April 7, 2010 – Here is the latest news from the offices of the OCA, including info about the upcoming NCCP Community Initiation (CI) Learning Facilitator Course, upcoming races, report from the OCA South Carolina Endurance Camp, and the OCA Spring BMX Camp Report. See below for more details.

NCCP Community Initiation (CI) Learning Facilitator Course – April 16-17
Click here for details.

Upcoming Races – This Weekend
– Tour of Bronte info here
– Homage to Ice info here
– Hell of the North info here.

OCA South Carolina Endurance Camp – Report
Click here

OCA Spring BMX Camp Report
Click here

March 17, 2010 – Here are the latest headlines from the OCA, including reports from the Ontario team training camp in South Carolina, Awards, Freezride Cancelled, Joyride Indoor Bike Park on the Discovery Channel, Ontario Trials Series Event 1 Report, and Quest for Gold As A Matter of FaCT. Click on the links below for the whole story.

OCA News

South Carolina Training Camp Reports
– Day 1
– Day 2
– Day 3
– Day 4
– Day 5

– Ontario Trials Series – Event 1 Report here
– Joyride Indoor Bike Bark on the Discovery Channel – Click here
– Freezeride Cancelled Due to Weather! Click here
– 2009 Club Challenge Trophy Awarded! Click here
– Provincial C Road Commissaire Course: Click here   

February 28, 2010 – Her is the latest news from the OCA headquarters, including notice of the AGM on March 6, 2010 Toronto International Bike Show information and hours, 2010 Clubs and Affiliations, 2010 Road Provincials in Elliot Lake August 14-15, Learn to Race MTB XC Clinic with Chico Racing May 2, and 2010 Ontario pre-season reminder.

OCA AGM Reminder
The Annual General Meeting of the Ontario Cycling Association will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 6, 2010.

Where: Conference Room, Better Living Centre, Exhibitor Entrance

You will be escorted by security to the conference room if you are not attending the Toronto International Bike Show that is taking place at this time.

2010 Toronto International Bike Show
The OCA will be at this year’s Toronto International Bike Show. (Now at the Better Living Centre) for all 3 days. Please see below for OCA hours next week and during the show. The OCA will not have computer access starting Wednesday March 3rd.

OCA Office Hours
– Monday March 1st – Closed
– Tuesday March 2nd – Open
– Wednesday March 3rd – Open
– Thursday March 4th – Closed
– Friday March 5th – Closed
– Monday March 8th – Closed
– Tuesday March 9th – Open

2010 OCA Bike Show Hours
The OCA will be open during the following times at the Toronto International Bike Show.

– Friday March 5th – Noon – 8pm
– Saturday March 6th – 11 am – 6pm
– Sunday March 7th – 11 am – 5 pm

We look forward to seeing you at the show!

Don’t forget to attend the AGM

2010 Clubs and Affiliations
Just a reminder to all clubs, with the Toronto International Bicycle Show taking place next weekend (Friday March 5th – Sunday March 7th) the OCA is asking that clubs have their affiliation paperwork in no later than 12:00pm noon on Tuesday, March 2nd as we will be without computer access Wednesday and Thursday. If you have any questions please contact the office at 416-426-7416.

Please click here for affiliation paperwork.

Road Provincials are in Elliot Lake this year – August 14 – 15 , 2010
In previous years there has been a perceived shortage of rooms in Elliot Lake. A large block is reserved early on and is eventually released to other users as some racers do not book until a week prior to the event. Booking late might result in the only available accommodation being located outside of town. In addition to the hotels listed here there is camping for the hardy in town and at the provincial park north of town. More will be listed in the tech guide.

The Hampton is brand new and adjacent to downtown. The Algo is at the shopping mall downtown.

Hampton Inn – 705-848-4004
– 35 rooms have been reserved for August 13, 2010 for 2 nights
– Release date is July 14th, 2010
– Prices range from $ 109 – 129 / night

Algo Inn – 705-461-9251
– 62 rooms have been reserved for August 13, 2010 for 2 nights
– Release date is July 14th, 2010
– Prices range from $ 71.90 – 81.90 / night

Book your room early!

Learn to Race Mountain Bike – XC Clinic with Chico Racing
Chico Racing in partnership with the OCA will hold a Learn to Race MTB-XC clinic at Albion Hills on May 2, 2010.

– Youth 15 and under from 10 am – 12.30 pm
– Adults 16 and overfrom 1.30pm – 4 pm

Please see www.chicoracing.com or click here for more information.

2010 Fast Approaching!
Only days until the first event of the 2010 season. Have you applied for your licence? Have you got your new bike? Are you excited? The OCA is excited for the upcoming season and wishes everyone success…. don’t forget to dream big and success never rests.

For more information on the 2010 season, please see the 2010 Cycle Ontario Guide – Available at the Bike Show.

February 18, 2010 – There’s lots going on at the OCA these days, and here’s the latest provincial cycling news, including DH MTB technical delegate training, Joyride 150 Bikepark discounts, 2010 Ontario Summer Games info, and reports from the OCA Spring Downhill Project in Nevada. Read on for more details.

