Moose Jaw Cycling Coalition - Spring Enduro

Buffalo Pound Provincial Park

Sunday, May 18, 2025

40 participants (33 men/7 women) in the long course which consisted of 7 stages (approx 12.5k)

8 participants (7 men/1 woman) in the short course which consisted of 3 stages (approx 5k)

Conditions leading up to event includes rain which produced ‘hero dirt’ which was tacky and ideal for riding. Weather was a chilly 6-8 degrees and a gusty wind which doesn’t matter much when you’re on the trails. I was glad it didn’t rain which is typical for May long weekend weather.

An enduro in the spring is generally regarded as an early race before participants have done much trail riding. I made sure to have ridden all the stages the day or two before the race. Not much out of the ordinary was expected on Stage 1) Buck Wild, Stage 2) Elevator/High Road, Stage 3) Big Rock, and Stage 6) Jackpot. For the first time ever, I experienced some nervousness on Stage 4) Roots because of how technical the trail has become this year due to run off. So I rode it again the day before the race and I felt comfortable again. I knew I would never be able to ride it like I used to ride Jackpot where I would jump the root drops. For those that don’t know, I rarely ‘get air’ anymore since my accident four years ago. So I knew that rolling the roots was going to slow me down, but I still had a good descent. The dogs that live at the house above the Roots Trail ran down near the trail and were barking at me while I rode past. I was expecting this so it didn’t catch me off guard. Likewise, I was uncertain what condition Stage 5) C-Ya was in so I pre-rode it the day before. I have also wiped out on the steep part of that trail one year when my brakes failed during the enduro. This stage proved to be great in that it was a creative mix of off-camber turns, short steep descents, and some flat sections of pedalling. Similarly, Stage 7) Joe’s Ridge to Rankins was long in lengthand once I turned off Joe’s Ridge I was facing into the gusting wind causing me to pedal hard where I wouldn’t normally have to. No injuries or wipe-outs were reported other than one rider DNF due to losing his brake pads.

I rode in a group of the other women participants. It was great as we are all friends and ride together often. We had a 14 year old boy from Kenosee Lake that asked to join our group. It was his very first race and he turned out to be a very skilled and fast rider!

Finishing times in an enduro are literally seconds between participants. I am happy with my times as I don’t expect to podium in enduros like I used to because I am a different rider since my accident taking lower risks. I also expect faster times in the fall enduro as I am sure all other participants will as well after a summer of riding the trails.

The atmosphere was the typical enduro style - chill and laid-back. Chill pace on the climbs, no line ups at the stage start lines, and fast-paced down to where our group would meet up at the bottom. Strava seemed to be proficient at capturing the times/results for everyone. Kudos to my husband, the race director, who spent countless hours planning and setting up this event and hours tabulating the results! I was glad that two locals won the men top spots in the long course and one in the short course. Likewise, in the women short and long. I always enjoy the friendly banter between the male top finishers. Gratitude also to our friends, Jason and Laura Slon, on the grand opening weekend of The Trailhead Café in the renovated Upper Chalet/Visitor Centre where the event took place. They cooked and served a delicious home made lunch for all participants. Also much support and prizes from the bike shops. Vaughn, the park guy, was helpful in setting up and taking down the course markings. Much appreciated. Looking forward to organizing and participating in the fall enduro and making it bigger and better than ever! Jenn Gauthier HPL Cycling