Busy Friday as preperations get underway.
Coastlongboarding's Bricin Lyons showing off his new "Coyote" board. Photo Marcus Rietema
Vernon, BC, Canada- Final preperations for the 2009 Vernon Downhill/NorAm Championships went on today as riders began showing up from all over North America. The event is being organized by IGSA #2 Ranked Mischo Erban in his hometown. Vernon is unique in that the event takes place in a residential neighborhood. It's shaping up to be an amazing event.
Mischo Erban and Marcus Rietema made an apperance on local radio station 107.5 Kiss FM. Photo Justin Love
The day began early for race organizer Mischo Erban and IGSA President Marcus Rietema. They made an apperance on local radio station 107.5 KISS FM to promote the event. Then it was off to the race course to begin the set up and course construction. While that was going on, event posters were being plastered all over the city.
Signs, barricades and bleachers staged and ready for the weekend. Photo Marcus Rietema
Since the race course is set in a residential neighborhood, it creates all sorts of unique challenges. The biggest one is ensuring that all the residents are still able to have reasonable access to their houses throughout the weekend. Erban has devised a plan where each half hour the course will be closed for 20 minutes of riding and opened for the residents for 10 minutes. An extensive campaign was undertaken to hand deliver a flyer and discuss the details with each resident along the course. Keeping all the residents happy is the organizers #1 priority.
Many took advantage of Friday's registration and tech inspection. Photo Marcus Rietema
In the evening registration and tech inspection got underway as riders filtered in from all over Canada and the United States. With riding time at a premium due to the 20/10 schedule, many competitors were happy to get their tech inspection out of the way so they could concentrate on practice and qualifying tomorrow. Some of the riders took advantage of nearby Silver Star Road to get in some practice.
Rylan English was one of the riders taking some runs on Silverstar Rd. Photo Marcus Rietema
Practice is scheduled to get underway on Saturday at 9:00am. Qualifying will run from 11:00am-3:00pm. On Sunday the action will start at 10:00am with the elimination rounds starting at 12:00 noon. Admission and parking are free. For additional information go to www.VernonDH.com.
