Co m m u n i t y | S P ORTS
Downhill Daredevils
China Careens into Extreme Mountain Biking by Jocelyn Richards
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uofu Mountain spans over 260 square kilometers of rugged terrain on the north bank of Dongjiang, Panyu District. To most, it’s known as a sacred Taoist mountain dotted with ancient temples, four of which were built during the Eastern Jin dynasty, when Taoist master Ge Hong mixed powerful elixirs on its peaks. Standing on the roof of his apartment building, Zhao Yi can just make out the trail snaking along Luofu’s highest ridge. Years of bike workouts have worn a rut in the course, causing it to look more like a bobsled chute than a cycling path. For Zhao, the top downhill mountain biker in South China and third ranked in the nation, the land is his playground. Buying a house on the border of Guangzhou’s largest bike park comes naturally after 22 years of pursuing stunts on wheels. Zhao picked up the hobby in 1993, starting with BMX before transitioning to motocross, both of which prepared him for the death-defying sport of downhill. Considered to be the most demanding biking event of all, downhill requires precise technique, balance, strength and endurance. It asks competitors to speed down a vertical slope towards a jump, fly nearly 10 meters in the air, land on uneven ground and race ahead through rock gardens, road gaps and mountain cliffs. Contenders are judged by the time it takes them to complete the entire course, with winning margins often less than a second. Races generally last between two and five minutes. In the early 90s, BMX was the most
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widely practiced form of extreme biking on the mainland, influenced heavily by Hong Kong. It wasn’t until 1999 that downhill mountain biking started to pick up speed, leading Shenzhen to host the first national competition that year. But popularity for the sport remained limited, with a majority of downhill fans clustered in Beijing. Guangzhou continued to practice BMX while Shanghai stuck to skateboarding. It would be a few years before resource networks merged, allowing bikers in southern China to partake in downhill clubs and competitions. Declaring it too dangerous and an illegitimate sport that’s not included in the Olympics, the Chinese government refuses to fund downhill biking, despite its growing following. Professional Chinese riders rely solely on international sponsors to replace their outdated (or shattered) bike equipment and accessories. Though Zhao pursues the sport as a pastime and not a career, his colorful record has attracted dozens of foreign sponsors. Goodies from Oakley, Muc-Off, Marzocchi, Thomson and Renthal clutter the second floor of his apartment, which has been turned into a massive bike workshop. Tools, spare tires and a heap of shiny bicycles fill the airy space, with three mini bikes reserved for Zhao’s 8-year-old son, who’s in his second year of BMX lessons. Kids generally don’t attempt downhill until they’re older, as the dangers of the sport are too well known, both by athletes and their loved ones. The most common in-
jury, Zhao says, is a broken collarbone, which is often left exposed during crashes. “We see most guys skid on a turn and fly off the path, usually towards a tree. They’re still holding onto the handlebars, so instinctively turn their head to the side at the last minute to avoid crushing it. Their neck and shoulder are in the line of fire.” Zhao’s seen at least 15 friends break collarbones, but isn’t about to give up his perilous pursuit. “It hasn’t happened to me yet,” he grins. Camaraderie among teammates encourages athletes to overcome injuries and setbacks. Guangzhou has two main clubs for avid mountain bikers: the Guangzhou Downhill Sports Association and Mad Cat Guangzhou. Zhao is the team leader of both, dividing his time between coaching fellow members, organizing seasonal training camps and preparing for competitions. Each club has over 100 members hailing from China, Germany, Turkey, Canada, the US and more, all at varying levels of experience. “Most foreigners we meet are traveling the world. They hear about our club and stop in for a few months of training before continuing on their way,” Zhao remarks, emphasizing the diversity of his team. Last year, the Mad Cats wanted to shoot a promo video for the club, and were all set to look for a company to help film it – that is, before they discovered a wealth of qualified artists among them. “One of our guys works at a local TV station and another is a director. Then a photographer from the team came forward. We ended up making the entire promo ourselves,” Zhao laughs. Diverse as his teammates are in profession, however, Zhao admits they share a rare attraction to thrills. “We’re all in it for the rush,” he smiles, sitting down with his family at the dinner table. “The danger helps you appreciate life.”
> to join in seasonal training camps or get in touch with other downhill bikers, follow mad cat Guangzhou’s wechat account (madcat-dh) or the Guangzhou downhill sports association account (gzdh-sa).