World Cup #1

[mchfreeride]

Is there an answer why there is Five aussies in the top ten at the first world cup and no Canadians? I am curious, are they just naturally confident and fast or is there some sort of super aussie super drug? What is it going to take to get a Canadian in the top ten? any comments?

[bcbud]

Our fastest Canadian didn't get picked up by Giant this year so he's back to the oil rigs, Maybe its a culture thing, racing isn't cultured here, plus they have a year round racing schedule, training? Stop the freeride movment and get racing back up? Don't know...

[jonny.zee]

The Aussies put money into sport. That's why they do so well at the Olympics. Our gov't... Well, I won't get into that.

[dirty deeds]

The Aussies put money into sport. That's why they do so well at the Olympics. Our gov't... Well, I won't get into that.

true, the australian govt puts a lot of $ into olympic sports. they put absolutely nothing into dh racing. all those australian downhillers got their start in the US sleeping on floors and the backs of vw vans going race to race - not a cent from govt funding. what's even more weird is that there's virtually no mountains worth talking about down unda.

i think it's just a different mentality in canada. there's just as many good riders. they just not into racing.

[mchfreeride]

There must be some dudes who want to go fast on there bikes for a living, is there an actual Canadian Team or organization of some sort that will help our athletes?

[grj]

the reality is no olympic discipline= no funding.
we should point out that we do have 2 top ten DH racers in Canada, (Danika and Michelle).
so the question; why do we have top female DH racers, and top XC racers but no top male DH racers
answer; those athletes don't have the option of a far more lucrative career in freeride.

[APT]

I thought in the last few years freeride received more exposure that DH racing. Even several companies are changing their marketing strategy and starts sponsoring freeriders. It is alot cheaper for the company to sponsor a freerider than supporting a DH team which kinda leads to the general approach from today's young riders. There's alot of training and discipline involved to do well in DH racing but probably not as much in freeriding. Maybe that's why most young riders are more concern about just going big these days.

Its kinda sad in a way but that's seem to be the trend these days. Its unfortunate because just looking at the riding level in BC it seems like we have so many great young riders that you think would do well on the racing circuit.

[Knight-Rider]

why go through all the trouble of training, travelling to the races and shelling out the coin. It is just easier to "go play in the backyard" with your buddies.
I also think that full-on DH racing isn't that TV friendly, where almost every race I've seen on TV consists of watching the racers go through one or two technical lines, and then another shot at the finish line. Not that exciting in the sense that it doesn't get me stoked on riding, like say a vid like collective does. To me, it seems that freeriding will sell more products than racing does for that very reason.

Just look at the tour de france for example. how much fun would that be to watch on TV if they didn't have cameras on motorcycles showing us the race was going. If they didn't do that, you would probably see the the guys crossing the finish line on a sports highlight show.

[grj]

I also think that full-on DH racing isn't that TV friendly, where almost every race I've seen on TV consists of watching the racers go through one or two technical lines, and then another shot at the finish line. Not that exciting in the sense that it doesn't get me stoked on riding, like say a vid like collective does. To me, it seems that freeriding will sell more products than racing does for that very reason.

.
one word; earthed

[Wayne P]

I get bored really fast watching "freeriding" videos or the like. I find watching DH racing (or even XC) is very exciting, especially when you see it in person, like at the Grouse World Cup. If you've raced at all, you can appreciate the neuances(sp) that top racers can bring to a course, not to mention, the line choices and speed these guys can ride their bikes at.

[butler]

i think dh does sell a lot of stuff,i have seen tonnes of 223's lately and giant dh's

[Ninja]

one word; earthedI second that. sweeet flic

[v 10 rider]

look at the difference in popularity of racing in both countrys almost all the aussie riders have come from a racing back ground