Norco News

People Power

May 9, 2013

2013_04_SeaOtter-2243

Just a few of the Norco Cross Country Factory Team Riders.

In pretty much any sport elite athletes are inspiring to be around and cycling is no exception. It doesn’t matter what niche section of our great sport it is: road riders, cross country racers or downhillers. Each and every athlete is serious about their goals, their equipment, how they prepare for key events and what they feed their bodies.

I experienced this again first hand over the past few weeks when the Norco Marketing team shared a house with members of our diverse teams down at the Sea Otter Classic event. The kitchen was always fun to be around as different meals were assembled with care and a great volume of quality food was consumed. I chuckle as I think the communal fridge always had cold fermented bevies in it but I didn’t see one of the athletes touch one of them all week. It was much more common to come upon daily stretching, yoga and other “keep healthy” sessions seemed to be going on in the living room anytime there was a tiny bit of downtime.

And a few of the Norco Downhill Factory Team Riders.

It always made me smile listening to the athletes talking about certain sections of the race course in such great detail. Phrases like “watch out for that rough rutted section after the third off camber lip” and “hit that one double jump on the far right as the lip kicks you less than the middle part”

Same thing with the XC riders chatting about a particular section that was sandy on the inside so faster to go wide. After only a few hours of training and pre-riding, they all had the course memorized and could discuss in detail any section.

The 2013 Norco sponsored H&R Block Road Race Team

It is always fun to be around high-caliber athletes. It is such a reality check for us mortals, but is also inspiring that we can improve ourselves with only small changes to training, diet, and dialing in our equipment. The many team riders down at Sea Otter did really great, and it was a fun season opener kick-off to the busy race schedules coming up. Special congratulations to Jill Kintner on her double GOLD medals in the Downhill and Dual Slalom events.

If you are interested in checking out some racing action near you, go to the events calendar posted on Norco.com to see what is coming up. That or stay connected to the Norco News to see what’s happening now. Daily updates at norco.com/news

Here is hoping that by now you have pulled your bike out of your garage, given it a quick go-over and are starting to get out and ride!

Have fun, keep it safe… seeya out there!

Steak Sauce

The 2013 Norco Team Roster

January 9, 2013

The roster of Norco sponsored riders seems to expand every year and 2013 is no exception. The list of riders under the Norco umbrella is stacked with some of the world’s top cyclists in nearly every discipline imaginable. Through road, cyclocross, XC, all mountain, enduro, DH, trials, and BMX there is someone on the team excelling in the discipline. Here is how the Norco teams shape up for 2013

Norco Factory Team

The Norco Factory Team is a combination of racers and ambassadors of cycling with a number of amazing sponsors. Long time advocates of Norco and mountain biking Darcy Turenne, Jay Hoots, Mislav Mironovic and Ryan Leech continue their own adventures in Sport. Darcy is an emerging videographer, Jay is a master of bike park building, Mislav coaches and competes in slopestyle type events and Ryan Leech is one man that needs no Introduction. Watch for these four riders doing what they do best on their Norco bikes in the coming year

At the racing end of the Norco Factory Team we are excited to welcome some new faces. Returning for 2013 Andrew Watson and Catherine Vipond will be lighting up the National XC race circuit and attending select World Cup events. Stepping up from a development role both Haley Smith and Andrew L’Esperance are joining the Norco Factory Team racing the Canadian National Series and select regional races. Nick Geddes will be racing DH for another year while being joined by Whistler neighbor Sarah Leishman. Nick’s brother Zander Geddes and his long time riding partner Lee Jackson have stepped up from the C4 racing team to race on the Factory Team for 2013. Evan Guthrie joins the team to race a Norco on the Canadian XC circuit. Watch for him on his Team 9 racing for top spot on the podium.

Norco Privateers

Norco also sponsors several individual riders while they seek out their own sponsorship from other brands in addition to Norco. Mike Hopkins and Sam Dueck are following this program as well as Issak Levisson who will be riding his second year on the Norco program.

