Sponsored by Cycle North Powersports
Faces at the Races: Rounds 5 and 6 – Canadian AX Championships
Photos and Captions by Billy Rainford
It’s no secret that my favourite thing to do at the races is awkwardly point my camera in the faces of those of you at the events. Every once in a while I capture a moment that stays with me for a long time. I feel that these shots are equally as important to the history of our great sport as the ones of winners grabbing checkered flags – how else are we going to laugh at our clothes and hairstyles 15 years from now?! So, please don’t be annoyed with me when I slink around pointing my lenses your way. The way I see it, you have two choices: 1) stay cool and try to look like you don’t see me, or 2) make the dummest face you can and hope for the best. Here’s a look at this past weekend in Chilliwack, BC.
Teammates checking out Cycle North TLD Honda rider Ross Johnson getting through the whoops. Ross is notoriously quick in these things.
It was nice to see Kelowna native Erin Bates in the barn helping out with some pit announcing. She was in a bad car accident only a month or so ago, so it was great to see her out. She has a neck brace hidden under there.
I took two shots of Summer Knowles getting her autograph and this was the one where Summer looked the funniest, so…
#722 Adam Enticknap giving me the decidedly ‘So Cal’ sideways peace sign.
MRM Atlas Kawasaki’s Ryan Lockhart is now engaged to Randi. Congratulations from all of us.
Like I’ve said before, the people of BC love me…
OK, thank you, Monster Energy Thor Kawasaki’s Jess Pettis and Cycle North Honda’s Wyatt Waddell. The above looks were making me a little nervous!
And there’s the lovely couple now.
PR-MX JT Racing KTM rider #5 Jake Anstett sitting in with Brent Worrall as he called the action live on all the internets.
The infamous ‘rock, paper, scissors’ game that decided Friday’s D4C. Rookie move, Ryan.
Sorry, Stu McQueen. I was trying to get a silly-looking shot of CMRC President Mark Stallybrass, not you.
Who is happier than a witch at a broom factory? Jake Anstett was Friday night, that’s who.
These dozers don’t run on nothing! Matt Koeleman and Chad Mabberly were busy keeping things going.
The Cycle North hospitality tent area looked like a Himalayan base camp! I think there was talk of going for the summit the following morning.
GA Checkpoint Yamaha’s Dylan Delaplace and #621 Kyle Springman have their weekends made by posing with Erin.
Cycle North’s Kourtney Lloyd is always asking me to get shots from above head height, but this might be a little much. I still don’t know why Gerald Heinrichs wasn’t doing up his own boot.
The event programs have a cool little section for autographs and people were putting them to good use.
The bar in the barn has been re-done and is now called The Loft. This moto photo is a nice touch.
They had a DJ in the house keeping the dub step pumping all night.
No Limit Diamond Drilling RMR Suzuki rider Ricky Dietrich led a lot of the Open main Saturday night but confessed his fingers went numb halfway through it. It was cold, folks.
Getting a little sass on.
I had to throw in this one of Jake Anstett again. He almost took out Brad Nauditt on his way over the berm and then actually pushed the fence out of the way and wound up in the parking lot.
I have to be extremely stealthy to get a normal shot of Rockstar Energy OTSFF Cycle North Yamaha Marine rider Shawn Maffenbeier. He’ll be upset that I got his one.
Anstett’s man-friend for the weekend who Jake couldn’t thank enough in our podcast.
Cycle North Honda’s Adam Enticknap getting interviewed by Erin during the RTR Performance opening ceremonies
Working the Lime Nine 30-second board.
And to think I’ve actually asked Clayton Racicot for photography advice.
And Wyatt Waddell. Thanks for making me look bad, Shawn. OK, that’s it for this time. See you at the races…
And then Maffenbeier grabbed my camera and took the 3 best portraits of the night! Here’s Cycle North One Husqvarna rider Dylan Schmoke.
His better half.
Adam signing a jersey for Ryan Lockhart to give to someone.
I don’t know if Brent Carlson and the gang are hidden in this camo gear or if they stand out even more.
Sheldon Stuttard and his dad made the trip again and caught both nights’ racing.
“What? We’re working!”
Rachel Springman and Summer Knowles watching some finals from The Loft.
Crystal Bowman was in charge of giving out the amateur trophies. She was actually jumping up and down to stay warm. She doesn’t have the greatest vertical so I didn’t catch her in the air.
The pink and purple section apparently.
All the 50cc riders ran out in front of the crowd during the opening show.
#23 crossed the finish line and actually snagged the checkered flag out of the flagger’s hand.
It’s OK, Monster Energy Thor Kawasaki’s Teddy Maier. You just about won everything last week!
OK, this isn’t a great shot at all but I had to use it to show everyone just how ‘hipster’ James Lissimore is going (far left). He says he has plans to take it even further.
