24hrs of GoldRiver - the Vancouver Island Touring Trial. Labour Day weekend 2026.

Endurance motorsports have a special place in the psyche of Motorsport enthusiasts. Not for the faint-of-heart, not for the “instant gratification” types. If you want to get involved with endurance events, you really have to want to get involved…. The is nothing so testing of spirit and resolve than 4am fatigue.

An advert for a 24hr rallyraid in Greece popped up on my social media feed. Greece is a very long way to go (from the Pacific Northwest at least) for a 24hr ride.

But thinking outside the box, it could be done on the north of Vancouver Island.

• Following the GoldRiver Rules that other VIME events are run to…

• Rally format corresponding to TSD principles

• Riding the highway-designated gravel road network (Crown land)

• Road legal Dualsport and Adventure bikes and riders (registered, licenced and insured)

• Roadbooks by Rally Navigator PDFs, distributed by email.

• Displayed on Rally Roadbook Reader. Free download app

• Timing by gps rally timing app (Richta). Free download app

• Running on your choice of smartphone or android tablet

• Two classes, solo riders and pairs.

Looking at the 2026 calendar, the Labour Day public holiday weekend stands out.

Labour Day is Monday 7th September 2026. The last public holiday weekend before the kids go back to school? Canada and USA.

Moon phase: 1/4 full.

First light approx 0600, sunrise 0650. Sunset 1930, last light approx 2000

Event weekend would be Thursday afternoon 3rd September to Monday morning 7th September.

Event bivouac would be in the village Gold River, Strathcona, Vancouver Island.

Event schedule (proposed)

• Wednesday 2 September distribute Prologue roadbooks by email

• Thursday 3 September afternoon. Event and bivouac opens.

• Friday 4 September. Morning. Registration, technical inspection, rider briefing.

Afternoon. Prologue. Shake-down and to set the start order. Winner of the Prologue gets to choose their start position. Everyone else in reverse order. Rally roadbook distributed by email.

• Saturday 5 September. 11am. Start at three minute intervals.

• Sunday 6 September. From 10am, finishers expected at the Start/Finish venue.

• Pace and difficulty - relaxed and mostly not challenging except for a small number of daylight sections that can be bypassed with extra time penalties.

• Three compulsory rest stops (two one-hour stops and one two-hour stop).

• Monday 7th September (Labour Day). Event closes, everyone goes home.

Preliminary route. 95% Gravel FSR. Minimum tarmac.

Leg 1. Gold River to Sayward Junction. 90km. Fuel

Leg 2. Sayward Junction to Campbell River. 115km. Fuel

Leg 3. Campbell River to Sayward Junction (alternate route). 100km. Fuel, food, 1hour rest stop (compulsory)

Leg 4. Sayward Junction to Port McNeil. 160km. Fuel

Leg 5. Port McNeil to Port Hardy. 65km. Fuel (open 24hrs), food. 2hour rest stop (compulsory)

Leg 6. Port Hardy, Holberg, Port Hardy. 140km. Fuel. 1hour rest stop

Leg 7. Port Hardy to Woss. 150km. Fuel (opens 8am).

Leg 8. Woss to Gold River. 80Km. Finish.

Total distance. 900km.

Overall target average speed. 50Kph (30mph)

18hrs riding time.

4hrs rest time.

2 “spare” hours. Arrive early at the rest stops and get longer rests - and earn extra time penalties.

Winners of the two classes will be the riders who accrue the minimum number of time penalties. Scoring as per the GoldRiver Rules. Missed time control points earn the maximum time penalties for the relevant sections.

All riders to have a Gaia or equivalent so that if they get lost they can fire up their Gaia and plot an escape route.

A minimum entry list of ten confirmed riders will be required for this marathon event to go ahead. If sufficient interest is forthcoming, I will open entries on the Shop tab of this website.

Any questions?

Jonathan

Proprietor, VI Moto Events

Edit: Scoring. Riders arriving late at the finish line will accrue extra time penalties equivalent to the number of seconds over their allotted 24hrs. Example, start at 1130hrs on Saturday, finish 1200hrs Sunday. 30 minutes late 30 x 60 =1,800 seconds in Time penalties.

Early arrivals will not score any extra time penalties.