Press Release
February 2003
2003 Norco Factory Team
West Coast, Canada – The 2003 Norco Factory Team is gearing up for another awesome season of Freeride, Racing and Trials events. Coming out of its winter hibernation, and sporting some bright new talent, this yearÕs team is ready to dawn full-face helmets and DJ lids to push their limits on natural and mad-made elements from sea to shining sea. This yearÕs line-up of team riders is bolstered with a couple of new Eastern DH rippers, Hugo Donais and Louis-Philippe Leonard. TheyÕll be representing the Norco colours on the Quebec, Ontario and Canada Cup circuits, along with 2 new XC Eastern riders Kate Scallion and Caroline van den Bulk. Out West, we welcome aboard Ronny Enns, a local BMX and slalom specialist, and Brook Baker, an up and coming Jurior based in Whistler.
FREERIDE AND R&D
Norco's 03 Freeride team will consist of Mike Kinrade, Darryl Steane, Rich Prorok, Jay Hoots, young Ian Moult and Darren Butler, who is fast recovering from his accident. These guys are busy dialing in their rides for 03 and deodorizing their trusty armour for another great season of competitions and filming. Kinrade, in particular, is down in Whitefish Montana to judge and design courses in the Red Bull Freezride. HeÕs also planned a busy schedule of filming for MPF productions for the summer.
TRIALS
Ryan Leech, Robin Coope and Keith Howitt, NorcoÕs trials wizards are planning another season of gravity defying demos. Ryan is again contributing to the ongoing Kranked series of videos by finishing a trials segment in Cuba, and is working on his own upcoming self-produced flick. He has also been invited back to the Outside/Jeep tour throughout Canada and the States this summer, and Desmond LeeÕs sequal to his hit trials video, Leaps & Bounds. Keith, since appearing in Changing of The Guard, has grabbed a lot of attention lately. Keep an eye out for him in three new videos–JUMP, Changing of the Guards 2 and Radio KillerÕs latest music video. Robin still manages to get on his bike or announce for the guys when he isnÕt splitting atoms, or cloning DNA for the Human Genome Project.
Sean Denny, hailing from Nelson BC, is a new addition to this yearÕs Norco Factory Team. Sean is currently in Whitefish Montana judging for the Redbull Freezride competition. HeÕll be spending his summer months cramped in a converted city bus riding Urban for Drop-In T.V. on Sportsnet, and will be joining the trials crew for demos at major events.
Always too unique to pin-down, Kris Holm, unicyclist extraordinaire, is setting aside his ÒLearn to Speak SpanishÓ textbooks for another awesome season of death defying one-wheeled stunts. YouÕll be able to find Kris at Norco Trials Demos, and see him in his new video, Into The Thunder Dragon, a lavishly filmed uni-travelogue of Bhutan produced by Outside/OLN.
Out in the concrete jungle of Toronto, Mike Headford is busy making a name for himself out on the street with some impressive urban riding. See him bust some wicked moves in the newly released video Eastern Standard.
DH RACING
This yearÕs Norco DH Factory Team is beefed up with two extremely fast Eastern DH'ers Hugo Donais and Louis-Philippe Leonard. YouÕll be able to find them, if you can look fast enough, rippin it up on the Quebec and Ontario Cup circuit as well as the Canada Cup series.
On the West Coast, 2002 BC MenÕs Pro Downhill Champion, Mike Jones, and team mates, Brian Eller, and 2002 BC WomenÕs Pro Downhill Champ, Deb Mackillop, have slated their schedules to include most, if not all, BC Cup and Canada Cup races. They are also looking forward to the Nationals out here in Whistler and the World Cup at Grouse. Building on last yearÕs success, theyÕve all been training hard over the winter and are ready to bring home the gold.
Bringing new blood to this yearÕs DH squad, Brook Baker, will be rippin it up on the Junior DH scene. Having placed 2nd in the BC Cup DH overall, and 6th in the DH World Mountain Bike Champions last year, Brook is looking for gold for the 2003 race season.
XC RACING
Three additional women now join our Pro-elite rider, Linda Robichaud: Kate Scallion, Caroline van den Bulk and Brook Baker. They all have busy seasons planned in their respective areas. After spending most of the winter spinning away on trainers, and putting in long hours on the road, they can hardly wait to hit the dirt.
ROAD
Norco has teamed up with headline sponsor, Symmetrics, to start a new road team based in B.C. The team has a unique concept that targets fundraising for the BC Special Olympics foundation. Team financial supporters will directly contribute cash to the Special Olympics organization based on the results of the Symmetrics/Norco team; the more they win, the more funds they raise for the cause. The team is made up of staff rider Scott Goguen, as well as Min Van Velzen, Matt Usborne, Rick Minichiello, Tony Zarsadias and Eric Harvey.
Norco has also partnered with Flash Five Energy Foods by sponsoring its Norco/Flash Five E.Z.UP Canada XC/Road team. The team is made up of Tyler Dumont, Josh Saffold, Rick rodland, Jeff Bandura, Henning Sorensen, Cynthia Young, Bart Nakano, Sean Lunny, Jill Vale, Tanis Banks (former XC BC Cup Champ), Peter Leibel, Devon Mihayli and Edwin Chang. Many of these accomplished riders will be competing in road, xc, and adventure style events. So look for these riders this season on the hills and in the streets. For more information on Flash Five go to www.flash-five.com.
TEAM MANAGER
We would also like to officially welcome aboard Dave Devlin as our new Team Manager and Western Tech Support Coordinator. Dave has been super busy getting riders and equipment all set up since coming on board less than a month ago. YouÕll see Dave wrenching at major events Norco attends this season.
TEAM/TECH SUPPORT TRUCK
We are stepping things up this season with the addition of a new Team/Tech truck that will appear at most major races and consumer cycling events slated on the Canadian West Coast.
You'll see our new sleek looking Volvo Intercooled Cab-over at many BC Cup races and the Canadian Nationals, as well as various grassroots cycling events. The truck has been completely overhauled and re-painted and built up with a sleeper/office, a complete rear workshop area, and a great awning that will keep us all cool or dry at the various events. Our new rocket even comes complete with nice big alloy wheels. The display and tech sections at events will be additionally completed with 130 feet of custom Race-Tech fencing that will surround the perimeter of our area. YouÕll see the new sleek looking '94 Volvo Intercooled Cab-over at many BC Cup races and the Canadian Nationals, as well as various grassroots cycling events. The original Volvo truck was overhauled and spec'd with a sleeper/storage room, a rear workshop area, and a 10 ft deep steel awning structure that runs the length of the box.
This upgraded Norco presence will not only bring more style and class to any event, but it will also allow Norco's tech and marketing staff to better serve our factory riders and spectators alike.
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