Seth Cowie, a 37-year-old realtor from Kelowna who rides a bike with old-school rim brakes and old-school mechanical shifting and was demoted to the back of the A2 group because he arrived a wee bit late to the start line, finished faster than 2200-plus other cyclists Sunday to win the 2023 Okanagan Granfondo.
Finishing up front is no surprise for a guy who "loves" riding and loves the course, trains ten to 15 hours a week and has scored wins at this level in the past (like the 2018 Okanagan Granfondo).
"It's a spectacular course," he said. "I love it here. It's rolling, it's scenic. I've done other Fondos too -- Whistler, Victoria -- but what Jodi (Jodi Cross, event organizer) does and how well it’s run, how it's put on, and how safe it is, is a big draw.
"It's not as chaotic as the other events. And it's more fun riding when it's safe."
To Cowie, the absence of the Summerland out-and-back at the start and the wicked steep Peach Orchard Road hill climb right in the middle of it -- the segment was eliminated and course shortened for 2023 due to continuing issues at the Trout Creek landslide -- was a great equalizer.
"Without that Summerland hill that traditionally exists, we ended up with a much bigger group for a lot longer into the race," he said. "And that led to more of an exciting competition."
And about that start line hassle, the one that saw him show up late, Cowie laughed and said, "I gave myself a couple minutes less than I wanted to this morning coming in from Kelowna. Staying in Penticton the night before is definitely the way to go in the future."
Cowie made his move just after the turnaround at Road 22, a few kilometers north of Osoyoos. But the advantage didn’t last.
"I managed to get away with about 60 kilometers to go," he said. "And that last 60 kilometers I had my doubts (about holding the lead). I rode by myself for 20K and then four of us got together at the top of the Fairview climb (a long, tough slope just southwest of Oliver) and we rode in together."
We asked Cowie what it's taken over the years to propel him to the next level, and if he had any advice for others who'd ideally like to make the move from rec rider to Granfondo threat.
And he said it's a combination of things.
"It takes training, it takes dedication," he said. "I love riding in general -- road bikes, mountain bikes. I've been doing it forever. And for me, I think a lot of it has been help from friends and family. The support network has been invaluable.
"But one of the big things is passion. You spend the time and effort. And if you legitimately enjoy it, it makes a difference.
"Focus on something attainable based on your lifestyle. Try to focus on three really solid workouts a week and make sure you recover enough too. Try to find that balance."
And find a good bike shop.
"The people at Fresh Air Kelowna have helped me out for years and years," he said.
But often during an event like this, some of the best stories happen out of the saddle.
Like the group of volunteers running the Okanagan Falls aid station. Now make no mistake -- all the volunteers at all the aid stations put in long, hot days during every Granfondo and are nothing short of awesome. But we happened to stop by OK Falls just as the lead riders were coming through.
Up in the lead groups, riders generally don’t stop at aid stations. They simply don’t need to. So the volunteers at OK Falls could have just sat back and chilled as the front guys and gals blazed through.
But they didn't. They stood up, most of them wearing some form of Hawaiian/Polynesian getups, and cheered so loudly we thought we'd go deaf. Just like they do every year. We're sure it was the same story throughout all the aid stations.
And then there was Parmjit Buttar at Charlie's Fresh Fruit just south of Oliver.
Charlie's Fresh Fruit isn’t a fruit stand. It's a farm on an otherwise quiet road in fruit country. And on this day, the Okanagan Granfondo zipped right by her front door.
So Buttar stood at the end of her driveway all day long handing out super tasty fresh peaches (yes, we sampled) and bottled water to anyone who needed a little pick-me-up between aid stations.
She had as smile for everyone.
A bit further up, near the very top of Old Golf Course Road -- one of the hardest, sweatiest climbs of the day -- was a guy named John Echlin.
Echlin sat roadside, with his family and friends just behind him, watching and cheering as the riders pushed through the last few meters of pain before the summit.
But Echlin had a secret weapon. A garden hose, with a spray nozzle at the end of it.
Echlin used that hose to soak any rider who wanted to be soaked. And in our brief observations, that number approached 100%.
"I've done it the last 11 or 12 years," Echlin told us between squirts. He had what looked like a coffee beside him, though he laughed and said it may have been "something a bit stronger."
Interestingly, he's not a former cyclist. He just happens to live at one of the spots on the course where a surprise shower is most appreciated.
Nor can we forget the gang from Lululemon's Kelowna store. Every year we've covered the race, we've found a group of them perched at another tough grind between Willowbrook and White Lake.
And while they didn't have a garden hose in the middle of the desert, they did have a heavy-duty sound system, a bunch of funny signs, and a motivational party attitude.
One other thing. They don’t wear much clothing.
"We come here every year because it's the top of this hill and we have to move these people up, up and away," laughed store manager and ringleader Ashley Gama. "They're really tired at this point and we just need to cheer them over the top."
The Lululemon effect was, as it usually is, strong. Struggling riders were suddenly smiling.
Yet it's a tough, steep hill that appears near the end of the race when competitors are already hurting. We see more cyclists temporarily walking their bikes here than anywhere else on the course.
The job gets easier from there though, and the last couple dozen kilometers to the downtown Penticton finish line are mostly flat and downhill. And then it’s over and everyone can look forward to Monday morning agony.
For more info on the Okanagan Granfondo, including links to all the 2023 results, turn here.
