Hi Everyone: for those of you who don't know me, I am a 20-year-old (UCI Pro Elite) mountain bike racer from Southern Vancouver Island. Today, I received exciting news from Cycling Canada. I have been selected to Team Canada for the Downhill MTB World Championships in Champéry, Switzerland from August 30 to September 8! I couldn’t be more thrilled to represent our country and Vancouver Island! This is a dream come true for me. It’s what I’ve been striving for and dreaming about since I started mountain biking as a little kid!!

I got a taste of World Cup racing as a Junior in 2022 when I raced to a 16th place in finals at Monte Sainte Anne. In 2023, I was fortunate to be part of Cycling Canada's European Project where I raced to 27th in Lenzerheide and 28th in Leogang with some unfortunate mechanicals and incidents. Later that season, I raced Andorra where I snapped my frame in two (oh boy!!), Les Gets, and Loudenville where I finished 23rd. Last year in 2024, I stepped up into the Pro men’s ranks as a first year Elite. It was definitely a learning year. I raced Leogang, Val di Sole, and Mount Saint Anne, nipping at the heels of qualifying, but not quite making it.

With the lessons I gained from these amazing experiences at the forefront of my mind, I worked hard this off-season. With the support of my coaches Bryan Katz and Pat Nolan, my friends, and my family, 2025 is shaping up to be a good one! I’m currently the overall leader in the Canada Cup Downhill series and I placed second by 0.034s at National Champs recently in Sun Peaks!

The last-minute nature of the notification process from Cycling Canada means that we face increased costs for travel and accommodation. While my Mom and I have saved throughout the year hoping this selection would happen, we are still falling short financially after an already packed race season. I am asking for your help to contribute directly towards air travel costs, athlete insurance, accommodation, food, and bike maintenance and repair costs (these World Cup tracks take a toll on bikes). I am participating in World Champs as a privateer on the National Team and I am responsible for all my own arrangements. It’s tough out there, but that is the nature of funding for downhill mountain biking in Canada at this point. Any support you can offer will get me closer to realizing my racing goals and is deeply appreciated.

As a way to give back and to say thank you to the awesome Island mountain biking community, I will be offering a Bike Set Up and Performance evening for Adults at the Jordie Clubhouse as well as an afternoon of coaching and sharing at a free youth mountain biking event at Jordie Park in October after my final World Cup race of the season.

I appreciate you taking the time to read my appeal. I will do my utmost to represent our community, mountain biking on the Island, and all the people who have supported me in so many ways along my racing journey.

Let's Go Team Canada!!

Gratefully Yours,

Henry