As we sit in mid January enjoying a particularly mild Canadian winter, World Enduro Canada is putting the final dates together for an exciting 2012 competition season.

For those unaware, the WEC Canadian Championship Off-Road series poses many challenges as we work into the regional calendars of partner organizations across the country.  We must not only do our best to work with the WEC Ontario Cross Country Championship, but also incorporate the schedule of our premier national series with our partners in British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec as well as other competition disciplines.

WEC functions as the off-road racing arm of the MCC. As such we are committed in our agreement to unite with competition bodies across Canada that share the focus of promoting positive advancements in off-road motorcycle racing in the disciplines of Trials, Enduro, and Cross Country. As such we work with racing organizations from coast to coast that agree in safe, legal motorcycle racing with proper insurance and loss control guidelines. Being part of the MCC Competition Council is something WEC has earned as a result of our experience and clear message in this regard. We all know motorcycle racing in Canada is at a very important time of change and the stage has been set for a very positive overhaul in racing across the country.

It has been a busy winter organizing dates with event organizers and we are now less than a month away from releasing some very exciting news for 2012 along with our schedules in various regions. Our partner, World Trials Canada has finalized the Canadian Trials Championship dates and venues. The regional Trials calendars for Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia are just being finished and we are excited to announce a Trials program in Nova Scotia as well.

Going into its 4th season the Royal Distributing Canadian Enduro Championship or CEC is enjoying continued growth and success. Bearing in mind WEC’s reputation of keeping fresh ideas coming, we have decided to expand the scope of the CEC by creating a Canadian Cross Country Championship or CXCC and combine the points from the CEC and CXCC to declare an overall Canadian Off-Road Champion. The title is awarded to the rider who demonstrates the best overall ability to adapt to a variety of challenges in 2 types of competition staged in very different terrain across the country.

It was recently announced that WEC has formed a partnership with the Quebec-based event promoter association, FMSQ in order to realize the CXCC. The Quebec round of the CXCC will take place on September 2 at Ormstown, Quebec (situated south of Montreal near the border of Ontario) with the final round being held in Ontario the following weekend (September 8/9)

The Canadian off-road Championship is designed to be a fair and equitable form of competition that decides the winners based on sportsmanlike racing on a level playing field where the results are truly the results.

Ontario will feature another spectacular Cross Country Championship series at proven venues across the province. We are very proud of this groundbreaking series as it has clearly introduced bold new ideas that never existed before in Ontario off-road racing. The fact that some other race organizations continue to adopt our ideas each year is proof we are improving the sport and giving the riders what they want and we are flattered by this imitation.

By now it is commonly known WEC has been using its flawless electronic timekeeping system which we introduced in 2008 forcing others to follow suit. At this point riders accept nothing other than immediate results at race conclusion and posted immediately on our website.

Who would have thought that having proper competition insurance would be something that would have to be shown as being mandatory? Racing at legal competition facilities that are in compliance by the local municipality is another “no brainer” that WEC has enforced and set the standard.

We are also proud of our many other firsts in off-road racing in Ontario:

-       A consistent $100 Pro Holeshot award at every round of the series

-       A consistent $100 Amateur Holeshot award at every round of the series

-       Paying Pro racers at every round

-       A full series of Pee Wee Cross Country Racing

-       Pro racer appearance money at certain rounds

-       Closed course enduro competition without the requirement of any license plate on the vehicle

-       Kids only enduro competition

Some of these changes were difficult to introduce as off-road motorcycling, in certain parts of Canada, has been stagnant for many years and some riders and organizers were very set in their ways and as such, we still have resistance to some of our ideas. Giving Pro payback was something new to off-road and some organizers were steadfast against it. We have fortunately arrived at a point where the concept has finally caught on and we are happy for that.

A day will come when people won’t be racing improperly licensed and incorrectly insured motorcycles on open, public roads. Until this time we will continue to show the way as there are other options

2012 will bring another first in off-road motorcycling soon to be duplicated by others; a kids only Competition Enduro Series! Due to the massive success of our annual “Shelburne Kids Enduro” it has now morphed into a series with accumulating points toward a championship. WEC has always focused heavily on the Mini segment in off-road racing shown from the beginning with our ground breaking Pee Wee Cross Country program. This new Kids Enduro Championship continues to show our dedication to the future of the sport. Watch for more details on dates, venues and class guidelines. With Mini riders racing against a clock, it is a fantastic way to introduce motorcycle competition to these young enthusiasts in a controlled environment.

Stay tuned as we finalize our dates with facility owners. We must all respect that these valuable racing facilities have their own busy schedules and with other racing organizations. 2012 will be another great year for off-road motorcycle racing in Canada!

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