DH MTB 2010 Technical Delegate Training – April 10-11
The OCA is pleased to offer a free training weekend for members interested in the roles and responsibilities of a Downhill Technical Delegate. It is HIGHLY recommended that all DH/MTB Commmissaires, organizers, marshalls and event crew take this course.

Date: Sat/Sun, April 10-11
Time: 10am to 4pm
Location: OCA Building, 3 Concorde Gate, Toronto, Main Lobby boardroom

The course will be taught by Remi Berube, formerly CCA Technical Director with assistance from Chris Cousineau 2009 DH TD. This course is at NO CHARGE to all interested participants.


Joyride 150 Bikepark Offers Discount to OCA Members
Joyride 150 bikepark is offering all affiliated club and OCA members a discount.

To read more please click here.

For more info on Joyride 150, visit www.joyride150.com

The most fun you could have on a bike this Winter!


2010 Ontario Summer Games Info
Tuesday, August 10 – Friday, August 13, 2010
Mountain Bike and BMX will once again dominate the sporting scene in Sudbury in 2010. Will you be there?

Please click here for MTB-XC and BMX information – This includes eligibility and qualification.


FCV Announces $500 in Prizes in Women’s 100-Lap Endurance Race – April 3
There will be $500 in prizes up for grabs in the women’s 100-lap endurance race April 3rd at the Forest City Velodrome: $250 for first place, $150 for second, $100 for third. Race is open to all women ages 14 and over.

Prizes will be awarded as long as there is a field of at least 12 riders. The race is being held in memory of long-time FCV volunteer Mary Kelly.

Click here to register for the event.


OCA Spring Downhill Project – Bootleg Canyon, Nevada
The team has promised some photos on Friday so stay tuned!

Report Day 2
The day started bright and early as most of the crew woke up around 830 a.m. The morning consisted of bike movies, a good wholesome breakfast and bicycle repair – what could be better? Once we had all our gear packed and the bikes loaded, it was off the mountain.

Before we shuttled up the mountain, the coaches had some parking lot drills planned for us. There were multiple purposes of the drills – a good way to warm up, honing in essential bicycle skills and a good environment for the coaches to critique our riding. Once you are able to perform all the basic skills and make them a second nature you will be able to learn the more technical skills quicker and more efficiently. We focussed on cornering and pumping drills this morning, learning to find our limits and test our skills. They had various interesting drills that offered skill building, entertainment and competition!

Once we were warmed up and more knowledgeable, we headed up the mountain. It was time to apply what we had learned in the parking lot, and take it to the track. We did the first two runs on the main trail of the mountain – the ‘race trail’ as we call it. The goal was to take it easy, keep it smooth, and apply what we had learned. A couple flat tires, minor mishaps and great times, it was time for lunch!

After lunch we all jumped back into the trucks and headed up the hill to get more runs in. We all got partnered up with another team mate to train with one another and to learn stuff from them. We did one run and than we went back up and decided to do the hardest trail on the mountain. The trail is super fun and loose. It has one section that looking at it makes your body ache.

After riding the trail two times we decided that we were going to do one more run on the main course. This time we could not pedel at all and so using the technique from the drills this morning, we had to get as far as we could down the trail. After that last run we all called it a day and so we packed up the bikes and headed back to the house.

I’m almost positive everyone is super pumped for tomorrow and are going to be ripping it up showing USA what we are made of.

– Rob Fraser and Kyle Sangers

Report Day 1
So here we are back in Nevada, and as usual the trip out here was an adventure. Who would have thought that Customs wouldn’t like a bunch of teenagers flying to Vegas without their parents??? Luckily we had the proper OCA documentation. From Customs I walked up to the baggage drop-off and was asked “how many bikes?” when I said 10 the reply was not reassuring “WHAT? TEN BIKES!” Yes, 10 bikes.

So we sat on the plane with our fingers crossed and were relieved that when we got to Vegas the first items rolling down the belt were 10 bikes. The flight was quick we landed 50 minutes ahead of time, and picking up the trucks went smoothly. It feels very luxurious to be rolling around in two F-150 Super Cab trucks this year. The road up the mountain is rough but you wouldn’t know it in these trucks.

The house is in the perfect spot right at the foot of the hill. It’s an interesting design, it’s like 12 shacks attached together to make a house, but the kitchen is great, there’s a spot for everyone to sleep and a foosball table.

– Chris Cousineau, Head Coach

With everyone being a little jet-lagged and the fact that to us it was 4 in the morning, we all picked which cubby hole to sleep in and passed out. The next morning we got up around 9 and built all our bikes in the beautiful sunshine and 65F weather and got stoked to ride!!

At noon we went to the hill and started doing a number of drills in the parking lot to work on braking, cornering, and body position. It got us nice and warmed up physically and most importantly mentally.

The coaches (Chris, Pete, and Brandon) critiqued us and videotaped us for our chalk talk at the end of the day. After about an hour of the drills we loaded up the trucks and headed to the top of Bootleg Canyon to start shuttling runs. We started on the Super-D course to shake of some cobwebs on some sweet berms; and then started doing some runs on the race course. Was great to finally ride some unfrozen dirt again. Five O-clock came around fast and we lost light before we knew it. I guess time fly’s when you ripping sweet mars like trails in February!

We packed it up after and good afternoon of riding and went back to our place to eat some great pasta compliments of Taylor!!

