Mountain bike racer tearing up trails around the world
Sonya Looney is a professional mountain biker who was born and raised in Albuquerque, N.M. She now lives in Kelowna, where she moved in 2014. Looney competes in mountain bike races all over the world, and she recently spoke with Daily Courier reporter Andrea Peacock about how running marathons led her to become a professional mountain biker and about her favourite trails around Kelowna.
What brought you to Kelowna?
The health care, lack of guns and mountain bike trails — just kidding. (It was) a guy. Canadians are the best. I met (my husband) Matt at a bike race and it was one of those stories where you meet the person you’ve been waiting for your whole life. We are very lucky people, and there was no hesitation about moving to Canada. I love living in this country, and B.C. literally has the best mountain biking in the world. Trust me, I’ve looked.
How did you get into mountain biking?
I got into mountain biking through spin class at the gym. I was running marathons when I was 18 to 20, but kept getting nagging injuries because I didn’t know how to train properly. I would go to spin class as cross training and I really liked it. A few guys from my work invited me to go mountain biking, and two weeks later I signed up for my first race. I was hooked from the start and went all in to the sport.
What do you enjoy about mountain biking?
Mountain biking is freedom. It’s a great way to be out in the middle of the forest and connecting with nature. It’s where I am at my best and get my most creative ideas and where I feel like my soul is being nourished. Mountain biking amplifies all of your emotions, especially in a race, and it forces you to face who you really are and decide how you want to respond to challenges.
How long have you been a professional mountain biker?
I have been racing at the professional level for 10 years. I started in short course cross-country racing, but seven years ago I switched to ultra-endurance events. I primarily focus on multi-day races around the world because it’s an opportunity to experience other cultures, build community with great people, see parts of the world from a bike you’d never see on foot or by car and take on some of the most extreme challenges in the world.
Proudest moment in your career so far?
The first is being the first woman to ever finish the Yak Attack back in 2012. It’s a 10-day mountain bike race across the Annapurna region of Nepal where you have to (climb) over 17,769 feet with your bike. The other is becoming world champion in 24-hour racing in 2015. You literally race your bike for 24 hours straight, and whoever goes the farthest wins.
I understand you won some big races recently. Which ones were those and what was that like?
This has been a great year. One of my favourite places to race is South America, and I won the two biggest races this year. The first was a seven-day race in Colombia called the La Leyenda Del Dorado. I raced as a two-person team in the female category with a friend from South Africa. You raced from 7,000 to 14,000 feet around volcanoes. The altitude and weather were tough and the lengths of the courses were long — one day was 7 1/2 hours. The other and most recent is a sevenday stage race in Brazil called Brasil Ride. It was my third time racing there and, in my opinion, it’s the hardest race in the world because of the distance and the exhausting terrain. I raced in the mixed category with my friend Gordon Wadsworth.
Best mountain biking trail in Kelowna?
You’re asking me to play favorites. If I had to pick one, I love Vapour Trail in Crawford. I also love all the trails in Rose Valley.
Does the snow in the mountains stop you from hitting the trails in the winter?
Nope. I definitely ride outside less, but I have a fat bike and I’ll go ride the trails in the snow. You can’t help but have a big smile on your face. It’s like Disneyland on a bike and a totally different experience from riding on dirt. Things are soft and slippery and you go slower, so it doesn’t hurt if you fall.
Besides mountain biking, how else do you spend your time?
I spend a lot of time being a creator. I regularly write for many publications about cycling, outdoor adventures and healthy lifestyle. I also have a weekly podcast, speak at conferences, do my own photography, spend a lot of time curating content for my social media channels and YouTube, have my own product line that I manage, work with my sponsors and travel to events for them, and cook plant-based meals and educate people on nutrition. When I’m not doing all that stuff, I love to sing and play guitar and piano, and I also love spending time with friends and going to yoga. Never a dull moment.
Who is your favourite female mountain biker?
I have two. (Kamloops resident) Catharine Pendrel got the bronze in the Olympics last year and has been world champion multiple times. What I love about Catharine is not just her accomplishments, but I love the way that she treats people around her. My other favourite is Kate Courtney. She is a younger racer from California and is always smiling, has a super-fun vibe, and she absolutely destroys people in races.