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Brothers leave competition in their dust

The Schirmer brothers continued to establish their motocross dominance last weekend.
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The Schirmer brothers continued to establish their motocross dominance last weekend.

The riders swept the latest Yukon Cross Country Motorcycle Association event, finishing first and second in both the morning prologue and the afternoon Hare Scramble races.

The day-long event was held in their backyard, a 160-acre family ranch with trails that crisscross all over the vast property.

Sixteen-year old Tim won both races while his older brother Sam, 17, was runner-up.

The brothers had finished second and third, respectively, in both the prologue and Hare Scramble races at the association’s last event, held on July 6.

“I had a good battle with my brother during the prologue, and with (third place finisher) Travis Adams,” Tim said.

“We’re pretty competitive as we started riding around the same time. We have good days and bad days but we’re mostly at the same level.”

The home track advantage for the Schirmer brothers was not a factor, said Tim, as changes had been made to the expert loop of the track just a few days before the race.

“We actually just built new sections on the A loop, so the track was new to us too,” Tim said.

The prologue, which determines the starting line-up for the Hare Scramble, is a short, 20-minute race that features a wide range of obstacles such as old cars, logs and culverts.

The Hare Scramble was either one or two hours long, depending on the rider’s level, and featured A and B loops with different obstacles.

The A loop, about nine kilometres long, is a demanding track for any rider while the six kilometer B loop is for younger, more inexperienced riders.

Schirmer said he started feeling tired after the fourth lap, after which he’d already ridden more than 35 kilometres.

“It’s hard on your arms and you take a lot of bumps on impact,” he said.

“The bike is heavy, weighing upwards of 200 pounds, and it’s really important to stay hydrated.”

Schirmer said the best time to drink was during a straightaway, when he could free up one of his hands and take a sip from his CamelBak.

Event organizer Mike Beaman was pleased with the turnout for the event, which featured more young riders than normal.

He said 11 kids took part in the various races.

The next event will be held on Sunday, September 21 at the same location.

Contact Myles Dolphin

at myles@yukon-news.com