Can’t wait for a solid day of riding and training tomorrow

– Matt Zdriluk, Athlete

February 6, 2010 – Here is the latest news from the offices of the OCA, including the list of athletes to take part in the 2010 Ontario Team spring camps, links to 2010 application forms for clubs and organizers, and a report on a recent visit by OCA members to the new Joyride 150 bike park. Read on for all the details.

OCA Athletes Selected for 2010 Spring Camps
The OCA is pleased to announce the list of athletes that will represent Ontario at this years spring camps.

2010 Spring Endurance Camp – Rocky Bottom, South Carolina
– Ryan Aitcheson
– Emily Fisher
– Florence Lamarche
– Natasha Oldcorn
– Mitchell Bailey
– Emily Flynn
– Scott Lynch
– Rachel O’Reilly
– Laura Bietola
– Stacey Forbes
– Jason Massicotte
– Ben Perry
– Cayley Brooks
– Elliot Galbraith
– Bretton Matthews
– Jamie Riggs
– John Carden
– Adrian George
– JD St Martin
– Krista Ruby
– Alex Cataford
– Michael Girolametto
– Evan McNeely
– Travis Samuel
– Gabriel Charlton
– Daniel Hill
– Etienne Moreau
– Brandon Spencer
– Matteo Dal-Cin
– Karl Hoppner
– Marc-Antoine Nadon
– Katie Spittlehouse
– Andrew De Cal
– Zach Hughes
– Nina Nesdoly
– Daniel Varga
– Katlyn Dundas
– Christian Jug
– Steven Noble
– Samantha Wagler
– Parker Wilson
– Justin Zottl

Staff: Denise Kelly – Coach; Mike Garrigan – Asst. Coach; Malcolm Eade, Matt Knight, Mike Amaral, Jenny Brown, Sean Kelly, Leigh Hobson, Jeff Evans, Phillip Spearman – Mechanic Physio to be announced.

2010 BMX Camp – Orlando, Florida
– Chance Herrington
– Braden Wood
– Amelia Walsh
– Ryan Wright
– Callum Schaus
– Chris Hardie
– Kyle Lourensson
– Cody Thompson
– Corey Walsh

Staff: Brendan Arnold – Coach; Kyle Pearson – Asst. Coach; Steve Schaus – Man/Mech.

2010 Spring Downhill Camp – Bootleg, Nevada
– Taylor Rowlands
– Matt Zdriluk
– Rob Fraser
– Alistair Pimlott
– Kyle Sangers
– Michael Oosterveld
– Brad Zdriluk

Staff: Chris Cousineau – Coach; Brandon Cassell – Asst.Coach; Peter McLean – Apprentice.

Clubs and Organizers – 2010 Application Forms Available
Events
Click here for all the 2010 event sanction forms. Once the sanction forms with payment have been received they will appear on our events calendar. Please send in your forms today to get your event posted.

Clubs and Teams
Click here for the 2010 affliation forms. Affiliating early in the season allows your members to purchase their UCI licence with the club/team name on the licence.

Joyride 150 Bikepark Now Open – A building for Athlete Development
by Brendan Arnold, Manager High Performance

Recently I was involved in putting together some information for the Canadian Cycling Associations (CCA) Long Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD).

The CCA has endorsed Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) as a cornerstone of the process of building cycling at all levels of competition and participation in Canada, for athletes of all abilities. LTAD presents a progressive pathway for athletes to optimize their development according to recognized stages and processes in human physical, mental, emotional, and cognitive maturation.

It is essential to understand that when working with participants, we are not simply preparing them for our sport, but for all sports- and that by offering well-rounded development that builds physical literacy, we are also preparing them for a more active, healthy lifestyle. Equally important, young athletes of the same chronological age can vary widely in their development, ability to learn skills, and emotional readiness for competition.

I feel that in most parts of Canada it is difficult for people to experience cycling for all of these benefits and with an indoor facility now available it is a great chance to offer a place for everyone to come and develop all year round. There is always talk about bicycle safety and although this is an ongoing concern for me the area that is not developed enough is the fundamentals of cycling and especially bicycle competency. It is all well and good to know the rules of the road and the trails but if you can’t ride a bike then it is like teaching someone the rules of driving without the actual driving portion.

Joyride 150 is a win-win for everyone whether you are learning to ride, coming for a fitness session on the exercise bike, learning to ride obstacles or bike enthusiasts. Joyride is something that was needed and needs to be supported.

Joyride opened in December and lots of OCA members have dropped in for a ride. Visit www.joyride150.com for more info.

February 6, 2009 – Here is the latest news from the OCA headquarters, including Kyle Fry’s report from the cyclocross World Championships, UCI Licence/General Membership Application information, the opening of a new cycling training centre in Toronto, and Provincial BMX Commissaire Course info.

