Beloved North Shore mountain biker mourned after death at Cypress

An educator, teammate, husband, and force in BC’s mountain biking community is being mourned following a tragic accident on a North Shore mountain over the weekend.

Andrew Chu died Saturday at Cypress Mountain. He was leading a volunteer group on a lower portion of the mountain and attempting to descend a very steep rock feature on his bike when the accident happened, according to a friend, Travis Bothner.

Search and Rescue teams, alongside the West Vancouver Police Department and paramedics, responded to the area over reports a man had gone into cardiac arrest. But despite efforts, the 50-year-old did not survive.

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Bothner told Daily Hive that the West Vancouver resident leaves behind his wife, Kaede Sakurai, a well-known member of the biking community and sponsored athlete at Bothner’s company, NF.

As well as an athlete, Chu was also a full-time teacher’s aid in the North Vancouver School District, Bothner said.(Submitted)

Many in the community are saddened by the death, including younger teammates who had looked up to the free-ride mountain biker.

“Those kids, like everyone who knew Andrew, loved him and had a very high level of respect for his ability to ride a mountain bike and spread positivity, words of encouragement, and praise to these ‘groms’ any chance he could,” he said about the young people, who many in the mountain biking sphere refer to as “groms.”

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He added, “Chu is a true North Shore mountain bike legend well-known by all the locals and has many fans from around the world. He was constantly smiling and laughing and the most polite and considerate human I think I have ever met.”

He says his friend was often known for his ability to tackle mind-boggling and infamous terrain on the North Shore, regardless of how rough the conditions were. Because of his talents, he was sponsored as an amateur biker. But his legacy goes beyond his time in the mountains. It’s Chu’s heart and spirit that his friend will always remember him for.

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“As the founder of NF and recruiter of our athletes, I have always considered Chu my personal favourite mountain biker. All of the odds were stacked against him, but that never crossed his mind once, and he just sent it with no complaints or excuses when things didn’t go his way. My heart is broken, and you will be missed every day, my friend,” Bothner said.

A message on the NF company’s website echoes that sentiment. The business will be closed for a few days to allow his family and friends space to grieve. An online fundraiser has also been started to ensure his wife’s well-being.

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Editor’s note: An original version of this piece named Chu as NF’s founder, it has since been corrected.