September 30, 2014 (Winnipeg, MB) – The 2014 Shimano Canadian Cyclocross Championships are quickly approaching and the weekend of Oct. 24-26 promises to offer a full schedule of events at The Forks in Winnipeg, centred around the marquis races that will crown the next round of national champions. Pedal caught up with Race Director Chris Huebner for the scoop and must-do activities at what promises to be a full-on cyclo-cross festival.
What can riders expect this year?
Chris Huebner: Riders can expect a big cyclocross party. That’s not to take anything away from the racing experience. The course and venue will be world class, with lots of varied terrain and surfaces to keep riders on their toes during what will otherwise be a pretty fast course. But we’ve tried to surround the racing with as much fun social events as we were able to muster. Clinics, parties, and other social events.
The other thing riders can expect is a venue that will flat out blow them away. The Forks may well be the biggest star of the weekend. It will certainly help bring out a big crowd and give some good exposure to the sport and its racers. We expect 7,000+ to be on site on each of the three days of the event.
What is the Winnipeg ‘cross scene like?
CH: The Winnipeg cross scene has grown significantly in the past number of years as organizers have stepped up to put on high quality events. It’s a large, enthusiastic, and diverse group of racers which features some of the top riders in the country (Willem Boersma is defending Junior Men’s Champ) to many masters racers for whom cyclocross is their first ever experience racing bikes.
We are also fortunate to have a race announcer, Steve Scoles, who announces all of the races, from kids to elites. It really enhances the experience, making it more fun for racers and helping spectators follow what is going on.
How many racers do you expect?
CH: That’s a tough one, as we don’t want to jinx anything. The standard over the past few years is roughly 250 racers per day. We are hoping to exceed that and have over 300 racers per day. To achieve that goal, we need racers from across the country to embrace the event and show up to race. Early indications so far are very positive, as a good group of racers from all across the country (and into the US) have signed up to race. Another good indication is that the block of hotel rooms we reserved has already sold out. That is very encouraging, as we were initially a little nervous about being able to fill 60 rooms per night.
Given Winnipeg’s central location, do you anticipate most categories will have full representation from all the provinces?
CH: Winnipeg’s central location is certainly a plus. It’s only one flight from pretty much everywhere else in the country. So it’s relatively cheap and easy to reach. The proximity of the hotel and airport to the race venue is also a plus. No rental cars will be needed for this weekend.
What other events do you have planned for the weekend?
CH: We have plenty of additional events planned. All are listed on the website. But some of the highlights are a Fast & Female Clinic for girls aged 9-19 that will feature Catharine Pendrel, Leah Kirchmann, Gabby Durrin, and a host of other amazing women racers. There is also a clinic being organized by Peter Glassford and Molly Hurford. Molly is also hosting a “Ladies Night” which seeks to encourage more women to get involved in racing cyclocross and just riding bikes in general. Both of these events will be part of the Kick Cancer Cyclocross Derby, a full day of racing on Friday that will include a bunch of races designed to introduce the general public to cyclocross racing and hopefully getting them involved in some racing themselves.
Another exciting event is the Canadian premiere of “Working Dogs,” a new film by Sam Smith on Geoff Kabush. This will take place on Thursday Oct. 23 and serve as the unofficial kick-off to the weekend. There are also numerous parties and social events being planned. It will be a very full weekend. But also a lot of fun!
Read more about the event here.