When he was 10 years old, Ben Johansen climbed on a bike and raced down
the course at Skibowl. It was his first official event. He took third. His
explanation for his early success: “I like to go fast.”

Now, a much older Ben Johansen – he’s the ripe age of 14 – has claimed the
title of Northwest Cup champion in downhill mountain biking.

The Northwest Cup is a grueling seven-event series staged at venues in Port
Angeles and Stevens Point, Wash., as well as the Mountain’s own Skibowl.

Downhill bikers must conquer steep terrain, rocks and jumps, all the while
remaining atop their lightweight carbon fiber steeds, careening at hair-raising
speeds – all a perfect fit inside Ben’s comfort zone.

The Northwest Cup attracts downhillers from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and
British Columbia. Johansen flew by the competition capturing two first-place
finishes and four seconds. He won the overall title even though he conceded one of the races due to a family visit to relatives in Norway.

“As the points built up I kinda knew it (the championship) was going to
happen,” Johansen said with a shrug of a shoulder and a valiant attempt at a
modest smile.

But the last run at Stevens Point tested his mettle. The course was muddy
and the challenge was great.

“I crashed pretty good in my practice run,” he said, revealing a lot of his
character by describing a serious crash as “good.”

“I hit a rock through a steep turn and my front wheel got caught,” he said. “I
went over the bars down a 12-foot drop. It was a perfect face plant and I
messed up my elbows.”

The title was on the line. He needed a clean run over the mucky course.
“There were a couple spots that were tough, but I stayed up,” he said.
The title was his.

Next year Ben moves up to the Junior Expert class for 15-18 year olds.
“There are lots of faster kids, for sure,” he said of his next challenge. “But we
race the same courses and my times are within 10 or 15 seconds of the
leaders.”

Don’t expect that cushion to last. Ben already has his off-season regimen in
order.

“I train on Sandy Ridge (weather conditions permitting),” he said. “You have
to climb three and one-half miles to the top, so I get the fitness part, then the
speed coming down.”

He will also stay in shape as a member of the Sandy High free-style ski team.
In 2012, Ben’s prowess garnered him a slot on the Bike Gallery DH racing
team of Portland, and he qualified for Trek Bicycles young athletes program.
These positions have provided discounts on equipment, and more importantly,
bicycles.

As he moves into the Junior Experts he must make the top 80 to qualify for
next year’s Northwest Cup.

“Getting a new bike, that will help a lot,” he said.

He will be moving on from his $5,200 Trek bike to an $8,500 carbon fiber
Trek. But through his sponsorships, he will pick up the new Trek for a
“modest” $3,500.

During the family journey to Norway he got to ride at the Hafjell Bike Park in
Lillehammer – the site of the World Cup Downhill mountain biking event.

“I definitely got to see how gnarly it is,” he said. “But I can see myself going
fast on it one day.”

It’s one mountain at a time for Ben Johansen.