U23 Men’s Cyclo-Cross World Championships Report
by Kyle Fry

I arrived in Hoogerheide, Netherlands Wednesday afternoon tired and jet lagged from the long flight over from my home in Thunder Bay. This was my first time over to Europe, so I was unused to the traffic laws, resulting in a near miss with a transport while doing a spin the next morning. My self and fellow Ontario riders Derrick St. John and Natasha Elliot headed over to the course in the afternoon for some official training time along with some of cyclo-cross’ biggest names. I was in aw with how many people had come out to watch us pre-ride two days before the race even began. One local school was let out early so the finishing strait was packed with kids seeking autographs and pictures with the riders. The next day was more of the same, with everyone on the team riding at the same time as their race so conditions would be similar to what we would face the next day, so for me this was 2:30 in the afternoon. I spent a good portion of the ride following top riders such as Svein Nys, men’s elite winner Niels Albert through the corners so I could see their lines and get a better perspective of actually how good these guys are.

I didn’t fully understand how big Cyclocross was to Europeans, especially Belgians, until I rolled over to the course and saw just how many people were there to watch. Some were saying 30,000 showed up to watch the juniors and U23 on Saturday, with over 70,000 arriving for the elite men’s and woman’s race on Sunday. While I was warming up on the trainer there were consistently half a dozen fans taking pictures of me and my U23 teammates Brian Robertson and Andrew Thomas. This being my first Worlds I wasn’t 100% sure on the logistics so I made my way to the start a extra early. As it turns out I didn’t really need too because I was the 2nd to last call-up in the field of 56, so when the gun went off, it was elbows out. Along the road section I moved up a few spots but it was all lost when a massive crash blocked the course off completely putting me at a standstill just 800m into the race. I got going again and moved up a couple of spots, but the lack of racing in my legs began to catch up and I began to drift back through the field. My only goal coming into the race was to stay on the same lap as the winner, but when I heard a huge roar of cheers coming up behind with just over a lap to go I knew it wouldn’t be long before I saw U23 winner Philipp Walsleben go flying by. I still have 2 more years in U23. I plan to go to Europe a few weeks early and get in some racing and maybe show the world that Canadians can race cyclo-cross as fast as everyone else.

Finally I want to thank our manager Dan Proulx who did a great job with organizing and making sure we had everything we needed to help us go fast. Also a big thanks to Norm Thibault, Paul Brend and Andre Sutton took time off their own vacations to lend a hand and make everything run smoothly. It was a great experience and I’ll definitely be back for more next year.

2009 UCI Licence/General Membership Applicaiton Now Available
The OCA would like to announce that the 2009 UCI Licence/General Membership Application is now available. You can find the application as well as other membership information here.

Please note that the OCA BMX Licence Application and the OCA Citizen Permit Application will be up shortly.

In addition the OCA is advising those going to the Toronto International Bicycle Show (March 13-15) that you will once again be able to have your licence processed on the spot (barring any club/upgrade issues). In addition there will be a $5 discount for anyone purchasing a UCI licence at the Bike Show.

Finally for those riders who are in the Ottawa region, the OCA is currently in talks with The Cyclery on hosting an OCA Membership Registration Day(s) later this month. More information on that as it becomes available.

Remember if you have any licencing questions to contact the OCA at 416.426.7416 or Membership Coordinator Chris Baskys at 416.426.7017.

New Training and Coaching cycling Studio Opens in Toronto
Don’t just ride. Ride at Above Threshold.

We provide: Education, Knowledge, Experience You will: Lose weight, Trim down, Get leaner, Get fitter, Get stronger, Get faster

Do your training using top of the line CycleOps indoor cycles – PT300. Manufactured by the same company that makes the most popular outdoor power meter (PowerTap), PT300 will help you complete our CycleFit session in a fun, performance driven, group environment, without sacrificing your power data. Just download your ride by USB Stick (which we provide) and email it to your self for your own records, or have it analyzed by our coaching staff.

No need to transport your bike, trainer, etc.. You can do it on your lunch break. Or… Stuck in traffic on DVP / 401? Get off. Come to Above Threshold. Complete your training, shower and then you’re back on the road, traffic free. Beats sitting in your car for an hour.

Or, if you prefer to use your own bike, for those long 2-3 hours sessions, come in mount your bike on our trainers and rub shoulders with National and Provincial road/TT champions. Tap into their experience and learn what it takes to be a champion.

Here is a tip. To win, in race or in life, you need to go – Above Threshold. More info at: www.aboveth.com

Provincial BMX Commissaire Course – March 14-15 – Toronto, Ont.
Also applies to 4X race officials

The BMX racing community is in need of cycling officials for events in Ontario and we are asking each club in this area to provide individuals to participate in this course.

The two day course will be taught by UCI Commissaire Martin Sharpe. The course is open to those with an interest in cycling. This course is a requirement for all new BMX commissaires, and highly recommended for Team managers and race organizers. The course covers a broad range of rules and topics that govern the sport of cycling.

Please note that to be eligible for regular race assignments as commissaires; attendees must purchase a commissaire licence upon successful completion of the course. The commissaire designation can be added to an existing UCI licence at no extra charge. The course is limited to 12 participants.

