Magnus Manson may be young, but he’s quickly moving up in the world of downhill mountain biking. Magnus, who is from Gibsons, won the title of Junior Expert National Champion last Sunday in Kamloops.
“You get one run and that run counts for everything,” Magnus said. “You’ve got to make that one run be the best run.”
There are no points for style, just who can get to the bottom of the run the fastest without crashing. Magnus finished with 3:54:00.
Magnus has been downhill mountain biking for only four years, but at 17 he has already won two years in a row in the World Cup Under 17 category.
Junior Expert is the next stage after U17 and one level below professional. It is the youngest age category to be allowed into the World Championship on the Canadian National Team.
This is the first year that Magnus is old enough to qualify for the national team, although it’s not his first time competing in downhill World Cup events. There are seven World Cup events, but only one World Championship.
He just returned from competing in Europe.
“With every World Cup, I learn more and more,” Magnus said. “I am finally starting to get my hands on World Cup racing.”
Magnus moves on to compete in Mt. St. Anne’s in Quebec on the Aug. 1 and 2 weekend.
Although there are considerable risks in downhill mountain biking, Magnus said that the danger comes from how risky the rider makes it.
“You can be just enjoying it – not pushing yourself – but if you start pushing yourself you’re going to start increasing that risk and then crashes start to happen,” Magnus said. “It’s all about finding the line where it’s safe enough to not crash, but fast enough to still do well in a race.”
After competing in Quebec, the team goes to New York, Italy and then Andorra for the finals.