Dirt Norco Race Team

From the Dirt Norco Race Team things are growing. We were sad to see Duncan Riffle leave the team this year but Ben Reid and Dan Stanbridge are proud to welcome Canadian rider Casey Brown to the team as well as George Gannicott and Greg Callaghan. These additional riders allow the team to compete in Women’s DH, Junior Men’s DH and in the World Enduro Circuit under the Dirt Norco Flag.

Team Norco International

Bryn Atkinson and Jill Kintner will be racing the World Cup circuit for another year aboard the Norco Aurum. After a great 2012 the Aussie/American Duo will be fighting for the DH podium while racing Dual Slalom and Four Cross whenever possible.

Norco Enduro World Team

2013 marks the launch of the Enduro World Series and along with that Norco is excited to have an Enduro Team to race the new 650B platforms internationally. This newly formed team will be made up from the talents of Ludo May, Michael Scharer, Lorraine Trong and Lukas Anrig.

Team H&R Block

Team H&R Block will be racing the road with Norco again in 2013. Situated in western Canada the team consists of 11 talented riders that will compete in events such as the Sram Tour of the Gila, Tour de Beauce, Canadian National Road Championships, BC Superweek and many more highly watched events. This development team will be racing on the new Norco Tactic an looking to best a spectacular 2012 with an even better 2013.

Jet Fuel Norco Team

The Jet Fuel race team was founded as a club back in 1993 and some 20 years later in 2013 Norco is the official bike sponsor. Calling Ontario home, Jet Fuel will compete primarily in the east of Canada and into the United States where its 8 riders will compete for glory aboard their Norco Tactics.

Norco Premier Tech

Out of Quebec comes the Norco Premier Tech Race Team that includes 22 riders fitting into Men’s and Woman’s Cat 1, Masters and Paracycling categories. With a bank of results such as 22 provincial podiums, five provincial victories and an impressive second place finish at the 2012 Quebec Championships watch for this team to dominate in regional Quebec races and venture outside for some larger profile Canadian events. This is a team of talented riders to keep an eye on in 2013!

Norco BMX

The Norco BMX team is expanding. Team newcomers Will Fisher and Devin Szmata will join Ben Kaufmann and James Van de Kamp to represent Norco in the community and at regional competitions. These riders are not just amazing on a bike, they are involved in the community and encourage others to get into the sport. Keep an eye out at your local park and competitions for the four Norco BMX team members.

Norco Bicycles Signs the Norco World Enduro Team

November 19, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

VANCOUVER, B.C., November 19, 2012 – Norco Bicycles is thrilled to sign on as the official bicycle sponsor of the Norco World Enduro Team. The signing of this team strengthens Norco’s commitment to the growing Enduro race market and illustrates an increased investment in the 27.5″/650B Range and Sight models.

The Norco World Enduro Team is based out of Switzerland and team leaders Lukas Anrig and Ludo May are joined by Lorraine Truong and Michael Schärer to complete the stacked roster. Bringing to the table top results nationally and internationally, these four riders will travel the world circuit proving the new line of Norco 27.5″ wheeled Killer B bikes. This team is a partnership that runs much deeper than a traditional rider-sponsor relationship. Working directly with these riders will serve as a valuable feedback and product development channel for the continuous development of the Range and Sight bikes. This relationship model is based on the Dirt Norco Team and what has been done with them and the Aurum DH Race bike.

Peter Stace-Smith, Norco’s PR-Marketing Manager, states “we are super excited to be creating the Norco World Enduro Team for 2013 and beyond. Our Sight and Range Killer B models are the perfect tool for the team and we are excited to see our all-mountain bikes being proved on the international stage.”

