The shield’s been cranked! (10 photos)

“It was great, a super fun weekend,” smiled a tired but happy Joel Wenham, speaking to SooToday after completing the gruelling, three-day Crank the Shield backcountry mountain bike stage race, which wrapped up Sunday at Kinsmen Park. 

Approximately 180 bicyclists, from the Sault and area, southern Ontario, Michigan and from places as far away as Arizona and Mexico pushed themselves through the event.

Crank the Shield’s Stage 1 went from Batchawana Station to Stokely Creek Lodge Friday, Stage 2 from Stokely Creek Lodge to Searchmont and back to Stokely Saturday, and Stage 3 from Stokely to Kinsmen Park Sunday.

“The first day was a hard day for everybody, bicycling 75 kilometres in the heat...a lot of the race was uphill or downhill,” said Wenham, Velorution bike shop manager, who completed the race in 12 hours and 50 minutes.

The race covered 75 kilometres the first day, 49 kilometres the second, and 35 kilometres the third for a total of 159 kilometres.

“I’ve been doing some endurance racing, so I’ve gotten kind of used to suffering a bit and being on the bike for a while,” Wenham said.

Wenham competed in the single-speed category.

“I didn’t have any gears on my bike, so I did it in the one gear I chose. It was hard, but I did pretty well compared to how I thought I would. Every time I do something like this it always teaches me to dig a little deeper, that you have a bit more endurance in you than you think.”

Trophies and prizes were awarded to those who had the three best finishing times in several categories, Wenham being among the trophy winners.

This year marked the second consecutive year Crank the Shield, traditionally held in southern Ontario, was held in the Sault and area.

“This may be home for the event for the next couple of years, at least. The trails we have in this area are unbelievable. It was showcasing what we’ve got for visitors,” Wenham said.

Sudbury’s Marlee Clement and the Sault’s Dani Buckner took third place in the ‘two person, female’ category for Sunday’s part of the race.

“It was lots of fun. It was worth it,” Buckner said.

“It was difficult but we made it through. Our goal was just to finish,” Clement said.

Would they do it again?

‘Yes,’ both women replied.

“After I recover,” Clement laughed.