Chuska Challenge closes out Tour de Rez Cup series

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

BUFFALO PASS, Ariz.

The Tour de Rez Cup series concluded Saturday morning with the Chuska Challenge, a grueling 20-mile mountain bike race at high altitude that drew nearly 115 participants, including 10 youth riders.

Among those who braved the course was Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, who crossed the finish line in 30th place — and he added some drama with a crash over the handlebars after crossing the line.

The race start and camp were situated just east of Buffalo Pass along Navajo Route 13. Riders opened with a short, one-mile stretch of pavement before turning north onto dirt roads and fire roads. The course carved a path through sweeping scenery, with views of Shiprock and Red Valley and, at the turnaround point nine miles in, the breathtaking “Top of the World” vista — a perch that offers distant views stretching as far as Monument Valley and Bears Ears. With elevations ranging from 8,500 to 9,100 feet, the challenge tested riders’ lungs and legs alike.

Ross Delaplane of Dolores, Colo., took the men’s overall title with a course-record time of 1 hour, 21 minutes, 18 seconds. In the women’s division, Kayenta’s Gina Parrish, an accomplished marathon runner who has transitioned into mountain biking, claimed first place with a time of 1 hour, 58 minutes, 2 seconds, finishing just under the two-hour mark.

“A few years ago, I decided to include mountain biking in my marathon training,” Parrish said. “I qualified for the Boston Marathon back-to-back years, but I’ve been dealing with some running injuries. This year, I’ve done nothing but biking. I’ve competed in most of the Rez Cup races and won here and at Monument Valley.”

Parrish added that she sees events like these as an important way to promote health across the Navajo Nation.

“I would like to encourage all our Navajo people to get out and do some hiking, biking, and just exercise and stay healthy,” she said. “Follow NavajoYes because they put on great events. Having health issues among family is difficult to deal with but running and biking have helped me lower my hypertension.”

Still, the course offered no easy ride. “I train on the dirt roads around Kayenta, but it doesn’t prepare you for challenges like today,” Parrish admitted. “I had to walk my bike through sandy parts, up steep climbs, and nearly crashed in the washout ruts.”

Crashing, in fact, is an accepted part of mountain biking. Nygren, who took his spill with humor, described the moment he went airborne.

“I came into the finish with such adrenaline that I only hit one of the brakes — the front brake,” he said. “Before I realized it, I was over the handlebars. I scraped my arm and damaged my helmet.”

Undeterred, Nygren promised a return. “Next year, I’d like to break the two-hour mark. I want to come back and do this race again. We probably live in the best place in the world. This bike race takes you through a hidden treasure that we should be proud to have.”

First Lady of the Navajo Nation Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren also joined the ride, finishing 39th overall. “It was a race until we got to the overlook,” she said with a smile. “We had to stop and take in the view and take some selfies.”

In addition to winning the Chuska Challenge, Parrish clinched the Tour de Rez Cup women’s title, awarded to the top overall finisher across the five-race series hosted by NavajoYes.

On the men’s side, Farmington’s Shane Rakestraw finished fifth in Saturday’s race and secured the overall Tour de Rez Cup championship.

“I won the Monument Valley race and Chil-Town but placed sixth at Asaayi and now fifth here,” Rakestraw said. “I couldn’t make the race at Navajo Mountain, but overall these races have been incredible.”

The Chuska Challenge also anchored the 31st annual mountain bike festival, which featured food vendors, live music, bike workshops, and kids’ events. The smooth flow of the weekend wouldn’t have been possible without a strong base of volunteers, including Beclabito Baptist Church, the Navajo Nation Office of President and Vice President, Immanuel Mission, Silver Stallion, Navajo Nation Rangers, Red Valley Search & Rescue, and Navajo EMS.

With the Chuska Challenge now in the books, the 2025 Tour de Rez Cup leaves behind more than just winners. It highlighted the endurance of athletes, the rugged beauty of the land, and the growing spirit of health and community across the Navajo Nation.

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