This article profiles Betty Birrell and Todd Fiander, two prominent figures in the history of mountain biking on Vancouver's North Shore. Birrell, a 76-year-old veteran rider, has been tackling the challenging trails for three decades, while Fiander, known as 'Digger,' has spent 40 years building trails and putting the area on the map. Together they embody the history of the sport and are working to make it more inclusive.
Betty Birrell expertly guides her mountain bike over an elevated wooden ramp, catching some air, then lands smoothly on a trail she’s ridden countless times before.
Shore Sirens president and co-founder Jessie Curell describes Birrell as an elite athlete who shows up “to shred almost every time,” not just enjoy the fresh air.If Birrell is the queen of the shore, then Todd Fiander is the king. But today, 65-year-old Fiander works with the North Shore Mountain Bike Association to maintain what have become destination trails for casual and professional riders alike.
Fiander is responsible for some of the most stomach-turning trails and features on the Shore, helping to inspire the distinct free-ride style that he describes as “just letting her go.”“He wants the kids to be out there, he wants the moms to be out with their kids. And so his style of building has evolved over the years as well,” she says.“We need beginner trails where people can learn to ride and have fun and get out in the environment,” he says.
Fiander reluctantly helped put her shoulder back in place. It was the crash rather than Birrell’s two successful runs that made the cut in his video.Birrell says she was hooked right away when she started riding as a single mother in her mid-40s, racking up bruises and broken bones over the years. While she has shared many laps with her son over the years, Birrell says she always felt comfortable mountain biking alone.“I spent so many years often having to ride by myself or with guys who aren’t necessarily, from my generation, very supportive,” she says.
She says Birrell is the epitome of what women can aspire to bein a sport often perceived as dominated by white men.
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