The Nimby 50 is back.
The third annual marathon cross-country race is set to invade Pemberton on May 26 and the 37-kilometre course is known for its climbs and descents totalling more than 4,500 feet on a ride that's 90 per cent singletrack.
According to organizers, the Nimby 50 is a true test of one's skill, fitness and mental focus. It's been dubbed a mountain biker's mountain bike race, and has become a draw to Canada's best, as word of the course has spread and prize money has grown, totalling $3,700 this year.
Squamish's Neal Kindree made his comeback at the first annual Nimby 50 in 2010, placing third and then went on to win the event in 2011. Kindree dubbed the course "the most savage race course I've ever ridden."
Max Plaxton, the 2011 Canadian champion, has confirmed he will compete in this year's race, while Kindree will line up to defend the men's title. Catharine Pendrel, the 2011 World Cup champion who took the win at Nimby Fifty in 2010 but missed the 2011 event, has stated that if her schedule allows, she too will start this year. Jennifer Shulz from Vernon will return to defend the women's title. Also competing at this year's race will be Brackendale's Brandi Heisterman.
New for this year, Red Bull will be supporting a downhill stage of Nimby 50 - a race within a race. The male and female competitors with the fastest Red Bull Downtime will each win $250. The overall fastest Red Bull Downtime entrant will also win a team entry to Red Bull Divide and Conquer on Vancouver's North Shore.
The Nimby Fifty is now the second-largest single day mountain bike race in British Columbia, drawing 300 racers in 2011. According to organizers, this year's race is expected to reach the cap of 400 riders. At press time, the race was more than 80 per cent full.
Registration for Nimby Fifty 2012 is still open to anyone up to the challenge. For more info, go to www.nimbyfifty.com or email [email protected].
