"Putting us on the map" Canadian XCM Championships Return to Thunder Bay

THUNDER BAY — Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club is set to host the 2025 Canadian XCM (Cross-Country Marathon) Championships this weekend at Trowbridge Falls and Centennial Park, bringing some of Canada’s top riders to Thunder Bay’s trail network.

This marks the second year in a row the championships will be held in the city, running August 22–23.

“Cross-country marathon is what it’s referred to, so its long-distance mountain bike riding,” said David Valente, president and event director of Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club. “Our event runs multiple lengths of courses, but the marathon refers to essentially the 60 and 90 kilometres worth of riding on mountain bike trails, two to three laps of 30 kilometres.”

While much of the course winds through the forest, organizers say spectators will have plenty of opportunities to catch the action.

“It’s a spectator-friendly event,” Valente said. “The easiest spot is Centennial because they're riding up the sliding hill. That's probably the easiest and closest for everybody to watch and cheer them on, and you'll probably get one of the longer times of watching them ride by.”

The City of Thunder Bay has advised visitors that the Muskeg Express train ride at Centennial Park will not operate during the event, as the racecourse crosses the tracks in several locations. Trail users at both Centennial Park and Trowbridge Falls are asked to avoid the paths while races are underway. Campground patrons at Trowbridge Falls will still have access but may experience brief delays entering or leaving the site depending on the race schedule.

Hosting the championships, Valente added, is a big deal for the city. “Last year was our first time. This is the second time we’ve hosted any sort of mountain bike event, so this is really putting us on the map as a city capable of hosting large-scale events.”

This year, 56 riders are registered for the national races, alongside more than 230 competitors in local challenge events. Those local races will include 5 km, 13 km, 20 km, and 40 km distances, giving community members the chance to take part in the excitement.

The championships will feature some of the country’s top mountain bikers, including Andrew L'Esperance (2023 XCM national champion), Haley Smith (2023 XCM champion and 2022 LifeTime Grand Prix winner), and Sean Fincham (2024 XCM national champion and two-time BC Bike Race winner). Rising athletes such as Oskar Stack-Michasiw, Sarah Frangos, and Juliette Tetreault will also be chasing national titles.

Beyond the trails, the weekend will include a special Friday evening event featuring Canadian cycling legend and Olympic silver medallist Curt Harnett as guest speaker.