Ah, ski hills. The powdery snow, the swerves back and forth and the graceful gliding to the bottom before hopping back on the chair lift to take you to the top again.
That’s the image most of us get, but imagine sitting at the bottom of the hill with a bike in hand instead of skis under your nicely insulated boots. Then picture facing the mighty task of making it all the way to the top of the hill on said bike.
That’s what the varsity mountain biking team is up to these days, as they are on the way to defending the University Cup mountain crown they won in 2004. Many of the year’s races take place on hills that would be easier to descend on a flat synthetic apparatus than ascend on a mountain bike.
Their mission this year is “to have fun,” says coach David Wright: “We think that top student-athletes are under enough academic-and often financial-stress while at university, and that being part of a varsity team shouldn’t add to those stressors.”
While a training schedule of three to four mountain bike rides a week may seem stressful, the team members love it.
“The best part of the team is just surrounding yourself with smart, enthusiastic people,” says team captain Mike Falikowski. “Everyone on the team shares a passion for cycling, but they also bring their own personal interests to the team, and it really enriches the experience. It’s not only about the bike; it’s also about camaraderie.”
Mountain biking is not an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) sport, so the co-ed team of nearly 40 members competes in the Ontario University Cup Mountain Bike Race Series-an Ontario Cycling Association-sanctioned series that consists of four races scheduled throughout the fall at various venues in southern Ontario.
“There are team and individual rankings, and champions are determined by the cumulative points earned over the season,” explains Wright. “The University of Toronto mountain bike team has become a powerhouse on the university mountain bike race scene.”
The team has proved Wright right with their first three races of the season.
The Varsity Blues came home toting two podium finishes after traveling to Mansfield, Ontario September 18, to race at the Mansfield Outdoor Centre. Monika Chmiel, a fourth-year engineering student who “has been dominating the women’s sport division” according to Wright, finished first in the women’s B division, and rookie Brett Waghorne finished third in the men’s B division.
The team raced at the Hardwood Hills Mountain Bike Centre two weeks ago in the second race of the season. The energetic speedsters brought home results from this event that were good enough to vault the U of T team into second place in the standings.
Highlights included two medals in the women’s B division: another gold by Chmiel and a bronze by her racing partner, Robyn Smith, a physiotherapy student.
Chmiel attributes her recent successes to intensive off-season workouts and this year’s training camp, where she received “tips on the proper positioning during climbs, down-hills, cornering, balancing, ‘bunny hopping,’ and how to get off and on your bike quickly,” she says.
“I try to implement what I learned during my practice rides during the races,” she continues.
All eyes in the final race of the series will again be on Chmiel, Smith, and Waghorne. Another hot racer to watch out for will be engineering student Thorsten Klaus, who is currently ranked fourth in the men’s A (expert) division.
The Ontario University Cup Mountain Bike Race Series will conclude October 16 with a race in London at Boler Mountain, which will determine this year’s champion. U of T’s biggest challengers are Queen’s and Western. The team competed at Ganaraska Forest this past Sunday, but results were unknown at press time.
“Clearly, this year we would like to defend our title, but results really don’t matter that much,” says Falikowski. “We’ve lost a few veteran riders and are trying to cultivate some new talent. Our team’s main focus is to encourage participation and promote a good time. If people are having fun, then our primary objective is met.”
