June 2, 2o24

Event Information

Location of Events / Getting to Canmore
Thank you for deciding to to join us for the Canmore Crux! Our event takes place at the Canmore Nordic Centre located at 1988 Olympic Way, Canmore, AB. Driving from Edmonton? Expect to take 3 hours and 45 mins. Driving from Calgary? 1 hour 5 mins.

Event Offerings
We will be adding a new distance for 2024. The "Crux Lite" (32 KM) will take place on the same course as the full distance event (80 KM), but will only consist of 2 laps as opposed to 5. 90 % of the trails are rated green.

Race package pick-up
Early package pick-up is offered from 6:00-7:00 PM on Saturday the 1st of June in the stadium of the Canmore Nordic Centre, you will still need to get your timing chip on Sunday morning however. Saturday is a good time to come and scope things out and ask us any questions. On race day, package (and timing chip) pick-up will run from 7:15 AM-8:30 AM (please don't all try to do this at 8:30 AM!).  You will get your T-shirt when you cross the finish line!

START TIME
Sunday June 2nd 9:00 AM for the 80 km race and 9:10 AM for the 32 km race. Please self seed yourself in our start chute. At 8:40 AM we will have a short pre-race briefing on the day and a bear safety talk, you cannot miss this.

Cut off time
Official time cut off for the 80km race is 6.5 hours after the start of the event (3:30 pm). No cut-off for the 32 km event.

You Need Bear Spray
This one is important! In order to participate you will need to have BEAR SPRAY with you at all times. Riders carrying bear spray in the mountains is very common and many of the bear spray canisters are designed with clips and belts for active people. You can even get specific bike attachments. You will be asked to show your bear spray as you enter the starting area and race course marshals will disqualify any athletes seen on course without it. Don't worry, we precede the race start with a bear safety talk by Wildsmart which will briefly describe how to behave around bears and if necessary how to use your spray in the unlikely event of an encounter.

No Littering
Canmore Nordic Center Provincial Park is 100% no littering! We love that we have the opportunity to participate here and you will be disqualified from the race if you are caught intentionally littering on the course. If you pack it in with you - tuck it away until you come across a garbage can on the race course. We will have a litter drop zone near our aid station.

Racing safely
The race starts with a nice big hill - you can get off your bike to walk this if need be but please stay to the right to allow others to pass. When passing be vocal and loud, say "passing on your left". The course is not closed to the general public so you should also be mindful of intersections and MTB trails. Treat the general public with respect. They also have the right to be there on the day. Headphones are not allowed - you need to be aware of your surroundings. Bike helmets are mandatory. Yield to bears/elk/deer and report sightings to the next volunteer.

Kananaskis Day Pass / Season Pass Required for Parking on Site
Vehicles parked at provincial park and public land sites in Kananaskis Country and the Bow Valley need a Conservation Pass. This means you will be required to buy a parking pass (and can be fined if you don't). We suggest CAR POOLING. A daily pass is $15. You can find the parking pass registration and information online @ https://conservationpass.alberta.ca/kcp

Additional Parking
There is free public parking located in and around Canmore, however LIMITED paid parking is also available at Quarry Park. We once again recommend CAR POOLING! Seriously... car pool.

MTB / Gravel Bike
You are welcome to ride whatever kind of bike you would like as long as it is a Gravel Bike / CX bike or Mountain Bike. This is a 100% pedal powered event thus no e-bikes. The course is free flowing and reasonably fast rolling (with some hills to give you a workout).

Start / Finish / Aid Station Area
The start and finish line is located in the main stadium of the Canmore Nordic Centre. Look out for banners and flags when you arrive! Each lap of the course will require you to ride through a limited speed Feed Zone / Aid Station when you can grab your own nutrition or fluids / snacks from our aid station. We will limit the speed through this zone by making a slow moving lane to decrease the speed of riders for approximately 100 meters. There will an option to by-pass this lane.

Course 
This year the route is happening in reverse! Our current GPX file available online is the 2022 route, so please be mindful that we will be travelling clockwise. That said, the course will be very well marked on the day. Each lap will pass through the stadium and over our timing mat.

Race day bike support
Mitch from Nomadic Bicycle will be around on race day to help you out with any last minute things that might go wrong with your bike! Outside of race day, Mitch is offering Crux participants 10% off a bike service booked before September 30, 2024. Submit an inquiry online to us for the code and then go book online at nomadicbicycle.com. You must bring your own bike tubes!

Post Race Snacks
We will have some great snacks available after the race for participants. It’s not a full meal, but it will be enough to get you fuelled back up.

Winners
Stick around if you come first, second, or third, in the 80km or 32km men's or women's category so we can get you a prize! Let a volunteer know you think you placed!

Accommodations
We love to see athletes camping and sharing race stories over a cold drink by a campfire at one of the numerous local campgrounds in the Canmore / Banff area. Alternatively, we are a tourist hotspot so there are many hotels and short-term rentals available. Whatever you do, if you plan to stay, book well in advance as June is high season in this neck of the woods.

Mandatory YouTube Pre Race Meeting
You will receive a link to our pre-race briefing video to your inbox before race day. It is only about 5 minutes long, and a nice alternative to holding in-person meetings (as it allows you to rewind or go watch it whenever you are able).

Weather Disruptions
In the case of weather disruptions we may shorten or change the event to accommodate athletes. In the case of heavy rain, we may change our course to alternative trails and include portions of the paved “Banff Trail” Nordic Ski trail. If the AQI smoke index is 8 or above, the event will not run.

Emergencies on race day
There will be a medical tent at our start/finish line area as well as medics on course. If you see someone who needs assistance please stop to check on them and relay their needs to the next volunteer on course. If need be call 911 and say you are in Kananaskis at the Canmore Nordic Centre.

We look forward to welcoming you to an exciting and safe race experience at the Canmore Crux. Prepare for the adventure, respect the environment, and most importantly, enjoy the journey!