Norco’s long history of sponsoring and supporting competitive cyclists reaches back to 1980, when the bicycle brand developed its first competition-level cycling team. Since then, Norco has invested consistently in its sponsorship program, supporting the development of talented athletes competing in a wide range disciplines: Road, Cyclocross, Cross-Country, Downhill, Enduro, BMX and Slopestyle. Norco’s sponsored riders not only serve as brand ambassadors, they also provide invaluable product feedback that enables Norco’s bike design team to refine designs and create some of the best bicycles on the market.

The Norco World Enduro Team will be racing Norco Range Killer B and Sight Killer B bikes. The new 27.5″ wheeled bikes are designed to compete in the diverse and challenging conditions found in these races. Bike choice is crucial in Enduro racing and the combination of pedaling efficiency and suspension performance makes these bikes the perfect tool to propel the Norco World Enduro Team to the top of the podium.

Norco Bicycles Becomes the Official Bicycle Sponsor of the Jet Fuel Road Racing Team

October 16, 2012

VANCOUVER, B.C., October 16, 2012 – Norco Bicycles is thrilled to sign on as the official bicycle sponsor of the Jet Fuel Coffee Norco Bicycles road racing team. Jet Fuel becomes the second road race team on Norco’s 2013 roster, and the signing underscores Norco Bicycles’ commitment to and increasing investment in its cutting edge road race program.

The Jet Fuel team, based in Toronto, began as a cycling club in 1993 and for the 6 years between 1999 and 2005 they competed as a UCI Pro Team. Since 2005, the team has been focused on rider development, serving as a stepping-stone between local teams and elite, UCI-level competition. The Jet Fuel team gives Canadian riders the top-level training and experience they require to develop into racers capable of competing at the highest levels of the sport. The current team is headed by retired Spider Tech racer, Andrew Randell, and features a group of talented and podium hungry young athletes – all eager to prove themselves on the world stage.

Peter Stace-Smith – Norco’s PR-Marketing Manager states “we are super excited to be partnering with Team Jet Fuel for 2013 and beyond. Now having teams riding our brand new Tactic race bikes at both ends of the country is a fantastic opportunity.”

Norco’s long history of sponsoring and supporting competitive cyclists reaches back to 1980, when the bicycle brand developed its first competition-level cycling team. Since then, Norco has invested consistently in its sponsorship program, supporting the development of talented athletes competing in a wide range disciplines: Road, Cyclocross, Cross-country, Downhill, Enduro, BMX and Slopestyle. Norco’s sponsored riders not only serve as brand ambassadors, they also provide invaluable product feedback that enables Norco’s bike design team to refine designs and create some of the best bicycles on the market.

“A partnership of this nature is just the sort that the Jet Fuel program needs in order to keep offering young riders the opportunity to develop as athletes” Team director Andrew Randall mentions, “To have Norco continuing to invest in the development of the Canadian cycling scene is very exciting. The team is looking forward to a great season on the new Tactic bikes.”

The Jet Fuel Coffee Norco Bicycles Team will be riding a custom, top-of-the-line Norco Tactic LE frame – Norco’s all-new road race platform. The Tactic is descended from the CRR, which was developed in close collaboration with Norco’s B.C.-based road race team, Team H&R Block. With the addition of Jet Fuel, Norco now proudly sponsors road race teams competing in both the east and the west.

Welcome to the Norco Team, Jet Fuel!

L to R: Dave Overgaard – Norco Bicycles, Andrew Randall – Jet Fuel Team Director, John Englar – Owner, Jet Fuel Coffee, Skip Swain – Norco Bicycles.

The Norco Team Assembles at Crankworx

September 7, 2012

Whisler’s Crankworx Mountain Bike Festival is the largest cycling event in North America. Hundreds of athletes are joined by tens of thousands of spectators for the 10 day event. Over the course of Crankworx there are dozens of events rewarding the world’s top athletes with some serious cash and hardware. In addition to the awe-inspiring competitions there is also an expo aspect to the event where consumers can walk through the Whistler Village and have a sneak peek at the 2013 line of bikes that is just around the corner. There are also a number of competitions, draws and prizes that can be taken advantage of. One such event gave consumers a chance to win a Norco Rampage Frame, Yakima Bike Rack, Fanatyk Co Bike Rental, Ryders prize pack, GoPro camera or a Gravity Handlebar.

