Attendance was up at the annual Wix-Brown Circuit Race in Langley on the weekend, with 170 cyclists taking part in the Saturday, March 11 event that began and ended at Wix-Brown school at 23851 24th Ave. in Langley’s Otter neighbourhood.
Event organizer Barry Lyster, who runs Local Ride Racing, said that was an improvement over the 160 people who took part the previous year.
“Right now, there’s a huge appetite for racing and it’s great to see everyone coming out,” Lyster told the Langley Advance Times.
Lyster was encouraged by the number of first-time riders taking part.
“We have 30 novice women [registered for the event],” Lyster enthused.
“That is huge. That’s the biggest we’ve had in a decade.”
Riders followed a course east on 24th, north on 240th Street, west on 32nd Avenue, south on 232 street and back along 24th, with distances ranging from 52 kilometers for open categories, to 97.5k for more advanced riders, who raced later in the day.
Edward Wang, from the Meraloma Bike Club team in Vancouver, won the C-Men category Saturday, completing 10 laps in a time of 1:40:54.
Brendan Tai was first in D-Men (10 laps), while C-women (10) was won by Elliot Kulach, D-women (10) by Eleanor Roberts.
A-men and women was won by Campbell Parrish of Red Truck Racing, who competed 14 laps in 2:10:36, the 12-lap B-men event was won by Caleb Ney, B-women (also 12 laps) was won by by Isla Walker and the Master 40-plus division (12 laps) was won by Vincent Marcotte.
More photos from the day can be viewed online at the Langley Advance Times Facebook page.
Coming up in Langley on Saturday, March 18, is the Aldergrove-based Southie Circuit Race, described as a six kilometre “clockwise, square circuit with mild risers” beginning at 256th Street and 8th Ave and ending at 0 Avenue.
Organized by the United Velo Cycling Club, the event is open to novice racers. Riders can learn more and register online at https://www.unitedvelo.ca.
Races begin at 9 a.m.
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Have a story tip? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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