Five photographers. One wildcard. Three days in the heart of the Crankworx World Tour: Whistler, BC. This iconic photo showdown is an annual night to remember. When Deep Summer lights up during Crankworx, it leaves even the most seasoned Whistlerites looking at mountain biking’s West Coast haven with fresh eyes.
Under the blazing summer sun of Crankworx Whistler’s opening weekend, six creatives hit the trails with their cameras, capturing the raw energy, culture, and beauty of the Whistler experience. Their mission? To craft a powerful photo slideshow, set to music, that brings the story of riding in BC’s mountain bike hotspot – and all of that in just three days!
When the lights go down and the images light up the big screen under the stars, the audience is in for a ride – six unique perspectives, each telling a tale of what it means to ride in the Whistler valley.
Deep Summer is a celebration of creativity, community, and the photographers pushing the limits of mountain bike storytelling. Don’t miss the action on Whistler Olympic Plaza, bring a blanket and your friends, and watch for free. Bike valet will be available on site.
Location: Whistler Olympic Plaza
Date: Tuesday, July 28
Time: 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Started in: 2009
Past winners: Mattias Fredriksson (2009), Jordan Manley (2010), Robin O’Neill (2011), Reuben Krabbe (2012), Nicolas Teichrob (2013), Ale Di Lullo (2014), Sam Needham (2015), Tommy Wilkinson (2016), Daniel Ronnback (2017), Chris Pilling (2018), Jim Topliss(2019), Kaz Yamamura (2022), Brendan McClennon (2023), Joel Ducrot (2024), Hector Saura (2025)
2026 Crankworx Whistler Deep Summer Photo Contest Rules and regulations here.
2026 Deep Summer Contestants
Tadej Strah – Pinkbike Wildcard
Hey, I’m Tadej, a physicist from Slovenia. Fun fact – I entered the Wildcard competition while in the thick of writing my master’s thesis on nuclear fusion. Mountain biking and photography have always been a bit of a side quest in my life, but important ones at that. They’ve built countless friendships, taken me all the way to New Zealand during my gap year, and played a big role in my decision to spend the past two years studying in Switzerland to be closer to the mountains. I’ve spent countless days up there, whether ski touring, trail running, or biking, and more often than not I’ve had a camera as a companion. I mostly take photos for fun, but looking back over the past ten years, I’ve developed a preference and skill for really clean, technically strong shots, often putting as much emphasis on the surrounding landscape as on the athlete itself. At the same time, I find a lot of enjoyment in documenting community events and the emotions that come out of them. I’ve also organized a couple of local biking events where all of my skills and interests came together perfectly. I’m really excited to keep the ball rolling with the Deep Summer competition. It’s been a bit of a dream to come to Whistler someday and compete with the best.
Leon Butler
Born on the Isle of Wight on the UK’s south coast, Leon Butler grew up with a strong sense of adventure and exploration. As a photographer he is focused on capturing the energy behind mountain biking to create immersive visual narratives that go beyond the ride itself. Whether shooting race environments or backcountry trails, through his lens. His works lean into feeling over perfection, using the landscape and the energy around it to tell honest stories from life on the bike.
Nikola Klarova
Originally from the Czech Republic, Nikola Klarova brings a love of adrenaline, spontaneity, and outdoor culture into her photography. With a background rooted in action sports, she now enjoys playing on the ‘other’ side of the lens. Nikola’s work captures both the chaos and quiet moments that surround adventure. Drawn to natural landscapes and authentic experiences, Nikola approaches storytelling with energy, humour, and a strong sense of atmosphere.
Marissa Krawczak
Originally from Northern Michigan and now based in the Pacific Northwest, Marissa Krawczak is a professional snowboarder, mountain biker, and photographer with a background in fine art photography. After years spent pursuing freeride and backcountry snowboarding across destinations including Denali, Norway, and Chile, as well as firefighting wildland fires throughout the summers, she is now bringing that same expedition mindset into mountain bike storytelling.
Mathew Wanbon
Based in Courtenay, BC, Mathew Wanbon is an adventure and action sports photographer focused on storytelling within mountain culture. Influenced by his background as a snowboard athlete, his work balances technically polished imagery with a raw and authentic feel focused around the scale of a feature, difficulty of a trick, and the effort that goes into a big day. Through this approach he works to balance staying true to culture and core values while also being accessible to broader audiences.
Josh Woodward
Josh Woodward is a photographer, filmmaker, and rider based in Bellingham, Washington State. Creative media has always been a way for him to connect with the world ever since he stole the family point-and-shoot as a kid to make a BMX edit with his brother! After podiuming at Dirt Diaries 2025, Josh now takes on the Deep Summer challenge – bringing a rider’s perspective and high-impact cinematic approach to mountain bike storytelling.