Local dirt bikers have impressive season
A BRIGHT RACING FUTURE — Local dirt bike racers, 14-year-old Trystan Hart, 16-year-old Wyatt Hart and 16-year-old James Wilfley all placed well during competitions throughout Alberta this summer, and are hoping to help host a dirt biking event in the Columbia Valley sometime soon. Photo by Joshua Estabrooks
By Joshua Estabrooks
Pioneer Staff
A group of local dirt bikers have been competing throughout Alberta this summer, achieving some impressive results in a variety of cross country and endurance racing events.
The trio of teens are the youngest members of the Arrowhead Racing Team, which includes seven valley based motorsport enthusiasts and some dedicated parents, or bike transporters, to help with the extensive amount of travel involved in order to compete.
Trystan Hart, the youngest of the racers, said he got into cross country and enduro racing as it was a safer alternative to motocross, which puts pressure on riders to make ridiculously large jumps and do mid-air tricks, sometimes resulting in serious injuries. His season included three third place tournament finishes and a first place finish.
His older brother Wyatt also switched over from motocross, and although he races against competitors over twice his age, managed to achieve two first place finishes, one second place and also banking a seventh place finish before the season wrapped up for the year.
James Wilfley also travels with the Hart brothers, and logged a fifth, sixth and three seventh place finishes during competitions this summer.
These results are very promising, said Arrowhead Racing’s Shawn Tegart. He started the team as a way to leverage some sponsorship to help out with the costs of competing, but said the three up and coming racers have been impressing everyone with their results.
“These guys had awesome results. They were up against 25 to 30 riders in some of these races and most of those guys have been doing it forever. We’re really happy with these young up-and-comers.”
Continuing the support for motorsports in the Columbia Valley, the Hart brothers’ father, Kendyl, along with Mr. Tegart, has been working to establish the Windermere Valley Dirt Riders, a local group that will work towards establishing the sport and developing areas to ride.
“Eventually we’d love to host our own competition out here. These events are fun for the whole family,” said Mr. Hart.
Both Mr. Tegart and Mr. Hart agree that a lot of dirt bikers and ATV-ers get a bad rap, but they have the same rights to the land as anyone else, and would love to have areas that they can use responsibly and develop for the sport.
“There seems to be the perception that dirt bikers are ruining the environment and we’re all bad, but I’m here to say we’re not. We just want to use our little piece of B.C. too,” said Mr. Hart.
For more information on the Windermere Valley Dirt Riders, call Mr. Hart at 250-342-5892 or Mr. Tegart at 250-342-5353.