Date: Sat. & Sun., 9-5pm March 14-15, 2009
Location: Direct Energy Centre, Room 102
Exhibition Place, Toronto
(During the Toronto International Bike Show)
Cost: no charge
Registration/Questions: via email bmx@ontariocycling.org

BMX Commissaire Course Outline
– Introduction to Commissairing
– Administrative Duties
– Event Management
– Moving past the finish
– Reports and evaluations
– Commissaire career paths

Course participants are asked to review partsof the UCI Regulations (“General Organization of Cycling as a Sport”, and “BMX Races”, respectively) in advance. These may be downloaded in PDF format from the rules section of the UCI web site www.uci.ch

October 31, 2008 – Here are the latest headlines from the OCA, including cyclocross race reports, event previews, success stories, Toronto International Cyclocross sponsorship news, and employment opportunities. Read on for more.

Eastern Ontario Cyclo-cross Series – Race #5 – Mooney’s Bay
October 26, 2008
by Bob Woods, Organizer

Click here for great photos of the race.

Amazingly, Sunday morning arrived with the rain and the winds of Saturday long gone, and a nice clear day for Cross. Of course there were a few sections of the course with wet spots, but overall the course was surprisingly dry. This race course is always centered around the hill at Mooney’s Bay. Although the hill was used extensively, much to the chagrin of many riders, in contrast to the course last week in Kingston, there was lots of fast flat sections.

Race 1

The first race of the day saw Jon Gee (MB, Euro-sport/The Foodery), Sean Wright (MB, The Cyclery), Ron Amos (MB, Ride With Rendall), Greg Christie (MC, Ride With Rendall) and Chris Olsen (MB, The Cyclery) pull from the starting pack. Jon kept on pulling, but Sean, Ron and Greg were not able to match his speed, and Jon cruised to an unchallenged victory by nearly 2 minutes. Eventually after riding most of the race together, Ron pulled ahead of Greg and finished as the second place overall and 2nd MB. Greg took third overall and 1st MC.

Sophie Matte (The Cyclery) had a great day benefiting from the long flats to take victory in the Women’s category followed by Sara Domina (Independent), who was only 20 seconds ahead of Cathy Lewis (TI Cycle Racing). Novice rider Craig Wadsworth (Independent) looks like he is ready to move out of the Novice category with his impressive 11th place finish. In the MD category, 5 riders sought the victory, with Carroll Roy (X-Cycle) finishing 1st, as the only MD rider to be on the overall winner’s lap.

The first race saw two very encouraging signs. First was that the Women’s category had 22 riders!!!! which was the second largest category after the MB (28 riders). This number was unheard of only a few years ago. Congratulations to the Women for racing and racing hard. Second, we are having riders in the U15 and U13 categories. These kids are racing and enjoying themselves, and are being supported by other racers.

Race 2

The second race changed this week with the inclusion of the Jr and U17 categories. The younger riders have been riding impressively in the first race and it was felt that they would improve more quickly in the second race. The newcomers were pumped. The start of the race was fast, but Osmond Bakker (EM, EMD Serono) put a lead on the pack right from the start. Osmond is definitely the head of the class this year and was not challenged, crossing the line with a near 30 second lead over Aaron Fillion (EM, Ottawa BC) who had been duking it out with Warren MacDonald (EM, EMD Serono). On the last lap, Aaron pulled away from Warren and finished 12 seconds up on him. The Elite Women’s category was won by Jennifer Stephenson (Ultralink) with nearly a 1 minute lead over Tricia Spooner (EMD Serono), who had placed ahead of Jennifer in last week’s race. Top MA rider was Shawn Marshall (Les Rouleurs de l’Outaouais) was 1 minute 30 second ahead of runner up John Fee (The Cyclery).

As for the Juniors and U17’s , Michael Miller (Ride With Rendall) took 11th overall and 1st junior just ahead of Evan McNeely (J&J Cycles) who finished 12th overall. Karl Hoppner (Kunstadt Sports), a U17 racer, finished a very impressive 16th overall. So the Juniors and U17’s demonstrated that they can race with the best, so from now on many of the Elite Men and MA riders can expect to be beaten by some fine young riders in their race.

And how long was the course? Well, winners of the respective Race 1 and 2, Jon Gee and Osmond Bakker, took 13 and 12 minutes per lap to complete each lap.

Indoor Dirt Series – All are welcome – BMX/4X/XC – Everyone!
Yep, you read it right… Indoor BMX and 4X – November, December and January

Brent Smith “Smitty” is never one to sit back and do nothing and has just confirmed a BMX/4X Winter Indoor Racer Series that will take place at the Orangeville Fairgrounds in Nov, Dec and Jan.

Winter indoor MTB and BMX series, with racing and practise riding for all ages and skill levels. All inside a clean, heated building with washrooms and concessions. Featuring a dirt race course, plus a dirt/wood multi line, multi skill level MTB technical course. Each days schedule will include 2 ride only practise sessions and well as one MTB/BMX race. Best 5 of 8 races plus finals for series rankings.

XC mountain bikers will love to be able to work on their rhythm skills and turning skills.

It is a bigger area that the Bike Show track, and the gate will be 4 wide.

Dates are:

– Sunday, November 23
– Sunday, December 7
– Sunday, December 21
– Saturday/Sunday, December 27 and 28
– Saturday/Sunday, January 3 and 4
– Saturday/Sunday, January 24 and 25

Come on out and support this great initiative from Smitty! We have all wanted an indoor – and now we have it – the more support Smitty gets – the longer he can run the series.

