Eighteen riders made their way through a snowy course on Saturday as part of the Fat Bike Race.
The riders powered through soft-packed snow that covered the top of the What’s Up Doc trail, struggling to stay upright, but all seeming to have a blast.
Co-organizer Angela Etheridge said she had been thinking of organizing a fat bike race since last winter as interest in the sport has dramatically increased.
“I want to try and do another one this winter,” said Etheridge, “depending on how the weather goes. Snow biking has gotten really big and has expanded exponentially over the last year,” she said.
Interest in the sport recently culminated in the Fernie Mountain Bike Club’s purchase of special groomers that are pulled behind a snowmobile and specifically designed for single-track trails.
In addition to bringing riders out onto the snowy trails, the purpose of the race was also to raise funds for the gas used to run the snowmobile for the groomers.
“The point of the race is twofold: to have fun, and to raise some money for gas for the snowmobile,” said Etheridge.
The top three male riders were Carter Nieuwesteeg, Ed Shipowick and Todd Weselake. Wendy Anderson took the top spot for the women.
Etheridge noted that with better conditions, she hopes to see more riders come out for the next race.