Mark your calendars, mountain bike fans: Crankworx returns to Whistler from Aug. 8 to 17, 2025.
The Sea to Sky's grandest recurring sports event will be back for another week-plus of high-octane action as elite riders from all over try to dethrone incumbent King of Crankworx Ryan Gilchrist and Martha Gill, the reigning Queen.
However, one familiar item will be missing. A press release notes that the decision to remove Speed and Style from the upcoming tour schedule was made "after careful consideration and feedback from event partners, athletes, and spectators."
Speed and Style has not been without controversy. For instance, ex-King of Crankworx Bas van Steenbergen was eliminated in the 2023 Whistler quarterfinal even though his opponent, Peter Kaiser, wiped out midway through his second run.
This result unfolded because Speed and Style rules dictate that an athlete can only face a maximum time deficit of 2.5 seconds to their opponent, even if a crash occurs. The remaining points in each matchup are determined by the tricks one lands: a nuance that can put speed-oriented contenders like van Steenbergen at a disadvantage.
"To ensure multi-discipline athletes vying for the King and Queen of Crankworx title still have plenty of opportunities to compete for points, each Crankworx World Tour festival (Rotorua, Cairns, Whistler) will feature at least four events eligible for valuable points," states the release. "A 'Mystery Event' catering to the abilities of multi-discipline athletes and tailored uniquely to the destination of Cairns will debut in place of Speed and Style. More details to be revealed soon!"
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