Thrills and spills were the order of the day at the annual Mt. Washington Downhill Longboard Race, held Saturday, July 23.
With racers hitting speeds in excess of 100 km/h, sometimes even hay bales were not enough to prevent mishaps.
"We had a couple of injuries," said organizer Erik Ware. "Reckless Ricky from Whistler got a concussion. We hope he recovers quickly. And another rider got a sprained arm and a lot of road rash. There were plenty of other accidents but the hay and the rider's safety equipment allowed them to continue racing."
With camping and a barbecue included in the fun, Ware said that, "Overall the event turned out great. Amazing weather. Lots of spectators. Good competition. Great food."
Taylor "The Pulverizer" Riley of Vancouver won the men's division with Zen of Vernon second, Nick Jean of Parksville third and Mack "Attack" Wacey of Courtenay fourth. For the juniors, Charlie Darragh of Vancouver was first with Mike Slota of Courtenay second, Aidan Lynds of Vancouver third and Levi de Bruin of Saanich fourth.
Wake noted there was only one female entry, and she race with the men. For more info, check out www.mtwashingtondh.com.
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