Darcy Turenne

Confessions of a Rookie Camper: Darcy & Camp of Champions

I always wanted to be one of those kids who got to go to camp. My parent's idea of camp was pitching a tent in the middle of the woods, giving us a bag of marshmallows to roast, and leaving us with our bikes so we could ride through the trails or play on the beach.

Being sent to a mountain bike camp with other kids to ride and play with (as opposed to the wild animals I was used to) and being coached by pro riders was nothing more of a silly far-fetched dream I'd have as a young rider.

It might have come a little late, but finally that wish came true. I went to mountain bike camp this week! Better late than never right?

Camp of Champions and Oakley teamed up to bring myself and my teammates Brain Lopes and Niki Gudex to camp this year and I couldn't have been more excited when I heard that we'd get to ride in the camp for a whole week.
Originally we were invited as guest coaches, but by the fun we had I'd wager to say that I felt more like a camper than a coach.

We'd wake up to a beautiful breakfast, go rip around Whistler bike park for a few runs, go in for a beautiful lunch, rip around the bike park some more, then cap it off with either a trip to the foam pit, shooting golf balls at the driving range, shredding the C.O.C. mini ramp, or shooting hoops and yes, I'm going to put this out there - I am a better basketball player than Brian Lopes! It's ok Brian, you're a REALLY good bike rider.

We lucked out with the weather and I don't know about anyone else, but I was stoked to ride in the sweltering heat everyday after such a cold winter. Trail conditions were dusty and fast and we didn't have to deal with muddy gear for the whole week which was an added bonus. I think we rode every kind of trail style you could think of other than muddy everyday. Fast, flowy, jumpy, rooty, droppy, rough, smooth, steep, flat, left, right, up, down - we rode it and we loved it. No campers pampers needed - these kids were tough and stoked on it all!

The riding was great, the other coaches ruled, but the thing that I couldn't get over was the amount of swag that these kids got when it was all over with! Not that it's all about the swag...but when you get loaded up with enough gear to fill an extra duffle bag you've gotta be stoked. I'm pretty sure these kids left with full body armor, a new full face helmet, a hoodie, t-shirts, Oakley gear, and thankfully, a Dakine backpack to cart it all away in. One camper even left with a new dirtjump frame! Now their kit is as steezy as their newly developed skills.

I'd have to say, even though I'm 24 years old and already a pro rider, my first trip to camp was better than I could have ever imagined. The wildlife was still there (as we discovered one day when we found ourselves watching two bears having a little lovemaking session under the chairlift...who would have expected that sex-ed was part of the Camp of Champs?) but instead of a bag of marshmallows we ate gourmet food, and instead getting lost in the woods with fully rigid bikes covered in rust we got to ride in the best bike park in the world on a fleet of top-of-the-line fully functional Norco bikes!

Thanks to all the kids and coaches for showing me the pro-rider camp newbie such a great time. I'm coming back next year for sure (if my mom lets me).
-Darcy