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
Missed the application period or didn’t quite make the list yet? Take your chance and participate in the Pinkbike Wildcard Contest.
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.
Pinkbike Wildcard Spot
Take your chance and participate in the Pinkbike Wildcard Competition – your final chance to join the line-up of extraordinary photographers above in the 2026 Deep Summer Photo Challenge at Crankworx Whistler.