On the competition side of things Norco had a number of international athletes come together and compete for glory during the festival. Jill Kintner may have been recovering from breaking her arm and dislocating her wrist but that didn’t stop her from winning the Pump Track Challenge. The other half of Team Norco International, Bryn Atkinson competed in the Air DH, Giant Slalom and the Canadian Open DH. Bryn managed an 11th place in the Air DH and an extremely impressive 6th in the Canadian Open.

From the Dirt Norco Race Team both Ben Reid and Duncan Riffle came out to Crankworx. Duncan was fighting with an injury during the event but still managed to ‘compete’ in the Air DH and the Canadian Open. He had some different goals than most riders though. Ben Reid on the other hand placed 10th in the Garbanzo DH and was biting at Bryn’s heels in the Canadian Open where he finished 8th.

Whistler Local and Factory Team rider Nick Geddes competed in the Enduro, Pumptrack and the Canadian Open. As a young gun in the pro-men Nick showed the competition what he could do with a 21st place in the enduro and 26th in the Canadian Open. The other Factory Team rider that was on location was Sam Dueck who had a solid placing in the Best Trick Showdown and managed to finish in 13th spot for the Redbull Joyride. Another Great Crankworx event is in the bag. Congratulations to all the competitors, we will see you out there again in 2013.

My 2012 is off to a Rolling Start

April 11, 2012

A huge thanks to Norco for getting me set up on my new 2012 Team Carbon Hardtail.

The bike looks awesome, with a little more red than last year how can it not!! With sweet matching kits, that include different colour arm warmers, the team is not only fast, but looks fast too.

I’m not sure I can pull off the high vis and pink glasses though…

With a brand new bike and fresh rubber I wasn’t letting it touch the snow of Canmore so off to Kamloops it was. With the vibe loaded up we drove from five meter snowbanks, through a couple avalanche chutes, and reached snow free, fresh dirt of Kamloops where we crashed in our old basement bedroom with Keith, Kika and the cats. Unfortunately we woke to a bit of rain but that gave me time to dial everything in on the new bike. After impatiently waiting a few hours it was ride time…

I won’t lie, the beginning of the first ride I felt sketchy. The hardtail was rough, twitchy and just didn’t feel right. I guess that’s what happens after riding a dualie for the last six month and maybe the lack of mountain biking in general over the last couple months. Luckily it didn’t take long to get used to the different handling before I was feeling confident and ready to rip. Not only was I ready to rip but I now had all the advantages of the hardtail; super responsive, snappy and I love how it feels so great out of the saddle.

Most of the set up is the same as last year. We’re running full shimano components; I’m still running the trail 26/38 cranks and love them. Riding with that sound of fresh shifting sure makes the first couple rides amazing. Up front is a Rock Shox Sid XX fork with hydraulic lock out – not only do I love the feel of the fork but I’ve also mastered how to bleed the lock out! Fsa provides some nice carbon bars and seatpost, of course with matching red and white lines. I’m enjoying the WTB Volcan saddle and Ergon grips. Not sure which way to go, white that looks pro or black that is easier to clean. I’m thinking maybe a mismatch of one white, and one black grip to match the arm warmers!! I was also pretty excited to try out some new Kenda tires. I had one called the 24/7 on the rear and was really happy with how it rode. I might venture from my favourite Kadre yet!! Karma and 24/7 seem pretty sweet too.

There might not have been any photos taken while in Kamloops as we were too busy enjoying the rides, and Matt the usual photographer was focused on setting some Strava segments. Matt broke the all important 4:00 minute mark on MC (Matt and Catherine’s Trail). When you built the trail and it is named after you it is important to set the standard. For now we have the fastest male and female times but there is definitely some stiff competition.

