Sorry, need to brag a bit. With all of the threads about tracks and riding areas closing, I wanted to make this thread to show that it is possible to grow the sport!
In 2024 I hosted a single off-road event. The first ever in my region. Last year, I had two events. In 2026 I was able to host three events at three venues, and run a little series.
Northwestern Ontario is isolated. We're 8 hours in either direction to any major city outside of our hub of Thunder Bay (110,000 pop). I'm so happy to consistently have the turnout we do. I had 181 unique entries through the three races. We have some great local sponsors & some great industry sponsors that help us out!
It's a lot of work, especially cutting trail from nothing at some venues, but it's incredibly rewarding. I have some great help, but the majority of the work getting these courses has ready, has been done by a handful of people. All of my landowners have been great. I have a $10 gate fee that goes directly to them. I knocked on a few doors and made a few Facebook posts looking for land and was amazed at how many people were interested in hosting.
Send me a private message here if you want any help or pointers on starting something up yourself!
https://www.lakeheadenduroriders.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lakeheadenduroriders/
https://www.facebook.com/p/Lakehead-Enduro-Riders-61564638149753/
Round 1 Murillo - ON
Fast grass track and tight poplar tree woods. Shorter course with the top guys running 17-19 minute lap times. This course is on ONLY 160 acres and a local fair grounds. The hardest part about this course was hammering in 300+ stakes for the grass track. A local concrete company donated most of the stakes. I mowed the grass track with a riding lawn mower which was not ideal. I got help later with a tow behind brush cutter which was MUCH better, but out of my budget for the time being.
Our second round was held in Nipigon ON. Nipigon is a town of ~1000 residents about an hour Northeast of Thunder Bay. It's slightly closer proximity to the much more populous Southern Ontario brought up some more racers. 2025 Canadian ISDE Trophy Team member Aaron Wilkins took the overall win at this round. This property was 500 acres and was a cross country ski facility in the winter time. The landowner was grateful to have the property used in the summer and happy we kept his trails clear after the usual springtime blow down.
Our third and final round was this past weekend in Kaministiquia ON. Kam is about 30 minutes west of Thunder Bay. This race was on a piece of property that's 280~ acres and has MASSIVE elevation gain. The landowner here bought it to cut downhill MTB trails and store his equipment. He rides dirt bikes as well and that made it easy. This was my original venue, and I've now had three hare scrambles here. It is rocky and technical and gets a lot of tired smiles at the end of race day.
All it takes is the will and want to make it happen. I failed at multiple venues and struck out with several landowners before I was able to push my original race through. Don't be discouraged by what you see and hear. You can make it happen!
Some more pics.
Looks awesome!!
I keep seeing this in your Lakehead Enduro Riderz logo:
Definitely inspiring stuff!!! Man...I'd love to ride those events if I lived closer to Wisconsin....way cool.
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Really cool. man. And thank you for your service, as it were. As a guy who has spent many decades not only racing but working behind the arrows to make the FMSQ series happen in Quebec, I can appreciate the commitment this entails.
By the way, Greetings from Grandola, Portugal, home of the 100th Edition of the ISDE. My son Loic is racing on the Canadian Trophy Team with Philippe Chaine, Owen McKill and some Vet + or ~ 40 rippah known locally as Tyler Medaglia. Some guys really love to race their dirt bike.
Haha we certainly have taken inspiration from 90s moto! Please don’t sue us LBZ 😂
Loïc rips! I just raced The Corduroy with him a few weeks ago. Best of luck to you all. I raced the ISDE in 2021 in Italy.
Well done!
Did not know you were a past Six Days rider. And speaking of the ISDT/ISDE and the Corduroy, just spoke to some grey-haired fellow fossil named Blair Sharpless before a Team Canada meeting. During said meeting, it was noted that of the 100 years of existence of the Six Days, between Blair*s dad, Blair himself and Blair*s daughters, the Sharpless name has appeared on the riders list at close to half of those 100 events. Kinda impressive.
Blair raced his first ISDT in 1980. I was a team mate of his on the Trophy Team in Holland in 1984, and was actually a little bit faster than him. Boy, that didn*t last long.
Looks like a blast to ride, great job.
Canada is a gorgeous country. I wish I could do some riding up there. Also appreciate the “no ai” on the flyers disclaimer.
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