January 09, 2017 (Ottawa, ON) – In the wake of the Ellen Watters tragedy, a virtual memorial ride was held on Sunday, January 8 using Zwift, an online platform road cycling simulator. Anyone joining the 50 virtual kilometer long ride had their cyclist avatar decked out in Pink kit – the colour of Ellen’s Cyclery/Opus team.

The slow and steady pace allowed for a great deal of positive chatter amongst riders throughout the ride. More than 400 riders from across Canada, the United States and elsewhere rode indoor trainers in basements, home gyms, living rooms and spare bedrooms in solidarity for Ellen and her family.

The ride also served as a demonstration in support of #EllensLaw, an initiative stemming from the tragedy that aims for a law enforcing a minimum passing distance of 1 metre for motorists overtaking cyclists.

Minimum passing distance laws are in place in Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia (and one is currently tabled in British Columbia), however there is no such law on the books in New Brunswick where the tragedy occurred. Let us hope our community’s call for safer roads and demand of respect for human life are heard across all levels of government.

#ellenslaw
Memories of Ellen here.
St. John Cycling Club here.