January 15, 2004 – A battle is brewing over one of Ontario's premier mountain biking events. The fight began innocently enough when Trilife Inc., a Markham-based company which has organized 24 Hours of Adrenalin events throughout North America for the past decade, filed for bankruptcy in early December 2003.

Subsequently, on Jan. 9, Chico Racing, a company based in Uxbridge, that stages many Ontario events, including its own 24 hour event in Albion Hills, signed a one-year deal to organize a 24-hour race this coming Aug. 21-22 at Hardwood Hills, just north of Barrie. Trilife had traditionally staged its flagship 24 Hours of Adrenalin event at Hardwood Hills on that weekend.

The situation became more complicated when Trilife officials, headed by president Stuart Dorland, restructured themselves and formed a new company dubbed twenty4 sports Inc. On Jan. 13, 2004, twenty4 sports Inc. issued a press release stating that they had purchased all of Trilife's assets, including contracts it had for its 24-hour events. Thus both Chico Racing and twenty4 sports have been advertising on their respective web sites that they are staging a 24 hour event at Hardwood Hills, August 21-22.

As of Jan. 15, Chico Racing had applied for an event permit through the Ontario Cycling Association. OCA president Jim Crosscomb said he expected Chico Racing would receive acceptance for its event permit within about a week's time. Crosscomb added twenty4 sports had not applied for an event permit, but he added that one is not necessary to stage an event in Ontario (most companies do so because of insurance benefits the OCA can provide).

 “Riders are rightly confused and concerned,” said Glenn Meeuwisse, Hardwood Hills' general manager. “It's not what cycling needs right now. Cycling does not need an issue. The sport is trying to grow.” Meeuwisse said the contract Trilife had with Hardwood Hills was not transferable to another firm, adding that Trilife's contracts were not listed as assets when it declared bankruptcy. In this light, Meeuwisse said that Hardwood Hills' lawyer and a public trustee have verified that the contract it had with Trilife cannot be taken over by another company. “I'm a bit surprised,” Meeuwisse said. “They [twenty4 sports] haven't had a legal leg to stand on.” Dorland, however, claims otherwise. “Our lawyers are telling us differently,” he said, adding twenty4 sports can indeed take over Trilife's contracts since the former purchased all of the latter's assets. Dorland said the last deal he signed with Hardwood Hills was a contract in August of 2002 to hold 24-hour events at Hardwood Hills in '02, '03 and '04. “I know we're going to fulfill our end of the contract,” he said. Riders are not sure of the situation either. “We get two to three calls a day from riders asking us what's going on,” Meeuwisse said. “We tell them we have an agreement with Chico Racing. And we don't have an agreement with twenty4 sports.” Meeuwisse added he's tried on numerous occasions to contact Dorland, via phone messages and emails, since late December. His messages were not returned. But Dorland's lawyer did send out a letter to lawyers representing Hardwood Hills, Chico Racing and the OCA warning them about how they are representing themselves for the proposed Chico Racing event at Hardwood Hills. “Mr. Dorland is doing business in the same fashion that brought about their bankruptcy,” said Chico Racing president Adam Ruppel. “You can't go around trying to bully and scare people.” Ruppel added he's confident his company will organize the Hardwood Hills race this August. “In life there is nothing that is 100% guaranteed,” he said. “But I have extremely, extremely good odds of being there.” The saga continues since Hardwood Hills' lawyer have sent letters to Dorland asking him to stop promoting his event. Ruppel believes he will have to soon initiate legal proceedings to prevent twenty4 sports from advertising an August event at Hardwood Hills. Dorland was non-commital as to whether he would initiate legal proceedings to settle the issue. “I hope clearer minds will prevail,” he said. “The only people who win in litigation are the lawyers.”