Island DH- Fall riding by Aaron Larocque

I teamed up with Island filmaker Aaron Larocque for our 3rd video and this is the result!

Aaron Larocque: "This Fall has been one of the nicest in recent memory. It's been chillier than is standard for Southern Vancouver Island, but each morning when I get up, it's sunshine pouring down rather than rain. Dean Tennant and I decided it best to take advantage of the weather while we could and get out to the South Island's favourite shuttle zone, Mt. Prevost, to clock some footage. Dean was itching for some time on the bike after a broken collarbone at Worlds in Champery sidelined him. Prevost's road construction meant a long "bottom to top" early morning hike. An hour of hiking had us at the top of the trail - an exhausting way to start an already difficult day of shooting, yet the perfect way to warm up on a brisk mid-November morning. One of the biggest challenges of a shoot this time of year is actual daylight hours. With only about six hours per day of workable light in the forest, depending on cloud cover, you quickly end up battling the fading sun. Sundown was sneaking up on us and we were still around mid mountain. The shoot would have to be cut short today. "Let's call it." A post-shoot stop at Wendy's would make for the perfect spot to refuel and look over the days spoils. Another half-day was necessary to satisfy us. A casual shoot on familiar trails meant encounters with friends smashing downhill laps. High overcast and sprinkling rain combined with the previous week's sunshine made for perfect shooting conditions. We shot our way down the trail, picking out pieces that we liked. Fall colours in full effect were only made richer by the sprinkling of rain."

Dean Tennant - November 2011 from Aaron Larocque on Vimeo.

2010 MSA/Windham WC footage

I just re-discovered this short video from a couple years ago at Windham, NY and Mont Sainte-Anne, Quebec. Amada Stachenfeld got some cool footage, thanks again Amado! Check it out->

Dean Tennant TR450 from amado stachenfeld on Vimeo.

Top of the podium at the Sunshine Coaster!

The annual Sunshine Coaster race in Gibsons BC happened on the weekend. This year was the second time I have been to the race and I was defending my title from last year.

I travelled with Remi Gauvin on Friday morning to get some solid practice on the course. The 'Mach Chicken' course is pretty mellow, not too steep or technical, but it's still really fun. It felt smoother than last year, but there was a freshly cut bottom section that didn't seem to roll very fast. I timed two freelap runs on Saturday to see if I was up to pace; I did a 2:54 and then a 2:50 which was my time from last year.

On Sunday I was the last rider down the course. I managed to have a solid run and came into the finish with first place, just ahead of my teamate Andrew Mitchell. The Dunbar team had great representation with 5 riders in the top 10 pro men. I was stoked to get my first win of the season after coming close at the Cumberland Island Cup and the Kamloops BC Cup.

I also give big props to SSC local Dylan Dunkerton who set the fastest time of the day in Citizen men, with a 2:48.

Pro Men Results:

Thanks to Dunbar Cycles, Devinci bikes, Elka suspension, Troy Lee Designs, Straitline Components, Zett compression wear, Hope, NRG, and Spy Optics.

Pro GRT/NW Cup #1

This last weekend was my first race of the season. It was first round of the Pro GRT and Northwest Cup in Port Angeles, Washington.

Practice for the race started on Thursday and for most of the weekend we had great weather. The Dry Hill course is one of the best around; it has a bit of everything but my favourite would be the top part of the course- steep with rooty corners. SICK!! I was having fun doing runs with my teamates and buddies, we were feeding off each other well. It would have been easy to do too many runs but I limited myself to only 4 runs on Thursday and Friday to keep my body rested.

I was really looking forward to having seeding runs on Saturday evening because it was a good chance to see where my speed was at. Moments after I came down from my seeding run I was told Kristen Smart, a fellow Canadian racer, had dislocated her shoulder and had to be taken to the hospital to get it put back in. It was later at the hospital that I found out I placed 8th, which was really encouraging because I was in the mix with a lot of fast dudes. Healing vibes go out to Kristen! Raceday started out dry but cloudy, and racers got one practice run before the racing started 6 hours later. I was thinking we might end up getting lucky and the rain would hold off but it started to rain shortly after practice ended haha. I'd been riding quite a bit in the wet during the winter so it wasn't a big deal, but it can make things unpredictable.I gave the bottom part of the course a quick hike to see how it was affected by the rain and it definitely looked slippery. 6 long hours after the morning's one practice run it was time to head up for the race-run. Everything went well; I was able to focus and I didn't make too many mistakes. I managed to do one placing better than my seeding result for 7th. Top 10 Pro Men---

1. Danny Hart 2:50.07

2. Andrew Neethling 2:52.48

3. Duncan Riffle 2:55.19

4. Richie Rude 2:56.43

5. Bryn Atkinson 2:57.05

6. Mikey Sylvestri 2:57.92

7. Dean Tennant 2:58.34

8. Cody Warren 2:58.92

9. Tyler Immer 2:59.19

10. Mitch Ropelato 2:59.67

I want to give a big shout out to my sponsors; Dunbar Cycles, Devinci, Elka suspension, Troy Lee Designs, Zett compression wear, Spy Optics, Straitline Components, and NRG. And also to the race organizer; Scott Tucker and Casey Northern, and everyone involved.

Later,

Dean

Check out my latest video with Aaron Larocque!

Dean Tennant/Dunbar Cycles from Aaron Larocque on Vimeo.

Upcoming Video

Hey guys, check out these screenshots from an upcoming video with Aaron Larocque. Keep an eye out for it being released on pinkbike.com and other MTB sites soon.

If you haven't seen my previous 'Winter Training' video with Larocque, check it out below...

MSA World Champs

Hey everybody,

Well it's been awhile since I last posted on the blog but I'll try to get it up to date with what I've been up to lately...

First I'll back things up to the first week of September: World Championships at Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec. Mt Sainte Anne has always been described as a real man's track: fast, rough and long. A true classic. I'd raced there four times before and I'd say the course and I get along well enough. We had awesome accomodations right at the bottom of the mountain and very helpful support from the DH coaches; Mike Jones and Geoff Pendrel. We had almost a week to practice before the race on Sunday.

At the start of the week the conditions were toasty: 30 degrees and the track was bone dry. Of course in Quebec it doesn't stay that way for long; the rain came and by the time Sunday arrived the course had become a blown-out mudfest. To be honest I didn't have that bad of nerves before the race. In the back of your mind you know it's the most important race of the year but you kind of just block that out. 'BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BOOOOP' and I rolled out of the startgate and got into a good flow. I was getting into it with my cut Wetscreams schralping (Re.drifting) the upper corners. With only about a minute left in my run on the 5 minute course I hit a patch of slick roots at a bit of an angle. At first it just started out like a cool drift and I was like 'sweet getting rowdy' but before I knew it I was over the bars and into the side taping. Worst. Feeling. Ever. My bike got wrapped up in the tape and it took me what felt like forever to get it free. The spectators watching were just yelling "PEDALLL!" It felt like a bad dream and even writing about it now I'm still not really over it. After getting my bike free I finished the race to a 56th place.

I've always been considered a consistent racer. I don't crash too often in races but sometimes when you're going for a good result you have to be on the edge and sometimes you go over that edge. So after doing 20+ DH races throughout the season it ended with a crash but I won't let a bad moment spoil a bunch of good ones. Overall it was a successful season coming away with a 3rd place at National Champs and 2nd place overall in the Canada Cups.

So that's it for the 2010 season but as they say the next race starts as soon as you've finished the last one. I've been looking forward to making the most of the winter and coming out strong next year. Stay tuned for more frequent posts by me and what training I get up to.

Cheers,

Dean