Let’s all show our support for this great initiative… and give Smitty a big Hug (and kisses) next time you see him!

GNC Returns as Major Sponsor for the Toronto International Cyclocross

Midweek Cycling Club is proud to announce that GNC has returned as a major sponsor of the Toronto International Cyclocross UCI C1 race weekend, November 8 & 9, in Toronto, Ontario. GNC joins the growing list of sponsors for this exciting event that already includes Clearview Marketing Communications, Amino Vital, Specialized Canada, 3Rox Racing / Scott and Nissan.

Gilles Houde, the President and CEO of GNC Canada, loves the delirious sport of Cyclo-Cross. To Mr. Houde, Cyclo-Cross embodies the mission of GNC: to help people who care about their health and fitness to ‘Live Well’. That’s why GNC made the decision to be a major sponsor of this year’s race. “We get great satisfaction in helping athletes reach their goals. Our research and development of sports nutrition in Canada is cutting edge in its innovation. And our products are available at 160 retail stores.” said Mr. Houde.

New for 2008 is the GNC “Live Well” zone powered by Specialized. The Live Well zone gives non-cyclocross riders a chance to try the sport on a mini racecourse aboard a new Specialized Tricross. A different “Live Well” zone will be set up each day. Open from 10am till 1pm, with elite riders on hand to show you the ropes. The GNC “Live Well” zone powered by Specialized is available to everyone at no charge. Non-licensed riders will be required to purchase 1-day event insurance for $5.

All participants are encouraged to make a donation to the Friends of Canadian Cyclo-Cross Racers Fund. A non-profit fund, developed to help Canadian cyclo-cross riders fulfill their dreams at the Cyclo-Cross World Championships. More information on the Friends of Canadian Cyclo-Cross Racers fund or to make a donation please go to www.cyclocrossontario.com/fccr

For information on the Toronto International Cyclocross UCI C1 race weekend. Or to become a sponsor, please go to www.torontocyclocross.com

Supporting Sponsors: Cameron’s Brewing Co, Sidi, Ridley, Toronto Digital Imaging, mcor, Swiss Stop, Projectcore Inc, Defeet, Canaccord Capital, La Bicicletta and Norco.

Job Opportunity – High Performance Provincial MTB Coordinator

Job Description:

Reporting to the Manager, High Performance Programs of the Ontario Cycling Association, the Provincial MTB Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating the MTB XC men’s and women’s programs at the Elite, Espoir and Junior levels. This will include providing leadership and support for athletes competing at National Events, projects, camps, and National Championships, with a focus on the 2009 and 2013 Canada Summer Games.

The successful candidate must have proven leadership, vision and expertise in the planning and implementation of a high-performance program. International equivalency will be accepted. The successful candidate must also have a proven ability in the technical application of training and competition plans and excellent management and communication skills.

Evaluation of the Provincial MTB Coordinator will be based on the position’s key responsibilities, which are:

– With athletes personal coaches, and or Club/Teams to ensure that they have adequate coaching support and if necessary help them source this support.
– Communicate with personal coaches prior to and during projects With the Manager, High Performance Programs ensure:
* That all Provincial Team athletes adhere to the Athlete Agreement
* Execution and reporting on Provincial Team projects
* MTB projects are run within designated budgets.
* MTB provincial team projects have competent support staff (assistant coaches, mechanics etc.), and ensuring direction and evaluation of this staff.
– Be a non-voting member on the OCA High Performance Committee.
– Attend key provincial and national events, including but not limited to Provincial Team projects, training camps, selection camps, Canada Games, National Championships.
– Mentor an Assistant Coach for each project if applicable
– Coordinate/Conduct a minimum of 2 NCCP clinics for designated discipline

Time Requirements and Commitments

2009 MTB Program
– 2 Canada Cups (Approximately 7-8 Days)
– National Mountain Bike Championships (Approximately 5 Days)
– Mountain Bike Camp (Cadet/Junior) (Approximately 3 Days including planning)
– Mountain Bike Camp (Minime/PeeWee) (Approximately 2 Day including planning)
– Attend all MTB O-Cup Events and pertinent selection races (Approximately 8-12 Days)
– 2 NCCP Courses (Approximately 4 Days)
– Canada Summer Games (5 Days) If a CSG year
– Minimum Level II NCCP Certification is required. Candidates will need to complete Level 3 by end of 2009 season.
– Domestic travel will be required.

This position is a one year renewable contract with compensation of $8,000 – $12,000 with per diem and mileage allowance dependant on 2009 MTB program.

Interested and qualified candidates should submit a resume, by November 7, 2008 the contact below by email or surface mail. (Faxes will not be accepted). The Ontario Cycling Association wishes to thank all applicants for their interest. Only those applicants selected for further consideration will be contacted.

The Ontario Cycling Association
C/O Manager, High Performance Programs
1185 Eglinton Ave. East
North York, ON, M3C 3C6
Email: racing@ontariocycling.org

Winn Sees Tremendous Success Down South

Senior Elite MTB Rider Zach Winn, who races the Ontario Cup MTB Series during the summer, is seeing Collegiate Success down south in Kentucky this year.

