If Dean Tennant were a condiment for your favorite dish, he would be a BBQ SAUCE. Sweet at first, gets better over time, than a muscle of a finish. DEAN TENNANT EVERYBODY!!

Published: 2010-11-30
Author: DeanT

Hey everybody,

Well it's been awhile since I last posted on the blog but I'll try to get it up to date with what I've been up to lately...

First I'll back things up to the first week of September: World Championships at Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec. Mt Sainte Anne has always been described as a real man's track: fast, rough and long. A true classic. I'd raced there four times before and I'd say the course and I get along well enough. We had awesome accomodations right at the bottom of the mountain and very helpful support from the DH coaches; Mike Jones and Geoff Pendrel. We had almost a week to practice before the race on Sunday.

At the start of the week the conditions were toasty: 30 degrees and the track was bone dry. Of course in Quebec it doesn't stay that way for long; the rain came and by the time Sunday arrived the course had become a blown-out mudfest. To be honest I didn't have that bad of nerves before the race. In the back of your mind you know it's the most important race of the year but you kind of just block that out. 'BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BOOOOP' and I rolled out of the startgate and got into a good flow. I was getting into it with my cut Wetscreams schralping (Re.drifting) the upper corners. With only about a minute left in my run on the 5 minute course I hit a patch of slick roots at a bit of an angle. At first it just started out like a cool drift and I was like 'sweet getting rowdy' but before I knew it I was over the bars and into the side taping. Worst. Feeling. Ever. My bike got wrapped up in the tape and it took me what felt like forever to get it free. The spectators watching were just yelling "PEDALLL!" It felt like a bad dream and even writing about it now I'm still not really over it. After getting my bike free I finished the race to a 56th place.

I've always been considered a consistent racer. I don't crash too often in races but sometimes when you're going for a good result you have to be on the edge and sometimes you go over that edge. So after doing 20+ DH races throughout the season it ended with a crash but I won't let a bad moment spoil a bunch of good ones. Overall it was a successful season coming away with a 3rd place at National Champs and 2nd place overall in the Canada Cups.

So that's it for the 2010 season but as they say the next race starts as soon as you've finished the last one. I've been looking forward to making the most of the winter and coming out strong next year. Stay tuned for more frequent posts by me and what training I get up to.

Cheers,

Dean

Vanier Dirt Jumps

Published: 2010-11-28
Author: Dobie

Harooo?!?!?!

A few weeks ago, when the weather was still good, George came down to the Vanier dirtjumps to snap some photos on his 7D with new flashes. Ben, Cam and I were steezing.

Check out the pics!

Till next-time my friends,

Dobie

MUSTACHES , DH BIKES, AND SNOW

MUSTACHES , DH BIKES, AND SNOW

Since my last post many things have happened.

Mr. Seb Kemp Gave me his sweet Black Market Hard Tail which I promptly used to launch myself directly onto my head dislocating a rib.

After recovering from the rib I was super anxious while awaiting my new DH bike. My buddy Cam lent me his Kawasaki 250F and we went up to Pemberton for a day of moto.

When I was a kid I used to ride a lot of moto but I was blown away with the types of trail that Cam took me on. Imagine the steepest gnarly DH trail on your bike than imagine pinning it up that hill on a moto going what felt like a million miles an hour. I was surprised how Wet roots on a moto are just as slippery as a dh bike, they laid me out more than a few times. Was rad, If I had more time on my hands I would love to get a moto again.

This Past weekend Rob an I headed over to the Island for three days of Mega serious dh riding. Not having a DH bike the last month I have been riding mainly XC. I even managed to drag Robbie boy out for a few xc rides. Anyways off to the Island with my new Evil Revolt DH bike.

Unfortunately mother nature wasnt cool with us shredding amazing trail all weekend and decided to just dump everywhere on our merry lil dh vacation. Prevost was covered in snow and it made for some pretty wild riding.

So we got snowed out which kinda sucked but we still made the best of the weekend. Hung out with drew-bar and spent our evenings lounging about the local ymca swimming pool. Unfortunately I had already shaved off my mustache. I would have looked pretty rad with my speedo and mustache. Oh well always good to have something left to strive for.

BEN AND DOBIE GETTING SO RAD THAT A NEW WORD HAD TO BE CREATED. AND THAT WORD IS "SPLAZTASTIC"

Fall Riding with Dobie

Published: 2010-11-11
Author: BenP

CAM IS NOW A XC GOD . LOOK OUT FOR HIS NEW BOOK "THE SHAMMY BUTTER INSIDE OF YOU" AN INTIMATE LOOK AT THE FACES BEHIND THE BUTTER

Cross Country in Squamish

Published: 2010-11-01
Author: Cameron Porteous

I went to squamish the other weekend to meet up with Paul Sales so he could show me around some cross country trails at Mt. Garibaldi. We decided on doing Powerhouse Plunge.

Didn't know Squamish was home to incredible artists.


After a few nice hill climbs through the forest we reached the trailhead. It turns out XC can be fun which I was unsure about before.


The new trance was tons of fun on the descents but still a big change from a DH bike and took all of about 10 feet of riding before I could start having lots of fun.


Beauty weather!

Working for descents had it's rewards... or so I'm told...



Laughing at my facial expressions from pedaling uphill
was one of the rewards Paul was telling me about.


"It's the eye of the tiger, it's the cream of the fight
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival"



And it was all downhill from here (in a good way)




Had a nice flip over the bars here when my front wheel clipped the outside tree.



Thanks a ton to Paul Sales for taking all of the photos and showing me these awesome trails I had a lot of fun and am definitely looking forward to the next time I can go out riding again.

- Cam

BEN, JUSTIN, CAM, AND DOBIE, GETTING LOOSE

Team Dunbar Drift Track

Published: 2010-10-29
Author: BenP

Went over to the local hill today after some precipitation made the grass nice and slippery and Aaron, Cameron, and Justin all killed it with some fun drift action.

I wasnt able to get many shots due to sporadic downpours but here is some of the action.