We had a great four days of riding in very spring like conditions, before driving home through another snow storm and very wintery road conditions. It continues to snow in Canmore but I’m happy to have gotten out and push the mountain biking a bit. Might sound crazy but there is nothing quite like getting beat up by the World Champ to get you ready for the world cup … next stop Belgium.

Catherine

Olie Burton’s February Pre-Season Update

February 14, 2012

After being swayed around in the Atlantic on the ferry from Portsmouth the Santander I am now in Malaga Spain for some pre season training.

We are already one month down the line in to 2012 and it’s been very busy for me already this year. Most of my time has been taken up with training and finalising the rest of my sponsorship for the coming season. One of the big moves for me this winter was the changeover to Norco bikes for the coming season. I am really excited to be working with such a great company like Norco, everyone at the company has been supper helpful and supportive regards giving the best preparation for the coming season.
A few other exciting changes for the coming season are moving on to One Industries for race kit and back to 661 for gloves and protection. I have also changed wheel sponsor riding for Sun Ringle. I used the wheels on all my bikes when I first started riding so it’s great to be rolling on their products again. I have a few more sponsorship deals in the pipeline which I hope to have finalized soon.

I have had my new downhill bike for about three weeks now. I have tried to get out on it as much as possible since it arrived and I have found that I got used to it very quickly. So much so, that I felt good enough to head down to the Forest of Dean for one of their winter races. I thought this was a great opportunity to get a race under my belt and also so that I had done at least one race before the first World Cup in South Africa in March.

FOD is a great little venue, the tracks are relatively short only being about a minute long and are all great fun to ride. I put in a fast first run as there was rain forecast for the afternoon. I got a low 57 in my first run giving me a 1.5 second lead over second place which I was pretty happy with. Second runs came around and still no rain so I decided I needed to put in another fast one as I thought that the track might be running faster. I came down 0.3 slower than my first run but I think this was because I was a little hesitant in the lower part of the track because it was getting dark.
I took the win in Pro-Am and the race overall winner as well. I was really happy to get a win this early in the season on my new bike and this has set me up for a great season to come. It’ll be great to see all my winter training paying off as well. I have put up a report on my website www.olieburton.co.uk

I’m looking forward to the next few weeks training in Spain, getting everything dialed in before racing properly kicks off.

~ Olie

Norco’s Ride To Conquer Cancer Team

February 8, 2012

Norco has been supporting the Enbridge Ride To Conquer Cancer since it’s inaugural ride back in 2009. In our fourth year of support there will also be a team of riders from Norco participating in the Vancouver and Toronto rides. The team will consist of 11 riders in the West and 5 from the east. All 16 participants are committed to riding over 220 kms each and raising a minimum of $2500.

The team will prepare for the upcoming events through group training, individual efforts, and perseverance. They will also work on their own and as a team to raise their individual fundraising goals. You can follow their personal and group progress on the Norco Ride To Conquer Cancer page that can be found at norco.com/rtcc. In the coming months leading up to each of the Enbridge Ride To Conquer Cancer events you can follow the team’s training and fundraising progress. Additionally we will be providing resources on training, tech and preparation for all participants. If you are looking for tricks, tips and ideas for your ride, check this site for regular updates.

The Norco RTCC team is assembled and they are well on their way to meeting their goals for the ride. Take a few minutes and watch this introduction to some of the team. Learn the personal reasoning for each of our team members in participating in the 2012 Enbridge Ride To Conquer Cancer.

Norco Supported Team Names their 2012 Roster

January 26, 2012

The Silent Norco Racing Team is a Norco supported development team out of Ontario Canada. The 2012 roster is looking better than ever and we are excited to see the team yet again racing on Norco Bikes. This is the full team roster, have a read and say hi below in the comments. Original Story from ridingfeelsgood.com

Silent Norco Racing is gearing up to race hard and has set some demanding goals for 2012. The team will be focused on both Downhill and Cross Country racing in Ontario and nationwide. We have an exciting lineup that’s grown significantly this year. Returning is Jeff Faulds, Tom Kakamousias, Mike Hermanovsky, David Klaver, Rob Carmichael, and Forrest Groves. New for 2012 Taylor Rowlands, Shane Joachim, Monika Luebke, Anton Urtan, and Steve Hayes are joining us.

