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48 - North Shore News - Wednesday, November 29, 2000

Argyle breeds

School helped pioneer local
high school competitive circuit

Jan-Christian Sorensen

News Reporter
jorensen@nusnews.com

IN the beginning,
there was Argyle.

Almost five years after the
school launched its competi-
tive mountain biking club,
over =a dozen, North
Shore /Howe Sound schools
have since followed suit.

With the North Shore's
abundance of top-flite trails
and its world-class reputa-
tion, however, it’s hard to
believe it’s taken so long to
get mountain biking into the
canon of sanctioned sports in

B.C.

The sport will enjoy invi-
tational status when it gears
up this spring but .won’r be
officially recognized until the
start of the 2002 riding sea-
son.. The season kicks off
with an exhibition race on
March 28 while _ official
league action is set for April
5. Local: boys and. girls will
race cross country in four
divisions.”

“What I like about the

Sport is that it’s a sport of

inclusion,” said Sam Scorda,
mountain. biking
coach at Argyle. “Everybody
that comes out gets to ride.

-_ Nobody sits on the bench or

gets cut from the team.”

The shining lights of the
local riding: circuit were
invited. to the-third annual
National. ._ Development
Camp at
: Brentwood. College .in Mill

- Bay during the weekend.

The. event was sponsored

by othe Shoreriders, the
Canadian Cycling
Association and Cycling B.C.
and presided over by such
national team members as
Alison) Sydor and Leslie
Tonilinson.

“It's a great opportunity
for the kids,” said Scorda.
“One of the things that they
learn is that you have to be
dedicated and train on a regu-
lar basis. You get io talk to
some of the top people in the
world and it’s a tremendous
deal that they're doing
because you don’t get many
so-called pro athletes that will
put that kind of time into
(helping train) high school
athletes.”

In order to be selected for
the camp, invitees had to fin-

- ish in the top five of their age
class at the 2000 B.C. High
School Mountain. Bike
Championship or be a mem-
ber of the | Shoreriders
Mountain Bike Club and per-
formed at a high level in the
North Shore league races.

Of the 45 provincial riders
asked to attend the camp, 25
hailed from the North Shore.

And about half of those 25
have their roots planted at
Argyle.

“It’s sort of become a tra-

| dition at Argyle,” admitted
Scorda.

In 1995, Scorda called a
meeting about starting a
mountain bike riding club at
the school. ey

North Shore News, ‘Merchants
Associations and community spirited
GUstEsseS invite you to join them on
a? a hale £ fot :

SPORTS

The respense wasn't quite
what he expected. :

“LT called a meeting and
thought maybe four or five
kids would show up and
instead, 30 showed up.”

Not content to simply shine
on the North Shore, one of
Scorda’s charges is already
carving out a global reputa-
tion.

Grade 12) student. Ben
Stigston will be racing for his
fifth straight B.C. champi-
onship title this year, after hav-
ing captured trophies in
Grades 8 through 11.

Stigston has finished first in
the juvenile division of the
World Mountain — Biking
Championships and fast year
took third in the junior por-
tion of the Canadian comple-
ment.

Scorda only expects the
sport to continue ‘its growth
pattern. Last spring, 70 kids
donned the school’s racing jer-
seys and he expects a jump
again this year.

While the majority of bik-
ers take part in the regular
North Shore races, some opt
to ride in the non-competitive
club format.

Scorda is aided on the
coaching side at Argyle by Jill
Warland, Tom Inkster and
former pro rider Mike Pruner.

Warland said she’s been
very encouraged by the grow-
ing numbers of girls she’s seen
taking to the trails.

Yet still more needs to be

They will be lighting up their windows — win prizes.

GC. biking’s best

done, she said.

She*s striving to develop
more of a girls-only club so
thar up-and-coming riders
can go on weekly endurance
rides and learn to feel more
comfortable with their bikes.

“We're tryiag to build the
whole interest. in mountain
biking for the girls. We're liv-
ing in one of the most out-
standing riding places in the
world and it’s typical of most
extreme sports that it’s pre-
dominantly guys. There are a
few women in there who are
doing just as well but the
numbers are down.”

Following is the complete
fist of North Shore/Howe
Sound riders that were invit-
ed to the weekend camp:
Tvler Ambrose, Brackendale;
Matt Angel, Argyle; Brad
Fairall, Handsworth; Terry
Garnett, Argyle; Duncan
Gavin, West Van; Jeff
Mikeljohn, Carson Graham;
Hunter Riddall, Argyle; Matr
Rochetta, Brackendale; Will
Roudey, Whistler; Jim
Salusbury, West Van; Kristian
Short, Chatelech; = Ben
Sigston, Argyle; — Ginga
Takeshima, Argyle; Brandan
Teo, Argyle; Craig Walsh,
West Van; Danielle Balik,
Carson Graham; Lindsay
Belfry, Argyle; | Heather
Bryce, Carson Graham, Erin
Dunlap, Argyle; Emily
Ewens, Argyle; — Jessica
Gugins, Brackendale;
Jennifer Krogh, Argyle;
Molly McGrath, Seycove;
Amy Passmore, Elphinstone;
Chelsea Raymond,
Rockridge.

NEWS photo Mike Waketield

FOUR of the reasons why Argyle Is gaining a reputa-
tion for churning out top-level riders: Ben Stigston
(clockwise from left), Terry Garett, Lindsay Belfry
and Emily Ewens. _ 7 oa

#
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