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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-08-31, Page 1414 - August 31. 2005 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR Sports Hensall boys on top in Ontario downhill mountain bike season By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor In a sport that involves racing a bike as fast as possible down a mountainside and avoiding trees and rocks along the way, two Hensall teens have become provincial champs. While they've only been competing since May, Nic Bruxer and Devon Long, both 17 and Grade 12 students at St. Anne's Secondary School in Clinton, are ranked first and second in Ontario in the extreme sport of downhill mountain bike racing. The two got hooked on the sport after trying it for the first time last summer at Blue Mountain in Collingwood. "One run down the hill and it basically got us addicted," says Long. "It was scary and fast and gave you a lot of adrenaline," says Bruxer with a grin. The sport is similar to skiing in that participants take a chair lift up , the mountain and race one at a time against the clock down a. trail on the mountainside. The mountain bike trails are located in the wooded area beside the ski runs with marked trails that have trees, rocks, turns, jumps and obstacles riders must navigate along the way, sometimes going more than 70 kilometres an hour. "You're always going down. Gravity is what we use the most," says Long. And, while recreational runs down the mountain on a bike were exciting, the two were drawn to racing since the pressure of competition against the clock and other riders produced even more adrenaline. "The hardest part is to push yourself to go faster and trying not to be scared," says Long. "There's fine line between going too fast and crashing and staying in control," adds Bruxer. "Racing is a different kind of adrenaline. The pressure to race is so much better than just taking a run down the mountain," he says. While neither of them had a wipe-out their first run, they say they've had plenty since but have not had any broken bones or serious injuries in the dangerous sport. "We've both had our fair share of wipe- outs. Devon almost burst his spleen and I almost broke my neck and we've both had concussions. Seaforth & District MINOR HOCKEY FIRST SKATE & TRYOUTS Saturday, September 10 7:30 a.m. - Sr. House League 8:30 a.m. - Jr. House League 9:30 a.m. - Mites 10:30 a.m. - Tykes 1:30 p.m. - Novice 2:30 p.m. - Atom Boys 3:30 p.m. - Atom Girls 4:30 p.m. - Pee Wee Girls 5:30 p.m. - Pee Wee Boys 6:30 p.m. - Bantam Girls Tuesday, September 13 7:30 p.nm. - Bantam Boys 8:30 p.m. - Midget Boys REGISTRATION FOR ALL TEAMS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Seaforth Arena to make split-second decisions when a tree is coming at you on the mountain. Long adds that firefighter training helps them learn to deal with fear. Racing throughout Ontario and Quebec in six races throughout the summer for the Ontario Cup, Bruxer and Long placed everywhere from 16th to first, ending" the season with enough total points that Bruxer came first and Long second for all of Ontario in the junior sport class. Because of their excellent Quoted 'Trees are really hard objects - we found that out. Even the small ones don't move the way you'd think they would,'— Devon Long, 17, of Hensall It's part of the sport. Everyone loves hearing the wipe-out stories," says Bruxer. "Trees are really hard objects - we've found that out. Even the small ones don't move the way you'd think they would," says Long. The two each ride $7,000 mountain bikes and full protective gear - worth about $1,000 in total - including pressure suits, full face -mask helmets, goggles and shin pads. The two are both also junior firefighters in Bluewater, an activity they say helps them to train for downhill mountain biking. "Training for firefighting helps a lot," says Bruxer. "You wear a big protective suit with different weights on you. It helps your balance and it gets your senses stronger." He says training that involves crawling through a smoke-filled roorn while blindfolded helps develop all of the senses and produces the mental toughness needed results they will move into a more difficult class next year, the junior expert class. The two say they want to do more training by lifting weights and running during the winter to prepare for the tougher competition next season. But, because there are no mountains nearby, they have to travel to Blue Mountain to train. "When you get into a higher category, everybody's got the skills and it becomes more of a psychological game - who's brave enough to stay off the brakes and keep pedalling." says Long. Since Bruxer is good at the sharp turns and Long is good at the jumps and drops, the two like to help each other develop their skills. "We tell each other the best lines to take down the mountain," says Long. "It's competitive but it's also a team sport. Everyone discusses the best way to take the mountain," adds Bruxer. Devon Long and Nic Bruxer Susan Hundertmark photo 12 Main St.Seaforth phoPe:. 51 9-tS, ',;5 fax 519-527-2089 diva©tcc.on,ca OPEN Monday - Friday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.