Organizers of MECA Fest are celebrating a successful end to their inaugural mountain bike competition Aug. 19 .
The race, co-organized by the District of Kitimat and MECA, the Mount Elizabeth Cycling Association, drew 51 competitors ranging in age from five to 51 in both downhill and pump-track courses.
It served as a christening event for the recently completed Eagles Nest Trail, the downhill course, which runs for about one kilometre from Coghlin’s Park Viewpoint to Oviatt Park. It’s a fast, smooth and flowy ride with table-top jumps and berms. The overall best time in the downhill went to Rob Hesse in the 18-35 male division with a time of 1:38.28, and Cailey Hesse in the 18-35 female division with a time of 1:55. (Full results below)
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In the pump-track competition at Oviatt Park the overall best time went to Kyler Highe in the 18-35 male division with 23:94, and Catherine Simms with 31:16 in the female 36-plus.
Daniel Chimko, MECA secretary, hopes to grow the event next year with double the number of competitors, and to expand the races to include other activities, including dirt jumps at Oviatt Park.
“It’s an amazing facility — there aren’t many towns of this size with a track like that. The downhill races are really good but it’s hard to watch them because they’re spread throughout the forest. On the other hand, the pump track races — and anything else we host there — everyone can watch that, and it’s really exciting.”
Marcia Rice, recreation programer for the district, said she is also on board for expanding the races next year.
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“We’re very excited with how things played out,” she said. It was well attended, there was a great vibe and it went relatively smooth. We’re meeting this week to go over some of the kinks and maybe think about changing the date for a little earlier next year, as lots of people in Kitimat leave town in August.”
She added there is also the possibility of extending MECA Fest from a one-day event to two.
“I can see that happening … a lot of families came out and a lot of sponsors stepped up — the sponsors have been incredibly supportive and we can’t thank them enough.”
Downhill Results
36+ Female
- 1st Catherine Simms 2:08
- 2nd Danielle Lynn 2:25
36+Male
- 1st Sean Thompson 1:47
- 2nd Emanuel DeMelo 1:51
- 3rd Chad Fournier 2:02
18-35 Female
- 1st Cailey Hesse 1:55
- 2nd Cathryn Kozak 2:10
18-35 Male
- 1st Rob Hesse 1:38.28
- 2nd Kyler Highe 1:38.94
- 3rd Joel Meier 1:43
15-17 Male
- 1st Anthony DeMelo 1:42
11-14 Male
- 1st Ivan Murphy 1:50
- 2nd Damon Chimko 1:55
- 3rd Myles Zuchotski 1:58
Pump Track Results
36+ Female
- 1st Catherine Simms 31.16
36+ Male
- 1st Sean Thompson 27.44
18-35 Male
- 1st Kyler Highe 23.94
- 2nd Wyatt Vargas 24.28
- 3rd Nick Berndt 24.81
11-14 Male
- 1st Ivan Murphy 25.07
- 2nd Damon Chimko 26.47
- 3rd Myles Zuchotski 27.88
5-10 Female
- 1st Abigail Bogaert 37.00
- 2nd Remy Fournier 37.10
- 3rd Serenity Frankel 38.31
5-10 Male
- 1st Warren Bogaert 28.10
- 2nd Victor Simms 29.38
- 3rd Rylan Finn 33.10