January 24, 2009 – Here is the latest news from the Alberta Bicycle Association, including a tribute to the late Lino Bovo, info on the ABA Penticton training camp, info on the Dreams on Wheels Exhibition, 2009 coaching courses, and the announcement of a BMX Supercamp.

In Memoriam: Lino Bovo, November 15, 1928 — January 16, 2009
A key figure in Alberta cycling, Mr. Lino Bovo was a founding member of both the Juventus and the Edmonton Veterans (later Masters) Cycling Clubs With sadness we wish to report that Lino Bovo passed away peacefully on Friday morning. Lino cycled all his life, starting as a early teenager in his home of Villanova, Italy, some 50km from Venice. Roads were gravel before the war when he started but that didn’t stop him from logging many, many miles and riding the famous Italian climbs we all read about in our magazines. Lino was a very strong cyclist who has been known to put in 300km days, and he was still doing half that at age 78.

The funeral service for Lino was held on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:30 am at Santa Maria Goretti Italian Parish, 9110 — 110 Avenue, Edmonton.

ABA Penticton Camp – March 27 – April 5
Join the ABA for our annual preseason training camp in beautiful Penticton, British Columbia. Enjoy eight days (March 27 – April 5) of great roads and challenging terrain amidst the temperate climate of the Okanagan. Daily ability-based rides will be coordinated and accompanied by NCCP coaches. Luxury accommodation and round trip transportations are included. Take in all the Okanagan has to offer including beautiful beaches and wine tasting in part of Canada’s premium wine country.

For more information contact Cameron McKnight via email at cam@albertabicycle.ab.ca or by phone at 780-427-6352

Download Camp Registration here.

Dreams on Wheels Exhibition
Calgary tour de nuit Society, named after the Velo Quebec tour that marks the beginning of the Montreal bike week, Is planning an event for Calgary this year and has been attempting to convince the Danish Government to send its celebrated cycling and urban planning exhibit ‘Dreams on Wheels’ to Canada.

The Calgary tour de nuit Society, CtdnS, has in the last several months mounted an intensive lobby to convince the Danish Government that this exhibit, with its positive message of cycling’s impact on climate change, would have a more significant impact here than elsewhere in North America.

So far CtdnS has garnered the support of the Danish Ambassador and his staff in Ottawa whom sponsored their application to host the exhibit. Letters from the Premier of Alberta and Mayor of Calgary as well as other environmental groups and school boards have demonstrated significant and compelling interest to Danish authorities and the Paris curator. The ABA supports CtdnS’s plan to host ‘Dreams on Wheels’ It is the belief of the ABA that a larger body of bicycle commuters would have a significant impact upon the size of the population segment from which sport and club riders are drawn.

Your club can participate in this lobby to encourage the Government of Denmark to make this cycling exhibit available to ABA members in southern Alberta. I have enclosed a couple of sample letters and hope that you recognize that this exhibit could have a positive impact on transportation recreation and sport cycling in Alberta. Please write to the Danish ambassador to express your club’s support for Calgary as a host city for the Dreams on Wheels exhibit.

Contact Gary Beaton grybeaton@gmail.com for more information to to pledge your support.

2009 Coaching Courses
The ABA will be hosting a number of NCCP Courses for coaching candidates in 2009. Our focus will be on delivering the new NCCP streams of Introduction to Competition and Community Initiation courses. A Level 2 Road course will also be offered in conjunction with the GP Bici.*

– Introduction to Competition – Part B – Calgary (COP) – March 14-15 – Register Online here.
– Community Initiation – Edmonton – Percy Page Centre – March 21-22 – Register Online here.
– Level 2 Road* – Calgary (COP) – April 27-29 – Register Online here.
– Introduction to Competition – Part A – Edmonton – Percy Page Centre – May 23-24 – Register Online here

To register via mail, download the registration forms here (Word .doc).

*Level 2 course will ‘include’ the GP Bici races; participants may race if they wish to do so. Please note the course will be scheduled on Friday evening (7-9) and sessions prior to the races.

The following documents provide a comprehensive overview of the new Cycling NCCP.

– Cycling NCCP Overview here
– Cycling’s New NCCP Transition here

Camp Cools Superweekend – June 5-7
The Alberta Bicycle Association in conjunction with Camp Cools, Airdrie BMX and funding from the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation are proud to present one of the greatest rider camp to ever hit Alberta. The camp will take place at the Airdire track June 5-7 and feature some of the greatest BMX coaches and riders on the planet including international coaches Ken Cools, Mike Day, Bubba Harris and some of the top current BMX Champions (Marc Willers, Jim Brown, Nick Goertren).

For more information:
– Check out the event poster here
– Register online here

January 4, 2008 – Here’s the latest news from the Alberta Bicycle Association. Registration for 2008 ABA licenses is now available. The application form and waiver are available for download here, and registration is also available on-line through karelo.com.

Club Registration for 2008 Now Available
All clubs will be receiving their 2008 Club application package in the mail within the next week. If you are planning on starting up a new club, please contact us by phone at 780-427-6352 or by email at info@albertabicycle.ab.ca with your mailing address, and we will mail out a club package. Should you have any questions about licensing or club affiliation for 2008 or Insurance, please feel free to contact the ABA office for more information.

Upcoming Important Dates to Remember
We will be holding meetings for both Race Organizers and Club Presidents in February. Calgary and Edmonton dates have been set for convenience of all those planning to attend.

Edmonton – February 2, 2008
Location: Percy Page Centre (11759 Groat Road)
Club Presidents: 10 AM
Race Organizers: 12 Noon

Calgary – February 9, 2008
Location: TBD
Club Presidents: 10 AM
Race Organizers: 12 Noon

2008 ABA Racing Calendar”¦
The staff of the ABA is in the process of building the 2008 racing calendar. Organizers wishing to host events next season are encouraged to contact Sport Coordinators Scott Kelly (Road, Cyclocross and Track); scott@albertabicycle.ab.ca or Roddi Lega (Mountain Bike and BMX); roddi@albertabicycle.ab.ca or by phone Toll Free at 1-877-646-BIKE (2453). Look for a draft of the 2008 calendar on the ABA website by mid-January.

The Staff of the ABA would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year and we look forward to seeing everyone out at the races in 2008.