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It might have been one of the most unusual starts in Test of Metal (TOM) history.听
Kamloops resident Aaron Weiss made a break for it early, establishing a significant lead right after the first turn onto Highway 99 at Saturday鈥檚 (June 14) race.
Weiss separated himself from the large pack by several hundred metres and kept that lead through most of the Skyline Drive and Boulevard, opening sections of the race.
He said the quick start was mostly due to his dislike of the jam-packed start and for safety reasons.
鈥淚鈥檝e been in this race so many times and there鈥檚 been crashes and sometimes some pretty big disasters right off the start,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 hate being involved in crashes like that and it鈥檚 such a big group of people. I just felt more comfortable doing that and it鈥檚 safer.鈥�
While his lead didn鈥檛 last, he did manage to place 31st overall with a time of two hours, 55 minutes, 36 seconds. He also managed to place third in his 35 to 39 division.听
TOM weekend continued on Sunday (June 15) with the Mini-Metal and Rockstar Downhill events.
This year marked the debut of the new course for the Mini-Metal, as kids made their way from the 麻豆社国产Adventure Centre to Brennan Park through nearby trails. Hundreds of children from all ages again participated in the popular race.
The Rockstar Downhill occurred Sunday afternoon but consistent rainy conditions hampered participation.
A total of eight riders competed, with Mike Stewart edging out Rhys Verner by half a second to win the contest. Stewart completed the course in 2:43.5.听
Other competitors included: Brad Martyn (2:54.3), Peter Schenk (3:25.8), Phil Henderson (3:28.6), Dan Prisk (3:33.0), Bryan Raiser (4:19.8) and Tina Plumb (6:39.0).
