The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority reports that 18 participants or spectators at the Test of Metal mountain bike race June 16 have confirmed cases of campylobacter.

Within days of the race, online mountain bike forums like NSMB.com began buzzing with participants reporting symptoms of campylobacter infection,

Cliff Miller, the event organizer for the past 14 years, was cited as saying this is the first time anything like this has happened, and that this year’s wet and rainy race day conditions were the worst he’s seen, adding, "I think everybody had fun until they got home."

One potential source of the campylobacter was mud mixed with animal waste. Another was ground water.