Competing for the Union College Cycling Team, a Midwest Conference Division II school, Zach helped his team this year recapture the Midwest Cycling Conference Championship. Zach’s impressive peformance at the Championships (held at Purdue University) included capturing gold in both the XC and Short Track events, giving him an amazing 10 wins this season!!!!

Zach’s accomplishments were recognized shortly after the Championships as he was named Midwest Cycling Conference Rider of the Year for the second time.

For most, all these accomplishments would be enough but Zach had his eye on one more historic accomplishment.

At the National Cycling Association Men’s Division II Omnium National Championship, Zach was able to capture 1st place, becoming the first male rider in Union College history to capture this honour.

The OCA would like to congratulate Zach on his accomplishments this season down south and know he will show that same determination and skill during next year’s Ontario Cup MTB-XC Series.

April 13, 2007 — Here is the latest from the OCA about the Midweek Cycling Club’s Youth Clinic and LTR Camp, ZM Road Classic registration and Cadet Camp.

Midweek Cycling Club: Youth Clinic and Learn to Race Camp – Pre-Reg Open

Midweek Cycling Club is offering a Youth Clinic and Learn to Race Camp for youth in grades 3 to 10.

For more info click here.

On-line registration is available in the event registration section of the OCA web site.

ZM Road Classic – Zig Zag by the Lake – Pre-Reg Now Open

On-line registration is now open for the Zig Zag by the Lake in the event registration section of the OCA web site.

This criterium race will take place on April 29th at Marilyn Bell Park located on Lakeshore Blvd. 500m West of Ontario Place.

This is the first race in the ZM Toronto race series.

Click here to view the race brochure.

Cadet Camp Information

In 2006 the Hamilton Camp was a huge success with 25 athletes in attendance. This year promises to be even better.

Denise Kelly will once again be at the helm of this camp.

We are currently 25 % sold out with 1 week left for registration. Don’t miss out!

Contact Brendan at the OCA for more information. racing@ontariocycling.org or (416) 4267401

Project Name: Cadet/Jr Women Training Camp

Location: Hamilton, ON

Date: May 25-27

Price: $100 (28 riders max)

Objectives:
– To introduce young riders to the Team Ontario coach and process
– To introduce and refine skills such as sprinting, cornering, climbing, TTT
– To collect data for a 15 km. TT for talent identification
– To provide group building skills with professionals
– To provide opportunity for coaches seeking to upgrade their coaching credentials
– To have fun

April 7, 2007 — Here’s the latest news from the OCA regarding the Tom Jehlicka Memorial, HP Project Application and CAN-BIKE Courses.

Tom Jehlicka Memorial Criterium Postponed

Local snow squall warnings have forced Bikecrazie.com to postpone the Tom Jehlicka Memorial Criterium in Cobourg, scheduled for Saturday, April 7.

The race will be rescheduled for later this summer. Please check here or the OCA website for future details.

OCA High Performance Project Application 2007

Project Name: Cadet Men/Woman; Junior Woman Camp
Location: Hamilton, ON
Date: May 25-27, 2007

Please click here for application.

CAN-BIKE Courses

For the first time the Town of Markham is offering a number of CAN-BIKE courses including CAN-BIKE 2 (April 21/22) and the instructors course May 5/6/12, 2007.

CAN-BIKE cycling courses for young cyclists and adults will boost your skills, safety and cycling pleasure. Join the two-wheeled revolution.

Learn from the best
All instructors are fully accredited in CANBIKE, are knowledgeable about the Highway Traffic Act and have advanced cycling skills.

– Can-Bike 2: Defensive Cycling – April 21/22
– Can-Bike Instructor Workshop – May 5/6/12
– Kids Can-Bike – July 7
– Can-Bike Adult Learn to Ride 1 – July 7
– Can-Bike Adult Learn to Ride 2 – July 15

To register, click here or call 905-475-4731.

-30-

November 3, 2006 — Here’s the latest news from the OCA’s November e-newletter.

NCCP Level 2 Road Course is now scheduled

Attention all coaches looking to further your coaching certification. The OCA has secured a date (November 18-19) for an upcoming Level 2 Road Technical Course. If you are interested in this course you must have completed your full Level 1 Certification as well as Introduction to Competition B. For further information please visit the link here.

Upcoming Events

Cyclocross – Southern
Nov.04.2006
Hardwood Cross
Hardwood Hills

Cyclocross – Southern
Nov.05.2006
Aurora Cross
Aurora

Cyclocross – Southern
Nov.12.2006
Willow Beach Cross
Port Hope

Cyclocross – Southern
Nov.19.2006
WCC Flying Cyclo-Cross
Kitchener

Event – Party
Nov.25 to Nov.25.2006
OCA Cycling Celebration Weekend
Toronto

Cyclocross – Southern
Nov.26.2006
Centennial Park Provincial Cyclo-Cross Championships
Etobicoke

These are just some of the upcoming events. Please visit
www.ontariocycling.org for complete list of events.

OCA Cycling Celebration & Seminar tickets selling fast!

The OCA, with the support of the Ontario Trillium foundation, will be enhancing the Cycling Celebration weekend and hosting a number of events on November 25th.

9:30am-10am: Club President’s reception
10am-11:15am: Club Presidents meeting
11:30am-6:00pm: Several seminars will take place during the day.