Silent Sports in North York will again be providing support and service to the SNR Team. They are one of the best bike shops in Ontario and your “go to” source for everything cycling related. They also carry & provide windsurfing, kite boarding and XC ski equipment and service.

The team will be riding Norco bicycles; whose 2012 lineup is incredible and provides the perfect tools for winning races. The smooth ride, easy maintainability and reliability are all aspects we’re looking forward to. All the bikes will be equipped with Shimano components which are the most reliable and best performing on the market, we wouldn’t want to run anything else. Troy Lee Designs will be hooking us up with their durable and trendy apparel, safety gear and race kits. We find their products are the finest, enough said.

Joyride 150 Indoor Bike Park in Markham is supporting the SNR team with the opportunity to train and prepare in the off season. Joyride is an incredible facility where we can practice riding skills all winter long and get fit and stay sharp in their spin studio/gym.

With such a fantastic lineup of sponsors, SNR is positioned for our best season yet.

Jeff Faulds

Jeff’s dedication, technical expertise, unmatched enthusiasm and success in many cycling disciplines make him a perfect fit for a leading role on our team. Not only has Jeff found success on the race circuit, you will find Jeff teaching lessons at Joyride150, volunteering his time at trail building events, organizing mountain bike events, standing behind the lens, working with the OCA to help promote the sport, coaching at riding clinics, or helping a young kid shred at a wicked riding location somewhere in Ontario.

Jeff will continue to play a key role with the Team as manager for 2012. He will help the team as the onsite mechanic fixing any mechanicals and doing tune ups at home between races. He will be working with the riders to develop their skills and coach them throughout the race season. While doing this, Jeff will also be working hard on racing himself and working towards his goals of winning the O-Cup overall and working his way up through the ranks in the XC series.

Tom Kakamousias

Tom is an avid mountain biker and competitive racer. Throughout his years of racing, Tom has found a perfect balance between having fun on his bike and successful race results. During the summer, Tom has also been seen coaching at the Ontario MTB festival held at Kelso Conservation Area. His interest in all aspects of mountain biking has exposed him to multiple disciplines while also making him a great all around rider. He will be using his race experience from all the racing he has done across the country and put it to good use next season. Tom’s mechanical knowledge from his time working at Silent Sports will be an asset to the team through season.

For the 2012 season, Tom has his sights set on attaining a top ranking in the Ontario Cup DH circuit as well as hitting a few XC podiums in hopes of future upgrades into the Elite category for XC. He will be at Joyride 150 Indoor Bike Park a lot this winter with the rest of the team training. 2012 will be Tom’s year.

Mike Hermanovsky

2011 has been Mike Hermanovsky’s most successful season by far, which is only a forecast for seasons to come. Mike trains hard, is extremely motivated, and has goals which encompass all aspects of performance ranging from race results all the way down to small training goals. Mike has experienced success in both downhill and cross country racing, placing 1^st in two downhill races and 1^st in two cross country races (Expert and Sport respectively).

Mike has fairly extravagant plans for the 2012 race season. He plans to attend all downhill and cross country Ontario Cups while attending the Canada Cups in the East Coast. He will increase the intensity of his training throughout the winter months with the hopes of upgrading to the Elite Mens XC category within the first 3 O-Cups. 2012 will be another exciting season for Mike Hermanovsky since he is aiming to be a contender once again in the XC and DH O-cups.

