2013 Recipient of the Jason Lapierre Memorial Scholarship at the University of Calgary: Sean Crooks

Congratulations to Olympian Sean Crooks who was the 2013 recipient of the Jason Lapierre Memorial Scholarship at the University of Calgary.

Sean wrote:

"After an eight-year hiatus from school to pursue my athletic goals as a national/Olympic team ski racer, returning as a mature student has been difficult financially. Amateur sport was an amazing avenue to learn the value of hard work, travel the world, make lifelong friends, etc., but it does not set you up financially to be able to reach academic goals. I am so thankful for awards that help amateur athletes pursue excellence in school and in sport. Thank you for supporting me and past/future recipients of this award. It makes a huge difference. After my undergraduate degree, I hope to pursue a career in sports medicine. I am passionate about healthy active living and would like to have a career where I can serve as an information source, role model and leader in promoting healthy lifestyles. I knew Jason from his time in Thunder Bay. We both resided at a small lake community for a summer and were both training hard for our respective endurance sports. Jason was training for triathlon and I was training for cross country ski racing. We did some great workouts together and he had an amazing work ethic. Years later, we met up for a long road ride in Canmore, and Jason’s love for sport was just as I remembered it. I am currently racing road bikes for an Alberta club and we have competed in Jason's memorial race for the past few years. It's one of the top events in Alberta's cycling calendar. I often think of Jason when I train and compete in running, cycling or ski racing as well as in my pursuit of academic excellence. It is a great honour to receive this award. Thank you."

Marc is Killing It!

I'd just like to point out Marc Enter has not missed the podium yet this year in any event and is currently on track to take another 1st overall for the weekend. Check out http://www.bikesonbroadway.ca/  to see a bunch of #1 beside his name. Buy him a beer next time you see him, he has earned it.

STC plans assault on BoB

Great results for STC over the weekend. I'm planning on continuing the barrage in Saskatoon this weekend. I'm looking for anyone who is in the same boat as me and could either use fuel money or needs a lift (I may be able to borrow a car), and looking to share accommodation. Due to Memorial Cup on in town at the same time decent budget options are becoming as rare as hens teeth. Cheers.

Either email me or comment below - my email is mhenter2 at gmail dot com

ABA Upgrade Change

An ABA regulation change was pointed out to me over the weekend. It was in the last ABA newsletter. There isn't an explanation of the reasoning but it appears Road Racers cannot use GC points for upgrade points. Wow, this has a direct and immediate impact!

Velocity RR and ITT yield great results

Strong SE crosswinds and pleasant temperatures were in order for the first day of the Velocity SR in Josephburg. But that didn't seem to deter the ST team.

Marc Enter in Cat 1/2 snagged 2nd in the RR and 3rd in the ITT (one second behind Bruce Copeland). Unbelievable. I believe the last time we had a Cat 1/2 podium finish was when Trev Williams placed 2nd in the RR in 2009.

Issac Beall in Cat 3 got 3rd in the RR and 2nd in the ITT. Fantastic results. I can't wait to see him join Marc, very soon. Both Marc and Issac are in great GC positions, which will make for an exciting CR race today.

If you have time before heading back to Calgary this afternoon, please stick around and cheer on *all* of your fellow ST members!

You can see more great results from the ST team, with many setting PBs:

http://www.albertabicycle.ab.ca/results-road

Penticton 2013 - Final thoughts...

This will be the last post before the Penticton week. I suggest printing the dossier above and know the routes you plan to ride (you can also load all the maps into your iphone's mapmyride app). All rides will be starting from the Denny's in the Sandman and also note the start times for each day. Please have some familiarity with the routes and be prepared for anything. Carry tools, tubes, patch kits, etc. I highly recommend not riding old tires, especially the one you have been melting on your trainer all winter. New tires are not sexy like fancy carbon parts, but they sure scream love.

Some other things to remember/bring:

• Small frame or pocket sized pump to carry on rides. I know lots of people just carry co2. I also know people who have gotten 4 flats on a single ride. co2 is like a one night stand, pumps are like a BFF.
• Valid Passport if you plan on doing the USA ride.
• Clothes for all types of weather, it can be cold in the mornings and hot in the afternoon and everything in between. It's also a good idea to bring wet weather clothes, you never know what mother nature will throw at us. Fingers crossed.
• Good attitude. We're all here on vacation and to have fun.
• IMPORTANT: If you are bringing a friend/partner/spouse and they plan to ride with the group they must be an STC member if they're not an STC member then they must purchase the temp club membership. (link is above). No STC membership, no riding with the group. There will be no exceptions.

And finally keep an eye on the blog for any potential updates during the week.

See you all Sunday morning!

2013 Coulee Crusier MTB #1

The first official ABA race of the season is this Saturday in Lethbridge. Headwinds Cycling Club is putting on the Coulee Cruiser Mountain Bike Race. It's supposed to be 17 degrees on Saturday! Marcy and I will be there.

Tech Guide
Registration (closes Thursday)

 Photo: USA Cycling/Robin Wilmott

Velocity stage race in Edmonton May 11-12... anybody going?

Registration is now up on the Velocity club website:

http://www.velocitycyclingclub.ca

The stage race consists of an individual time trial sprint, criterium and road race over two days. The road course is completely flat and typically has strong crosswinds, seemingly from every direction. It's a great sufferfest to whip you into shape and it's the only ABA road race before the provincial road race in Pigeon Lake two weeks later.

