SOURCE: NSMB/CAM MCRAE
DENIS FONTAINE and RICHARD JURYN
Richard Juryn and seven friends set out on an epic, season-capping adventure on Saturday morning. Their plan was to kayak from Deep Cove to Anvil Island, run to the top, paddle back to the mainland and then cycle to Whistler. After their climb to the top of Anvil the weather turned foul. Despite the increasing swell they decided to make for the mainland. Soon after, the weather deteriorated further and amid seven foot swells and 85 km/h winds the kayak containing Denis Fontaine and Cheryl Beatty capsized. Richard Juryn and his paddling partner, Graham Tutti, attempted to rescue Fontaine and paddle with him toward Porteau Cove while another picked up Beatty and made it safely back to Anvil Island. Fontaine climbed into the centre hatch of the double kayak but in the foul weather it began to take on water and eventually sank.
The three men were rescued after over an hour in the water but Richard Juryn and Denis Fontaine could not be revived.
Richard was one of the most energetic and tenacious advocates for mountain biking the North Shore has ever seen. He spearheaded countless fund raising endeavours and was instrumental in getting new people involved in the North Shore Mountain Bike Association. Richard also dreamt up and ran the highly successful North Shore Mountain Bike Festival and Conference which was so well received that it became the World Mountain Bike Conference the following year. If there was a mountain biking event happening on the North Shore you could bet that Richard was involved in some way to ensure success.
Earlier this year Richard organized a riding trip with some friends to celebrate his 50th birthday. Rather than Moab or Colorado the group headed to Mongolia for a more unique and remote challenge. On October 25th a slide show was scheduled as an opportunity for Richard to share images and thoughts from this once in a lifetime adventure. It appears at this point that the event will go ahead as a tribute to Richard and Denis.
I unfortunately didn’t know Denis but I can tell you that Richard Juryn was an incredible person. Always smiling and brimming with energy, no challenge was too great for him. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him – and the hole he leaves in the local mountain biking community cannot be filled.
Richard is survived by his wife Jill and his two teenaged children.
I met Richard many years ago in Toronto when I worked for his mother Pam at her sailing school. He was the first person I ever met who had a custom made road bike, a really good one – I was so impressed! He really did influence my life long (so far) love of cycling. My deepest sympathies to Pam and Pete, with whom I worked, and the rest of his family and friends.
Meryl