¡Paga hasta a 12 MSI!  Leer más

Rae's Race Report: Enduro World Series #7, Whistler

Crankzilla: The Biggest and Baddest Stop on the EWS Circuit

with RAE MORRISON

Every year, Whistler Village in beautiful British Columbia, Canada transforms into MTB Expo Central during Crankworx. The week-long event draws enthusiasts, industry professionals, amateur and professional racers from all over the world to BC’s coastal mountain range. The week is jammed full of every discipline of mountain bike racing, movie premiers, clinics and rides all centered around North America’s MTB Disneyland – Whistler Bike Park.

Crankworx, Whistler is the Enduro World Series’ second Crankworx stop of the year. After a muddy round in Rotorua, New Zealand, here racers were fighting the opposite problem – severe drought. In fact, all across the mountain, a low, smoky haze lingered in the days leading up to the race from several fires surrounding the region. But the night before an early morning start for EWS racers, the sky opened up and let out just enough rain to make for slick morning conditions and beautifully clear skies later in the day.

The scene was set, and Rae Morrison was ready. One year ago at this location, she suffered a freak accident that left her with a shattered heal, followed by surgery and multiple months of recovery. Fully recovered, she was ready for the monster race that has earned the name “Crankzilla” from competitors. Despite a few falls on the treacherous courses, Rae crossed the finish line just outside the top ten, grabbing 11th and holding onto her top-ten overall position. We caught up with Rae to get a behind-the-scenes look at how it went down.

All photos by Sven Martin Photography.

LIV: Almost 1 hour of racing, around 7.5 hours on the bike, and one monster stage. The Whistler round of the Enduro World Series earned the name “Crankzilla” from competitors for good reason. After two days of practice and knowing what lay ahead on race day, how do you mentally prepare for a race of this magnitude?

RAE: Mental preparation is something that gets easier with practice. I find what works for me is over-preparing, bringing more than I need with food and gear. Also, thinking about worst case scenarios really helps by going through what happens if I break a chain, if I get a puncture, if my food drops out of my pocket if I crash if I drop a bottle, etc. I then have a plan and in my mind, it has already happened so I am prepared and not worrying about the unknown. With 7.5 hours on the bike, hard racing and with only one pit/ food it is unlikely to get through the day without some “bad luck”. Being prepared means that if you have a clean day it’s an amazingly great day, otherwise, if things do go wrong, you are prepared and ready.

LIV: How did you prepare your bike and gear for this race? Did you do anything different to lessen your chance of mechanicals?

RAE: I try to keep the same setup (tire pressure and suspension setup) for all the races so I’m familiar and comfortable with everything. Whistler is a very long day, and we start at the top of a mountain so I was humming and harring about whether to run a CamelBak or not. In the end, I went without as the weather looked good and I can carry a lot of gear on myself. The only thing I did have to compromise on was I couldn’t fit a jacket, so instead, I wore a rubbish bag to stay warm while waiting for stage 1— not the most fashionable but it worked! On my bike a carry a water bottle, pump, spare tube and chain link. I carry a CamelBak foldable bottle in my bib pocket along with a multi-tool, plug kit, tire boot, tire levers, zip ties, electrical tape, derailleur hanger, co2 inflator, spare tube, mini bottle of chain lubricant, small cloth to my clean goggles, lip balm, a variety of bars, trail mix and a peanut butter sandwich. 

  

LIV: Which stage did you find the most challenging?

RAE: Stage 1. It was 20 minutes of brutally physical riding from Top of the World into the very technical Ride Don’t Slide. It was made especially difficult with the morning mist, resulting in very poor visibility, and it had rained all night so the dry track we had practiced changed into a slippery, rooty mess.

LIV: Which stage was your favorite? Why?

RAE: I am torn between Stage 1 and Stage 5. I loved the challenge of stage 1 trying to pace efficiently so you still have the energy for the more technical piece at the bottom. I also love pumping and picking lines through the roots and holes, it keeps you on your toes! Then stage 5 was just pure fun, all downhill, fast and in the Whistler Bike Park.

LIV: It’s easy to forget that racers are pedaling most of the transfers between stages which takes time, energy and makes technical stages that much more challenging. How long and how much elevation did you have to climb on some of the transfer stages in Whistler?

RAE: I completely zone out on the transfers. It is mentally draining to try and stay focused for 7 hours, so this is a good time to take a little break. I have a very quick recap of my last stage- things I did and didn’t do well, then I wipe it from my mind a reboot, there is no benefit to dwelling on mistakes during a race. I think ahead to the next stage, the features etc, and of course, I eat and drink plenty throughout the liaisons. Whistler ended up being 2,500 m of pedaling elevation.

LIV: What are some ways you recover after a huge race like Crankzilla?

RAE: During the race day I burnt over 2500 kcal so refueling before, during and after to replenish lost energy and aid recovery is an absolute must. Sleep is also very important, and I took a few trips to the lake for some gentle swimming.

LIV: The Enduro took place on the first weekend of Crankworx. How did you spend the rest of your time during the event? Did you spectate any other races? What is your favorite part of Crankworx?

RAE: I had entered myself in the Air DH and Slalom race, but unfortunately I ended up pinching a nerve in my neck and shoulder which put me on the sidelines the rest of the festival. But I did really enjoy just hanging out at Crankworx: walking around the expo tents, watching the events, and hanging out with some of the EWS girls post-race. It was really nice just to chill.    

LIV: What are your goals heading into the final round of the Enduro World Series in Italy, September 30- October 1?

RAE: A top then and to maintain my 10th place in the series overall so I can race with the pink 10 on my number plate next year. That would be awesome!

Learn more about Rae by clicking the link below, and keep up with the latest news by following her on social media! 

Meet Rae