Seeding Update: Locals Show Dominance at Specialized Canadian Open DH
Skies cleared over Crankworx Whistler this week after a stretch of heavy rain. Wednesday’s track walk found the iconic 1199 track at the Specialized Canadian Open DH starting to dry out in the sunshine, with practice running through the afternoon. It’s shaping up to be one of the most stacked riders field the Specialized Canadian Open we’ve seen in recent years. Today’s Seeding runs set the start order for tomorrow’s Specialized Canadian Open DH Final (Elite & U19 Experts), and both fields wasted no time throwing down fast, aggressive times.
Gracey Hemstreet Sets The Pace
BC local Gracey Hemstreet posted the fastest time of the morning at 4:09.501, topping the Women’s Elite seeding board by a commanding 5.494 seconds over Eliana Hulsebosch (NZL). Indy Deavoll (NZL) rounded out the provisional top three at +10.330, with Matilda Melton (USA) and Tayte Proulx-Royds (CAN) completing the top five.
Dane Jewett Leading A Stacked Filed
Local Dane Jewett set the benchmark in the Men’s Elite Seeding at 3:23.278, holding off Luke Meier-Smith (AUS) by just 0.665 seconds. Troy Brosnan (AUS) sits third at +3.153. Another Canadian rider, Jonathan Helly, slid into the fourth spot right at the end of Seeding, with Crankworx Whistler newbie Andreas Kolb (AUT) and Michael Delesalle (CAN) rounding out the top five separated by a mere twelve thousandths of a second.
The Elite finals of the Specialized Canadian Open DH tomorrow will bring together some of the greatest Downhill athletes and local legends including Jackson Goldstone, Asa Vermette, Jakob Jewett, Aaron Gwin, Luca Shaw, Richie Rude, Tegan Cruz, Lucas Cruz, Eliana Hulsebosch, Mille Johnset, Tayte Proulx-Royds, Emmy Lan – just to name a few.
Full results online: https://www.crankworx.com/results/
What’s Next At Crankworx Whistler
This afternoon, the action continues with Group B Finals of the Specialized Canadian Open DH. Spectators are welcome on-site, with shuttles running up to the Timing Flats in Creekside for anyone looking to catch the racing trackside.
Tonight, five contestants take over the big screens at Whistler Olympic Plaza for Dirt Diaries at 8 PM, with judges on hand to award the coveted title and prize purse.
Tomorrow’s headline event is the Specialized Canadian Open DH Final for Group A (Elite & U19 Experts), with start order set by today’s Seeding results. Topping off an action-packed day, the Official Whip-Off World Championships presented by POC will turn the Whistler Boneyard into a party on the hill. On Saturday, head-to-head racing will take over the schedule with the Crankworx Whistler Dual Slalom. The Rhapsody Slopestyle – finals of the Slopestyle Super League Regular Season – and the newest addition to the schedule, the Crabapple Hits World Championships, will bring lots of airtime and Freeride action on Sunday, closing out the 21st edition of Crankworx Whistler.
All the action is best experienced on site, with accessible viewing spots directly on the hill or from the VIP areas at the Specialized Canadian Open DH and Rhapsody Slopestyle if you fancy close-up views, snacks and refreshments. Anyone looking to upgrade their experience can secure VIP access at crankworx.com/whistler
For fans watching from home, the Specialized Canadian Open DH and Rhapsody Slopestyle will be broadcast live on the Crankworx YouTube channel and Pinkbike
Follow @crankworx for news and updates throughout the festival.