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Dirt bikers team up in season-closing XC motorcycle event

New team event introduced for final race of 2017
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Sam Schirmer pops a wheelie over the rock pile during the Mosquito Harescramble II at his family’s ranch on Sept. 17. The Yukon Cross Country Motorcycle Association closed out the season with a two-day event over the weekend. (Tom Patrick/Yukon News)

After seven seasons the Yukon Cross Country Motorcycle Association still knows how to keep things fresh.

To close out the season the YCCMA, founded in 2011, tried something new at its event the Mosquito Enduro-X II and Mosquito Harescramble II, a two-day event held Sept. 16-17 at the Schirmer Family Ranch south of Whitehorse.

“For the first time and to keep the racing fun and interesting, Sunday’s harescramble was a team event for all the ‘A’ riders,” said YCCMA president Mike Beaman. “Riders were paired in teams of two, mixing more and less advanced riders together to make a level playing field. This gave the riders the opportunity to work as a team to finish the race, and also allow the less experienced riders to learn from the more advanced ones.”

A total of 45 racers from Yukon and B.C. competed in the event that marked the second year in a row that the YCCMA finished off the season with a two-day event.

There were endurocross races — a series of short races in which riders are awarded points for placements — on Saturday. Then came harescramble races — in which riders complete as many laps of a course as they can in a set amount of time — on Sunday.

The event was the YCCMA’s third of the summer, seeing a record 59 riders compete in the season opener in June.

It’s no small task putting on an event that offers such a variety of divisions, for beginner up to expert.

The courses included, “a mini trail for the kids, a ‘B’ trail with fun flowing single track and open trail with small obstacles, and a more technical ‘AA’ loop which includes logs, rocks, and hills,” said Beaman. “Each loop is designed to challenge the riders physical endurance, technical riding skills and navigation skills according to their class. The racing is designed to be fun and a good outdoor physical activity. Keeping it more about the adventure and camaraderie.

“There are classes for the whole family from kids to expert riders.”

Contact Tom Patrick at tomp@yukon-news.com

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Mini bike winner Kayden Brulotte leads a racer on a section of trail. (Tom Patrick/Yukon News)
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Intermediate B winner Frank Smith rides a berm. (Tom Patrick/Yukon News)
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Ryder Brulotte weaves through the course. (Tom Patrick/Yukon News)
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Tim Schrimer, left, and Julien Revel rider over an obstacle. (Tom Patrick/Yukon News)
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Shane Orban goes over the tractor wheel. (Tom Patrick/Yukon News)
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Expert AA winners Hans Gatt, front, and Steve Thomas lead the pack during Sunday’s race. (Tom Patrick/Yukon News)