By Kellah Lavoie

Pine Needle a success

Jun 13, 2011 | 6:43 AM

Sunday was all about music, food and lots of bikes at Little Red.

It was for the Pine Needle Mountain Bike Festival, a fundraising event based around a six-hour mountain bike ride that could be done as a relay or alone.

It is the first time for the event, said Mike Horn, festival organizer.

“We’ve done a race in the past where it’s part of the Saskatchewan racing calendar,” he said, explaining the park has been playing host to the race for the past 15 to 20 years.

“We are trying to have more of a community minded event. We are trying to raise money for the rotary trail get that completed.”

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He said they were urging people to donate money, with the biggest donors getting prizes.

While the event was a fundraiser, Horn said he was also just trying to get people out to the park for the day.

“I am trying to get local people on their mountain bikes, riding our trails in the beautiful park that we have and then just also if people are not mountain biking just come out and enjoy a day in the park,” he said.

“We’re so fortunate to have this park and it’s such a great place to have an event like this.”

Greg Anthony came from Okotoks, Alta., to take part in the race with Duane Larson from Prince Albert.

Both grew up in the area and were taking part in the pair relay.

“Go fast, have fun, maybe win a prize or two,” said Anthony, describing what he hoped to get out of the event.

Larson came up the night before to run the trail and know what he was getting into.

While there were people some avid racers, Horn said they made sure the course was at a novice level so that anyone could bike it.

While Horn admitted he might be a little biased, he said the trails at Little Red are the best in the province.

It’s something Larson agrees with.

“We’ve been a lot of places and right here are some of the best around, nice riding, technical, anything you are looking for you can find it right here,” he said.

Horn said he hopes to make it a yearly event.

“It’s a little more work (than just a race), but once we get this first year under our belts we’ll be going along really well.”

klavoie@panow.com