SUNDRE – More than 100 cyclists were in Sundre this past weekend for the Snake Hill Slither to compete in the first race of the Alberta Cup Series’ 2024 season.
Among them were some contenders who drove out from Canmore, which alone speaks volumes to the quality of the local bike trails that wind up, down and all around through Snake Hill.
“If you’re in Canmore, you live right next to some of the best trails in the country,” said Felix Lee, race organizer and a member of both the Sundre Bike n’ Ski Club as well as Red Deer-based Central Alberta Bicycle Club.
“They were saying they seldom leave Canmore to ride, but because there was a race in Sundre, they made the effort and they were really glad they did,” Lee told the Albertan in response to follow-up questions.
And despite some looming clouds and brief periods of drizzle that didn’t last long on Saturday, June 1, the conditions were what Lee characterized as essentially perfect.
“We had fantastic weather,” he said, referring to warm conditions that didn’t become detrimentally roasting hot under a sizzling sun.
“It’s good for if you’re biking hard,” he said.
There were 18 categories overall from U11 on up to U17 as well as novice, sport, expert and elite in both men and women’s events with a total of 103 registered racers who came out from places including Lethbridge, Jasper and even Kelowna. With contenders in the U17 categories gearing up for national points, they made up about 70 per cent of all the entries, said Lee.
Francesca Seal came first in the women’s elite category while Robin Baillie took first in the men’s.
“This race is the first in the Alberta Cup Series,” he said, adding the Youth Trailblazers event held in the morning also drew out some young riders who brought the estimated turnout closer to 120.
“The turnout out was the best yet,” he said.
“Everyone seems to love the course. It’s very tough – there’s really not a lot of places to rest, but they’re really happy,” he said.
“It’s a fantastic venue and the trails are fantastic. They’re a little different from other places.”
Felix also noted that the course at Snake Hill is for the first time ever expected to be used as the host venue in 2025 for the Alberta zones selections for athletes to qualify for the Canada Summer Games.
And while there are no other events immediately around the corner, Lee already has his eyes fixed on preparing for the return of the fourth cyclocross race in the fall, which is scheduled for Oct. 26.
Although that event is also under the umbrella organization of the Alberta Bicycle Association, it’s technically a different sport that’s part of a separate, two-month race series in the province, he said.
Offering parting thoughts on the Snake Hill Slither, Lee expressed gratitude to both the municipality as well as the community, and was glad the town was able to complete upgrades to water lines along the base of Snake Hill’s south-facing side in time.
“It was quite muddy down there, and they stepped up and made sure everything was good and ship-shape for the race,” he said.
