It’s a classic story, a couple of kids riding around the neighbourhood, pushing the boundaries of space and time while discovering their bike’s capabilities. Rallying along roads, racing across fields, or being run off of someone's property until they run out of steam. It was during one of these conquests that Soren Farenholtz stumbled upon something extra special, the Kamloops Bike Ranch.
“He was always jumping from sport to sport, one activity to the next,” Soren’s mom, Nancy, admits, “But when he found biking and the Bike Ranch, he became so focused on that. That was all he wanted to do.” Pulled in by the endless opportunity for progression and the inviting scene of older, more experienced riders willing to share knowledge or lend a helping hand, Soren returned to the Ranch, day after day, picking away at the jumps one by one. “It’s funny to think back on,” Soren laughs while shaking his head, “I was so stoked on hitting the first 3!”
Just 5 years later, Soren’s riding has progressed with incredible pace. Somewhere between taking calculated steps and staying focused on making one move at a time, Soren has become recognized as the 'Kamloops Kid' with the deepest bag of tricks and no set limit on where that can take him. “I definitely couldn’t have progressed like I did without the Ranch. Having everything there to work up through, having the people to session with, and just being able to go there - for free! These things made it easy to be there all the time.”
Alongside his calm and humble demeanour, the skillset Soren has acquired is beginning to garner a lot of attention. In 2018, Soren was featured in multiple videos and appeared in interviews with media heavyweights, catching the eyes of Kamloops' pros, most notably, Graham Agassiz. “It’s so cool to have that support,” says Soren, wide-eyed in near disbelief.
“I’m so lucky to have these sponsors that are helping me make it happen but letting me do it my own way.It’s also cool to be on the same team as Graham since I looked up to him as a kid.”
Despite Soren's age, his rapid progression, and the support, he isn't putting pressure on himself to achieve any lofty goals. “I don’t want to try too hard to make this a career. I don’t want to force it. I’d rather just go with the flow and take it step by step,” Soren says with confidence well beyond his years. “I’m just having so much fun, getting to ride all these spots, and meeting cool people. It’s great to make new friends - age doesn’t matter and we just ride. If I was too serious, it wouldn't be the same.”
Because of the Bike Ranch and support of the mountain bike community, young riders like Soren have so much potential to go big.
