Cycling NWT wrapped up our 2026 Territorial Mountain Bike Championships, and we want to thank everyone who came out to race, volunteer, and support the event. While we did not have as many participants as we had hoped for this year, that is okay. Building events and creating a cycling community takes time, and every rider who showed up, challenged themselves, and gave their very best helped make the championships a success.
Congratulations to our 2026 Territorial Mountain Bike Champions:
Open Female: Arlene Cliffe-Phillips
Beginner Female: Charlotte Cliffe-Phillips
Open Male: Thomsen D’Hont
A huge thank you goes to Chris for all the work that went into making the course happen, to the Yellowknife Ski Club for allowing us to use the trails and host the races, and to all of the volunteers who gave their time to make the championships possible. Events like this simply do not happen without people willing to step forward and help.
This year’s championships also gave us plenty to learn from as we continue developing cycling opportunities in the Northwest Territories. We are already looking ahead to next year and discussing how we can fine-tune the Territorial Championships while creating more opportunities for people to race throughout the season. Those conversations include the possibility of a regular criterium, additional individual time trials, and mountain bike races at different locations. The goal is to continue building a calendar that gives riders more opportunities to participate, develop their skills, compete, and simply enjoy riding their bikes.
And we are not finished yet.
Next up, we are looking forward to our Winter Fatbike Territorial Championships, while also beginning the longer journey toward preparing NWT cyclists for the 2029 Canada Summer Games. Thank you to everyone who is helping us build cycling in the Northwest Territories, one ride, one race, and one event at a time.