David Klaver

2011 was a big year for me; it was my first year racing Senior Elite DH and also my first year racing XC. My goals for the 2011 season were to finish inside the top 10 at every O-Cup. I did not meet this goal; however, my season was in no way a failure. I have learned from the mistakes I have made, and will make sure they don’t happen again. These mistakes have sometimes prevented me from finishing races or performing my best. What I’m taking in school is also a benefit for me and the members of the team, because it gives me knowledge of proper training, nutrition, anatomy and physiology etc.

The 2011 season also exceeded my goals in the areas of XC racing. I went into my first race just hoping to finish. I had never even owned or ridden a proper XC bike or even XC gear. I didn’t even do any training to prepare me for the demands of XC racing. Despite all this, I still managed 3^rd at my first race and 1^st at my second race. Soon after our team upgraded to Senior Expert, and had some decent results there. I believe I have lots of potential in XC, and I can’t wait for the 2012 season. My downhill riding has also progressed, so much to look forward to.

For the 2012 season my goals are again to be within the top 10 for DH and also make some appearances on the podium, for XC top 5 finishes and podiums. To achieve these goals I am going to work out as much as possible and eat well. Also do lots of XC riding, DH riding, dirt jumping and pump track riding. During the winter months do some snowboarding and go to Joyride Indoor Bike Park. Also, I will need to use what I have learned from the past, and not make the same silly mistakes that keep holding me back.

Rob Carmichael

Rob loves to ride his bike no matter what he’s riding; from downhill to XC he always has fun doing it. But when it comes down to race time, Rob likes to get its done. In Rob’s 2011 season he quickly found what works for him taking him to the podium more then 3 times and winning the overall series in Senior Expert.

For the 2012 season Rob will continue to battle for the top spot in the Ontario Cup downhill series. He will be at Joyride 150 Indoor Bike Park a lot this winter with the rest of the team training for 2012. With the help of the team, Rob hopes to gain enough knowledge and skill to make the big leap into Elite downhill racing by the end of 2012.

Anton Urtan

Anton is an avid mountain biker and competitive racer. Throughout his years of riding, Anton has discovered the fun challenges it takes to win and has developed an ambition to ride well and race fast. He brings a positive attitude and always has the initiative to help others out all the time. During the summer, Anton has also been seen coaching at the Ontario MTB festival held at Kelso Conservation Area and spends a lot of time building at his local training grounds. Anton is always looking to improve his skills and accept new challenges on his bike.

For the 2012 season, Anton will be racing as a Junior Expert in DH and a Junior Sport in XC. He has his sights set on attaining a top ranking in the Ontario Cup DH circuit ,while racing the full Canada Cup DH circuit, as well as racing the Ontario XC circuit. He will be at Joyride 150 Indoor Bike Park a lot this winter with the rest of the team training. Anton will also be involved in a High Performance Athlete program through school, allowing him more time to train and race in the spring semester. For 2012 Anton will be having a break out year.

Shane Joachim

Shane is Ontario Downhill. You can’t be at any event without seeing him and without talking to him. Shane makes a point to say hi and help out anyone he possibly can. He is a true ambassador of the sport and everyone’s best friend. Here is what he had to say about his new spot on the SNR Team.

“I like Norco’s commitment to continually develop a cutting edge bicycle. I believe that Norco’s Engineered Technology Platforms for 2012 will give me the most agile, fast and efficient bicycles to race and ride. The opportunity to ride such a well engineered frame is going to make the 2012 season, my best year of racing to date.” -Shane Joachim

Monika Luebke

Monika is one of the top female racers in Ontario. She is also a great ambassador of the sport always helping out other female riders get comfortable and up to speed. She is also looking at going back to her roots and trying a few XC races again this year. Here is what she had to say.

“Over the years I’ve learned that nothing beats training with friends, learning from each other and celebrating each success together, no matter what size. Being a part of the SNR Team is exactly the type of support I am looking for. Aside from developing great friendships, it’s going to give me the opportunity to learn more about bike maintenance and repair, promote the sport and learn from some top of the line riders.”- Monika Luebke

For the 2012 season, I will be racing amongst many inspiring young women in the DH community and plan to take a stab at Master Sport (30-39) Female in a few of the Ontario XC races. I’m looking forward to the challenge and I’m stoked to see more and more girls out there riding 2 wheels.”

