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Vernon BMX raring to get started

Races are starting up as early as Tuesday
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The view from the start gate at the Vernon BMX track at Ranger Park (Bowen Assman- Black Press Photo).

Rest assured, Vernon’s BMX community. The bike track at Ranger Park is set to open within a couple of days.

“We hope to have it open very soon,” said Shylo Orchard, the program director and track operator at Vernon BMX. “We start practices on Monday and races already on Tuesday.”

Orchard has been swarmed with calls the past couple of weeks, as the Vernon community is frothing at the mouth to get back onto the track.

“We had to wait until the City (of Vernon) turned the water on, so we could properly clean up and get the track ready for the season,” she explained.

Temperatures were hovering below freezing recently, so the club was at the mercy of the city before getting the water turned on.

With the taps being turned on this week, Orchard and track director Chris Spence have been hard at work prepping the course. Snow had to be cleared, berms adequately smoothed, and the two even got a compaction roller lent to them via Nor Val Rentals, helping to ease the burden of clearing the dirt from the rolly hills.

The track is entering its 41st season of operation and was named last year as the best in Canada.

Shylo Orchard, next to the compaction roller lent to the club from Nor-Val Rentals, which will help the track be ready quickly (Bowen Assman- Black Press Photo).
Shylo Orchard, next to the compaction roller lent to the club from Nor-Val Rentals, which will help the track be ready quickly (Bowen Assman- Black Press Photo).

“We are all volunteers, so having sponsors help us out has been great,” Orchard said.

It is going to be a very busy season for Vernon BMX, as they will be hosting two major tournament events.

The first, from July 14-16, is the Rattler Nationals, which is one of eight national level events on the Canadian BMX calendar.

“Anyone can participate in it, and we are just so excited. It has been six years since the last time a national event has been held here,” Orchard mentioned.

Then, in September, Vernon will be hosting the Provincial Finals Pre-Race Double event from Sept 1-3. Vernon won the right to hosting the event based on the team’s performance last year, where they had several riders win awards in the 2022 provincial race in Chilliwack.

Orchard assures that while the course may seem daunting, it is a sport that anyone, regardless of age or sex, can compete in, either competitively or recreationally.

“We have had kids as young as two, and even a man as old as 73, so it is truly for everyone.”

For more information on Vernon BMX, visit vernonbmx.com. The track is open dawn to dusk everyday to the public. If you want to get a membership, it is $65 and good for a full year. That gets you access to Monday practices and Tuesday races.

READ MORE: Vernon BMX Club top track for 40th anniversary

READ MORE: Vernon BMX racer chomping at Bitz to compete at home


@B0B0Assman
bowen.assman@vernonmorningstar.com

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Bowen Assman

About the Author: Bowen Assman

I joined The Morning Star team in January 2023 as a reporter. Before that, I spent 10 months covering sports in Kelowna.
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