Signup appears to be capped to 50 riders per ability category, so if you are in Cat 5 or 4 and are planning to race, you should sign up early to avoid disappointment. I'll be there unless it's snowing.

CAUTION: This race is the same weekend as Mother's Day

New (Non-Bike Related) Bling

Since rumours are starting to get out amongst the club, I thought a quick post to confirm the truth of the story is in order. Joelle and I are engaged to be married this summer!

I know some ST members may want to hear the story of know it happened. Joelle tells the story much better than I do: http://prettymomentsbyjoelle.blogspot.ca/2013/04/the-beginning-of-our-love-story.html

Your Favorite Hill

I'm thinking of organizing an "All Hills, Nothing but Hills" night.  The idea is that we hammer up a hill, hurl, cruise/recover to the next hill, hammer, hurl and so-on. Cat 1/2/3 riders might have to ride the hill twice so we can ride as a team. Conceptually we would have a loop that would bring us back the start.  I'm looking for your favorite gravity challenged roadway that we could incorporate into the "All Hills" evening.  No restrictions. It could be short and steep or long and full of suffering. Whatever you consider a MOFO hill is fine.

I'll start:
101st Hill
85 st Hill
Old Banff Coach Road
Spring Bank Road
Escarpment Drive
COP (too busy these days for my taste)
Edworthy
Road to Nepal
Leighton Center

With a completed list I'll map it all out and see how we can link a string of them together.
Tom

Sunday April 28th is the rescheduled Airdrie Andrenalin 20km ITT

The details of the Airdrie 20km ITT are up on the Cranky site. This is a great opportunity to test out yourself against the clock early in the season.

Go here for details.

.

Moose Jaw Spring Classic - May 4/5

For those interested in a little driving to get the race season started, on May 4/5 Moose Ja hosts the Red Goat Fitness Centre Spring Classic. This stage race starts off with a hill climb (and you might scoff, but this climb is steep...), an evening crit, and a Sunday morning road race. Details and registration are at http://reg.ccnbikes.com/index.php/event/red-goat-fitness-centre-moose-jaw-spring-classic.

Even though I'll be just west of Moose Jaw for the week following this race, I can't make the race due to commitments here that weekend. Bummer.

Women's only heat in the Tues night Crits, hosted by Midweek Mayhem.

Brent has asked my to ensure that all our women membership have a read of the proposed change they are contemplating making in the weekly Crit series.

They tentatively plan on having a Women's only field with a focus on 'learning to crit race' over actually tooth and nail competing. The plan will be to have rolling ambassadors giving guidance and advice during the events.

Midweek Mayhem would love if our STC women weighed in with some feedback on the issue and whether this would make it more appealing and may get you to come out to the Tues Night events. Previously, the women raced in whichever Cat they could handle with the men.

Please go to the Midweek Mayhem site and let them know your opinion and whether you would be tempted enough by this change to participate.

Thanks to Midweek Mayhem for providing an excellent yearly series giving us the opportunity to race. This is the same club that hosts the totally awesome Cross series in fall which I already can't wait for!

Trev

Penticton 2013 - Update (Day 6 and 7)

Day 6
(Long) Apex, Yellow Lake, Carmi, Greyback Mountain (138km) - Map
(Short) Apex, Carmi, Greyback Mountain (100km) - Map
"Mine's bigger than yours " (175km) - Map

Start: Denny's in the Sandman hotel (939 Burnaby Avenue W)
When: Ride will roll out at 9:00 am

Did someone say climbing?... Today we are on some familiar roads just in reverse direction. The group will start climbing right out of Penticton on Green Mountain Rd. The road meanders upward, rolling for 22kms to the base of Apex, then prepare for another assault on that beast. From there the short ride will descend back down to Penticton and take on Carmi and Greyback, then go for lunch and laugh at everyone who are on the long ride. The long ride will descend down the south side of Green Mountain Rd. and hang a left for the climb up to Yellow Lake. From here the long ride will continue on the 3A to the 97 and down into Okanagan Falls for Mclean Creek, then back to Penticton for Carmi and Greyback.

The "Mine's bigger than yours" ride will take a right after Yellow Lake where the long ride goes straight. This group will wind down White Lake Rd to Area 51 and back up to the 97 just outside of Okanagan Falls. From here the silly fools who attempt this ride will do an out and back to the Wall for giggles, then enter uncharted territories of the category 2 Commercial Rd. climb south of Okanagan Falls (turn around when the pavement ends). Since you are probably still fresh, head back down to OK Falls and up Mclean Creek, then limp back into Penticton for a Carmi and Greyback Mountain face slap. Good luck.


Day 7
Naramata Bench, KVR to Chute Lake (93km) - Map

Start: Denny's in the Sandman hotel (939 Burnaby Avenue W)
When: Ride will roll out at 10:00 am

Well it has come to that time, the end of a great week of cycling. But wait, it's not over just yet! For our last day the group will cruise along the Naramata Bench taking in the hillside and lake views. No doubt we may lose some to the "call of the winery" as they are plenty here. But for those that continue on we'll wind our way up to the cattle guard and the end of pavement. In years past we slogged up the 10% avg grade gravel road to the Chute Lake Resort, but this year we will take the KVR trail and it's long winding switchbacks. Lots of history on this old rail trail and should have some cool sights like Rock Oven Provincial Park, the Adra Tunnel and more... For those that are not interested in riding up to Chute Lake they will return to Penticton along Naramata and begin to soak in the successful week of riding.