Taylor Rowlands

Taylor is a passionate cyclist. If he is not riding downhill at Blue Mountain, he can be found on his trail bike riding XC all around the Collingwood area. Being a local to Blue allows Taylor to ride his downhill bike 7 days a week with lift access, some days it’s only a run or two on his lunch break, but he is always hitting the trails.

Taylor is a downhiller through and through and will be once again focusing on downhill racing this year.

For 2012 Taylor will be focusing on Canada Cups and racing as many Ontario Cups in between. Taylor is motivated and working hard towards solid results in 2012.

Forrest Groves

Forrest is the youngest rider on the team but has no less passion or skill on the bike. Forrest has been riding downhill long before he was even of age to race. He is also big into all action sports from motocross, snow cross, snowboarding, jet skiing, and more. Forrest is right at home when it’s fast and dangerous.

For 2012 Forrest is looking at taking his racing to the next level. He will be racing in cadet for his 2^nd year but with a December birthday, will still be younger than most of his competition. This extra challenge is what drives him to push even harder. Forrest is looking learn from the experience and skill of his teammates and get some podium action from it.

Steve Hayes

Steve lives and breathes bikes. Over the years he has learned much about what it takes to be a part of the Ontario riding community; whether that means helping out on any given day with a trail build, photographing an epic ride, giving it his all during a race weekend, or just going out and having fun on two wheels with everyone. Steve is always eager to learn and improve his own riding while keeping a positive and competitive attitude.

2012 will be Steve’s 3rd season as a part of the Ontario Cup DH circuit, and will be racing in Senior Sport in DH with ambitions of upgrading to Senior Expert in the near future. He is also hoping to test his skills out in the Mont Tremblant Canada Cup this year. This winter, Steve will be splitting his time between the gym and Joyride 150 to give him the training he needs to reach his goals.

2012 Planned Events

Complete Ontario Cup DH Series
Eastern Canada Cups
DH National Championships
DH Provincial Championships
Complete Ontario Cup Super D Series
Super D Provincial Championships
Cross-Country Ontario Cup Series
Cross-Country Team Events and Relays
XC Provincial Championships
Cycle-cross Events
East Coast Open
US Open
Ride to Conquer Cancer
Whiteface 5k DH Pro GRT Race
Toronto Bike Show Racing
Joyride Halloween Jam
Crankworx
MTB ON Festival
And more

Introducing World Cup Rider Olie Burton

January 17, 2012

Olie Burton is a solo competitor on the World Cup circuit. As a privateer he has been making his own way to the races and fighting his way up through the ranks. This coming year he will be riding a Norco Aurum in all his racing endeavors. Olie is still on his own program riding for sponsors such as Kore, One Industries, 661, Adidas and Action Cameras but this year he has the power of the Aurum on his side.

In 2011 Olie injured his finger and was forced off the bike for three months. Disappointed, he struggled coming back and missed qualifying at a few of the World Cup rounds. As 2011 progressed he recovered and came back to finish in an impressive 68^th and 66^th at Mont Saint Anne and Windham and 62^nd at the world cup finals in Val Di Sole. These results were a great step forward and he is looking to improve upon them in 2012.

Some other highlights from this past year have been 4^th place at the Nissan European Cup in La Bresse, France and winning the overall Elite title for the Pearce Cycles race series. The Pearce Cycles series was a specific goal Olie had set for 2011 and hopes to continue through 2012.

Everyone at Norco would like to wish Olie a warm welcome to the team and offer the best support we can over the coming year. Here is to a great 2012! If you would like to send a message, you can connect with Olie on his facebook page.

Here is a video from the past year of Olie, looking forward to seeing an Aurum going even faster.