Event Recap: Psychosis 25th Anniversary

1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008… 2024!

With gratitude, the Golden Cycling Club would like to acknowledge that the trails we recreate on are on the homelands of the Ktunaxa and Secwépemc people and the chosen home of the Metis Nation Columbia River Society.

Photography: Joe Roberts, Nathan Skillen, Jake Paddon
Words: Golden Cycling Club, Jake Paddon

The Psychosis 25th Anniversary, where do we even start? Coming into this event, there was an unexplainable energy in the Golden, B.C. air. A feeling of excitement and nervousness, mixed with the memories of years past. Psychosis, the world's wildest downhill race was back, and this 25th Anniversary celebration was going to be like no other!

For those who need a quick history lesson, Psychosis was first raced in 1999. It quickly gained fame as one of the most physically demanding and technically challenging downhill races in the world. Over the years, legendary riders like Chris Kovarik, Stevie Smith, Sam Hill, Tyler Morland, and Claire Buchar left their mark on this treacherous course. It was a true test of man and machine. The course still resembles that of its early days, covering 7.3km with 1200m of vertical descent. It includes an 80-degree scree slope, a mid-run hike-a-bike, and fast, tight and high-consequence straights.

Leading into the 25th Anniversary event, the question on everyone’s mind was whether Chris Kovarik's 2008 course record of 12:35.14 would still stand come Monday. The overwhelming consensus was no, but nobody really had a strong idea of who it would be on top of the podium. Only time would tell.

Sitting at the summit of Mount 7, waiting for the countdown, is a feeling like no other. 3...2...1... and it's on! There's no time to warm up, no time to work into things. You are straight into one of the wildest chutes known to mountain biking; Dead Dog. Local legend Mark "Rabbit" Ewan had the honour of being the first rider to drop and lead out the 26er racers. As if this course isn't scary enough, this crew battled it out on small wheels and narrow bars. Steve Mitchell dropped in on what was quite possibly the coolest bike of the weekend, an old-school Devinci Big Bang. Rumour has it that not a single bike in this category had head tube routing - those were the days, aye! It was tight racing at the pointy end of things. Kieran Fraser took the win over Golden Local Alexander Schmidt by just 6 seconds, after a bonkers 14 minutes of racing! Fun fact: Alexander competed in every Psychosis from 2001 - 2010. What a legend!

The next crew to drop were the hardtail racers - quite possibly the bravest racers of the weekend. Nine brave souls dropped in, each of them earning honorary "legend" status just for making it to the finish. Sam Meghji held on for the fastest time, ahead of Jose Letelier, and Sandor Boros.

Things were starting to heat up! The Psycho Women were next, and they meant business! Chandrima Lavoie got proceedings underway and immediately set a blistering time that was eventually good enough for third place. Freerider Hannah Bergemann and Joy Attalla put their best wheel forward, taking fifth and fourth respectively. Golden Local Julie Marshal put down an impressive time, taking second place - is there anything this woman cannot do on two wheels? But the ride of the day went to Jenn McHugh, with an unbelievable time of 14:54.03. Jenn is undoubtedly one of the most composed riders on a bike. Nothing phases her. Congratulations Jenn, that was an impressive ride!

The course claimed its fair share of riders, but at the end of the day, the history books were re-written as the course record fell. Jonathan Helly crossed the line with an astounding 11:06.85, nearly a minute and a half faster than Kovarik's 2008 time. As a last-minute replacement rider, Johnathan dropped early and had a long, nervous wait as rider after rider crossed the finish line, unable to beat his time. The Psycho Men's field was stacked with previous racers. 2008's second-place finisher Nick Quinn was back for redemption, as well as Reg Mullet, Andy Bostock, Paul Kerfoot, Tyler Paksi, Ryan Anderson and so many others. The new generation was out to prove a point, though! Seth Sherlock, Luke Stevens, and Johnathan Helly were all separated by less than 10 seconds. An insane margin across such a long, physical course. It was clear what this win meant to Johnathan - a childhood dream come true!

Psychosis represents so much more than a race to everyone who gets an opportunity to be a part of it. It's a chance for each rider to test themselves against the mountain, a chance to see friends we haven't seen in far too long, and most importantly, a chance to ride our bikes downhill…because downhill’s not dead! This is a weekend we will never forget. It's not goodbye, just see you next time. When that may be, only time will tell.

Keep your eyes peeled for the Psychosis 25th Anniversary short film dropping soon!

To view the full results click here.

Kelly Cytko, Race Director and Executive Director of the Golden Cycling Club.

Andy Bostock, Course Manager and Director of Skills Development for the Golden Cycling Club.

A huge thank you from all of the riders has to go to these three, Brad Lorriman, First Aid Coordinator and Trail Development Director of the Golden Cycling Club, Andy Bostock, and Kelly Cytko, for their tireless dedication to getting this running.

You didn't have to look far to find some incredible old-school machines.

Mark "Rabbit" Ewan had the honour of being the first to drop in.

It looks steep on camera, so just imagine how steep it is in real life!

Racing Psychosis on a hardtail is no small feat. We'd bet money the hardtail racers still cannot feel their arms.

Controlling speed down the first chute is crucial...

Some found the limit, and some pushed past it...

Hannah Bergemann made the trip to conquer Mount 7. She ended the weekend in P5 for the women.

No truer words have ever been spoken. The mid course hike-a-bike was soul crushing! You just have to battle on through.

The crowds did not disappoint! Just like the good old days, the chainsaws were out and the stoke was high

It was a fine line between riding on the limit and pushing past it.

After over 10 minutes of full throttle racing, the Road Gap was no easy feat! Photographer: Nathan Skillen

Carrying speed was the name of the game - every second counts!

Local Finnegan Craig locked in til the very end!

Speeds were high, the whole way down the course.

Believe it or not, this is the same hot seat used all the way back in 2008.

The man, the myth, the legend. Mount 7 Local Reg Mullet put down a huge run.

Jenn McHugh, the new female reigning champion.

The man of the weekend ladies and gentleman, Johnathan Helly.

Brad Ewan, the original Psychosis MC, was back on the mic. There simply was no better man for the job.

26er Results(left to right): Alexander Schmidt, Kieran Fraser, Justin Willoughby

Hardtail Results(left to right): Jose Letelier, Sam Meghji, Sandor Boros

Psycho Women's Results(left to right): Julie Marshall, Jenn McHugh, Chandrima Lavoie

Psycho Men's Results(left to right): Luke Stevens, Johnathan Helly, Seth Sherlock

The only fitting way to celebrate a Psychosis podium.

This crew right here! A huge thank you has to go out to all of the volunteers and crew that worked tirelessly behind the scenes to not only pull this event off but organize an incredibly smooth event! These folks are the heart and soul behind Psychosis.

A huge thank you to everyone that came out for race day.

There's nothing quite like the Psychosis community.

Want to get yourself a piece of Psychosis history? Psychosis 25th Anniversary merch is available for purchase. Check it out here.

About The Golden Cycling Club
The Golden Cycling Club works to promote opportunities for mountain biking in and around Golden, BC, while also acting as stewards of the trails. The area boasts 4 trail networks and a bike park. With such a diverse selection, there is truly something for every rider in Golden.

If you would like to donate to the Golden Cycling Club, please visit the website.