allow riders to hang out while waiting for their lap to start. It will also allow spectators to get a better view of the riders, hang out and get closer to the action.
“When an event gets as large as this one, we felt people were losing the ability to see the real excitement. With the new tent, you can go in there and hang out. It’s more of a gathering area,” Dorland said. “The tents are larger and open to the public.”
The event has also added a Kokanee Beer tent hosted by the Bikinis for Breast Cancer charity. This is the first year the two groups have come together.
Last year, the race was the first to impose a mandatory bear spray policy in partnership with Alberta Parks, which proved to be a success. The model has expanded to almost all mountain bike and trail running events at the Nordic Centre this year. Dorland said his event has partnered with the BearCozy (owned and operated by 24 Hours of Adrenalin athlete Duncan Anderson) and Scatbelt to ensure everyone can carry their bear spray safely.
The market area will expand this year as The Bike Shop from Calgary will bring down large Rocky Mountain and Specialized bike displays, which Dorland said will be the largest Canmore has seen since the mid-90s. He’s also encouraging more local businesses to partner with the event, and said the economic spin-off is positive for the community.
This winter, Dorland re-located the 24 Hours headquarters from Toronto to Victoria (after giving Canmore careful consideration), and he’s happy to grow the sport along with the local community.
“It’s a beautiful town. Being here, it’s remarkable to watch the town grow up and become what it is,” Dorland said. “We’re excited to have this race as the showcase 24 Hour event in the world, we believe. Our goal is to have the best mountain bike experience weekend for everybody.”
