The spectacular scenery of Lake Cowichan will be on display on May 5 as the seventh edition of the Cowichan Crusher gravel fondo takes to the area’s gravel roads and trails.
Organizer Dean Stanton said the event should see upwards of 300 riders this year, with registrations showing many from other provinces and from Washington State already having signed up.
Stanton said a month out from the race, close to 90 riders from off the Island have committed to participate.
“That’s really good for spending money on the Island and for tourism,” he noted. “Despite not being a huge event, it’s pretty good for the economy because most people stay for a couple of days.”
The first race of the Triple Crown of Gravels Series, Vancouver Island’s premier and oldest gravel fondo will again feature three distances this year: the piccolo fondo (about 25kms) is geared toward beginner to intermediate-level cyclists.
“It’s for people to get a taste of it and to come back for more hopefully,” Stanton said of the shorter race that runs along the Trans Canada Trail.
The medio fondo (about 55kms) is ideal for beginner to intermediate-level cyclists.
“I really enjoy that course because it’s really just taking everything to the next level,” Stanton said.
The full fondo (about 95kms) is tailored for intermediate to expert-level cyclists and Stanton said it’s a full day for the riders with stunning views to go along with challenging terrain and plenty of hills.
“It’s a challenging course but it’s really stunning,” he admitted. “The Lake makes it special.”
The event originally was run out of the Glenora area, but after scouting out Lake Cowichan, Stanton couldn’t help but make the switch.
“I sort of feel that it’s a hidden gem of the Island. People know about it but they don’t really know about it in a way,” he explained. “I feel like what the trailblazers are doing with the trails and what we’re doing [with the bike race], the potential is there for it to be one of the outdoor capitals of the Island. You have the lake and the trails and gravel riding. You have everything there. It’s very easy to access. There are so many things going for it. It’s just stunning, that area.”
To that end, this year’s Cowichan Crusher is part of what organizers are calling the inaugural Headwater Outdoor Festival.
“We were thinking we really need to expand this, I want to do my event too, but I want it to be part of a bigger thing, too.
“We’ve got hiking events and a mountain bike poker ride on Saturday, May 4, and then on Sunday the Cowichan Crusher,” Stanton said. “We want to build it out with more and more events and even concerts in the future.”
But these things take time, and funding.
“That’s quite a few years off but that’s what we aim to do,” he added.
The goal is to have 1,000-2,000 visitors in for at least a weekend, camping and enjoying all the activities and the sites in the Cowichan Lake area.
“We feel with the camping, it’s getting people closer to nature too. we really just want people and families coming to hang out for the whole weekend.”
Following the Cowichan Crusher event, the Triple Crown of Gravel Series moves on to the Kettle Mettle Gravel Fondo in the Okanagan Sept. 13-14, and then wraps up with the Sea2Sky Gravel Fondo in Squamish on Oct. 5.
For more information on the inaugural Headwater Outdoor Festival and the Cowichan Crusher visit: https://headwateroutdoorfestival.com/