On the shores of Okanagan Lake, a crew of committed and curious eMountain Bikers gathered for the 4th annual MegaVolt.
Combining sick riding, good vibes, plenty of laughs and a little heckling, this year’s eMTB festival featured on and off-bike activities that gave the pros and amateurs in attendance plenty to smile about.
Check out our wrap up video below and then read on for more details about the event.
Above: Excited riders filter into the festival site at Manitou Beach.
Bottom left: MegaVolt 3-day passes.
Bottom right: Johnny Rock made an appearance just before everyone rolled out of Manitou Park for the first event.
Photos by Jens Klett.
DAY 1 – MAY 31, 2024
As riders rolled in on Friday morning, the beachside festival site at Manitou Park filled with bikes and a buzz of excitement.
After everyone got their weekend pass and listened to the overview of the afternoon, they made their way up to the Consistency Challenge presented by Specialized. This first event was about having the most consistent time each lap for 3 laps, which means speed doesn’t always win. The course had a bit of everything, including some spicy up and downhill sections. It was great warm up for the weekend and a chance for everyone to socialize in between laps.
Riders gather and socialize between laps at the Consistency Challenge loop. Photo by Jens Klett.
Below: Riders take on the Consistency Challenge. Left and centre photos by Jens Klett. Right photo by Deniz Merdano.
Next was the Hill Climb Challenge presented by Cannondale, a spectator-friendly event designed to have a Crankworx Heckle Rock feel. Serious props to Cannondale rep, Tim, who got the heckling started and kept it going.
Many riders tried, but only a few conquered the rocky, technical section of Boneyard trail. There was no official winner for this event, but with her mach 10 approach and 2 successful ascents, Jade Blouin Comeau impressed the riders watching trailside.
“The vibes were stellar today for the Hill Climb Challenge,” said Comeau. “The track was steep and challenging, but the crowd was wild and encouraging and their energy helped me get to the top twice!!”
Above: The crowd goes wild as one rider conquers a steep rock in the middle of the Hill Climb Challenge. Photo by Carmel Ecker.
Below: Left photo by Jens Klett, centre and right by Deniz Merdano.
Everyone was stoked after Day 1 and couldn’t wait to hop back on their e-bikes for Day 2’s eXC Race and the Trailforks Adventure Challenge.
DAY 2 – JUNE 1, 2024
The vibe was high going into Day 2 and the first race of the weekend, the eXC Race presented by Rocky Mountain.
The 24.5km course on Saturday morning was an insane shredfest, with 20 of the top riders coming in after less than an hour. But no one could blame some riders for taking a slower pace to enjoy the incredible scenery. With Naramata experiencing slightly cooler temperatures than normal, the trails were tacky and the forest was in as green as it gets.
Above: The trails were perfect as racers ripped the eXC course in the morning. Photo by Deniz Merdano.
Below: Left photo by Jens Klett, right by Deniz Merdano.
The Three Blind Mice environment is surprisingly diverse, from desert-like sagebrush and rock to lush forest. Photo by Deniz Merdano.
With a quick stop back at Manitou Park to recharge their bodies and bikes, riders rallied back up to the Three Blind Mice network for the Trailforks Adventure Challenge. Riders had the choice to ride up from the festival site or shuttle up to the trails. There were 5 checkpoints to find and everyone relied on their Trailforks Pro app to find as many as possible. Each checkpoint collected was an entry into the draw for two big prizes, a Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay A50 valued at $8,200, a Swagman Escapee bike rack valued at $650 and a Fox 38 fork valued at $1,300. So people were motivated to get all the checkpoints.
Besides being buckets of fun, this untimed challenge was a great opportunity to slow the pace and socialize, says participant Joshua Golden. “It just was a good camaraderie thing. I feel you got more chance to get to know people because you could stop and just hang out, take a group picture with people you’ve never met before.”
Everyone split into groups to find the checkpoints during the Trailforks Adventure Challenge. Top photo by Jens Klett. Photos below by Deniz Merdano.
At the end of the day awards, Brett Tippie kept everyone on their toes with contests and skill testing questions for prizes such as Maxxis tires. And he kept everyone entertained in true Tippie style with a generous dose of jokes.
While we finished the day with awards for the top eXC riders in 8 different categories, everyone had to wait until Sunday afternoon to find out whether collecting those Adventure Challenge checkpoints would translate into big prizes.
Above: Riders celebrate a great day out with a beer from The Cannery Brewing Co.
Below: On-site charging station kept the batteries running (left). Penticton-based Freedom The Bike Shop kept bikes running (middle) and provided shuttles for a few riders over the weekend (right).
Photos by Deniz Merdano.
DAY 3 – JUNE 2, 2024
After a big riding day on Saturday, everyone was feeling the effects, but most were still ready to rock the eEnduro presented by Fox.
Competition was fierce for the epic 3 stage 25.4 kms race. As predicted, it was World Cup Enduro athlete Colby Pringle on the top step with the fastest time, both overall and in the Open Men’s category. No matter who was the fastest, everyone seemed to enjoy the 12 kms of downhill run with a mix of gnarly rock slabs and fast-flowing ribbons of trail.
Riders rip the eEnduro presented by Fox. Photos by Jens Klett.
The Day 3 Group Ride enjoyed their stop at the bacon station at the top of the first Enduro descent. Photo by Carmel Ecker.
Back home at Manitou Park, everyone had a chance to refuel at the 3 food trucks and grab a beer (or 2) from local brewer, The Cannery, before we wrapped things up with the eEnduro podium, the big prizes and, most important, the MegaVolt Belt Buckle Ceremony.
Time for awards and prizes, including the Open Women’s and Men’s eEnduro. The first place racer in each category walked away with a bottle of Pinot Gris from the very first winery in Naramata, Nichol Winery. Photos by Jens Klett.
The winner of the Rocky Mountain Powerplay Instinct A50 was a REALLY happy rider. Long time Rocky Mountain athlete Wade Simmons and emcee Brett Tippie presented the winner with his new set of e-wheels. Photo by Jens Klett.
After the last prize was given away, the crew lined up at the front and offered congratulatory high 5s, hand shakes or hugs to each rider as they came up to get their MegaVolt belt buckle.
It was an unforgettable weekend for many, including the crew. Want to join us next year? Join our mailing list to find out when passes go on sale.
Above: The whole MegaVolt crew lined up for post-event high 5s with all the riders. Photos by Jens Klett.