Seminar topics will be

b Inside the Pro Peleton – by Gord Fraser – click here for more info on Gord Fraser.

b Maximizing Mental Capacities for Peak Performance – by Bruce Gottlieb – click here for more info on Bruce.

b Event organization: Community Cooperation Connecting with Cycling by John McMurchy –
for more info on this seminar, click here.

Meetings and Seminars will be hosted at the Sport Alliance Building on Eglinton Avenue in Toronto. OCA Cycling Celebration Awards Night will be hosted at the Mongolian Grill on Don Mills Road in Toronto.

– 6:30pm – 7:30pm Reception: (hors d’oerves & drinks)
– 7:30pm-9:00pm – Buffet dinner – enjoy the world famous stir fry at the Mongolian Grill!
– 9:00pm + OCA Awards and special presentations

The seminars will be FREE for OCA members ($5 for non-OCA members) and space will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Register here.

Tickets for the Cycling Celebration Awards night will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Warning: last year sold out so make sure you register early.
Tickets for the OCA Cycling Celebration (November 25th) can be reserved and paid for by clicking here.

For group rates, please contact the OCA office at 416-426-7416 or info@ontariocycling.org. Thanks to the Cycling Celebration sponsors: Pedal Magazine, Securi Sport, and Jones Brown Insurance Brokers.

Jeremey Ludwig retires from OCA

As of December 6th, Jeremey Ludwig is voluntarily leaving the Ontario Cycling Association.

From Jeremey:

The OCA has travelled a long way since I began here six years ago. In April 2001 the OCA office consisted of three staff. Organizers did not have race websites or email addresses and a significant portion of our membership did not have internet access. Cyclo-Cross, Track and Road participation was suffering. Timely road results were considered a bonus. BMX was not even part of the OCA.

How things have changed.

As we all know, fast forward to 2006 and Ontario is once again becoming a powerhouse in the country.

I’ve had the luxury to be the OCA Development Coordinator for six years. During my OCA tenure, I have attended roughly 120 bicycle races (averaging 20 per year), ranging from Windsor to Ottawa to Elliot Lake and in between (including a fantastic week at the Worlds in Hamilton). Through my duties, I have had the luxury to see many great places and meet many great people. Next summer, I know it will feel weird to sleep in on a Sunday morning.

Over the years there have been many people who I would like to thank for helping me. From club issues, event set-up/take down, podium photographer, helping at registration, awards MC, volunteer committee members, offering me Cycling 101 advice and more – you took time out of your hectic life to make mine easier. I truly appreciate it.

Six years ago I arrived at the OCA with virtually zero cycling knowledge. On December 6th I leave making some headway in the cycling department but more importantly I leave making lots of headway in the friends department.

I wish each of you a safe winter, a warm training camp and a great 2007 season.

Employment Opportunity at OCA

The OCA is looking to fill Jeremey’s position before the end of the year. If you are interested in applying for the job, please <http://www.ontariocycling.org/web_pages/news1/newslisting.php?id=1019>view the application information by clicking here.

OCA 2006 Review

What an incredible year for the OCA! Membership numbers have soared to record heights and our club system has expanded by 17%.

The OCA’s On-line membership registration system was launched in March of this year with success. Yes there were some growing pains however those have been worked out and we look forward to improving this member service in 2007. The ease of use of on-line registration will expedite the process for our membership and reduce paper work for all.

Our organizers benefited from the new on-line event registration system put into place. Essentially this is a value added service for our clubs and organizers who want to use it. The only cost passed on to the organizer is the fees (3%) the OCA incurs from the credit card companies. This service allows organizers small and big to provide a system that is linked with our membership database for easy event registration. Now all our organizers can offer this convenience at virtually no cost to themÖplus they get clean data and eliminate processing entry form after entry form!

The Forest City Velodrome has been operating for more than a year under the roof of the London Icehouse and the results have been incredible. As it is one of only three indoor tracks in North America, it offers our members a year round place to train and race. Our BMX, MTB XC, and even DH riders are taking regular spins at the track. Provincial track championships had 58 participants and is growing rapidly every year. The velokids program continues to be very popular amongst the youth in the area.

THE YEAR IN FIGURES

Overview of membership numbers
– UCI & General members = 2070
– Citizen Permit members = 1760
– Club members = 5947
– Total of 9777 for the year 2006
– In 2005, this number was 8898
– In 2004, this number was 8032
– In 2003, this number was 7654
– Average growth of over 9% per year!

There was an increase in UCI licenses for the 6th year in a row.

EVENTS

In our Mountain Bike XC OCUP series, our overall numbers remain strong with an average of over 600 participants per OCUP. Over 125 Peewee, Minime and Cadets are racing at each OCUP and female participation has steadily grown to almost 19% (from a low of 10.5% in 1998)

In our premier Road Ontario Cup Series, participation numbers are up again for the 9th year in a row (average of 9% more participants per event from 2005) Our U17 and women participation is up for the 5th year in a row.

The Downhill OCUP series has grown steadily for four years in a row. Ontario does not have large mountains but we do have a large, healthy downhill racing community. Over 170 DH racers are coming out to each race!

The racing calendar saw some ups and downs. On the positive side, this year we had more events – we surpassed 100 one-day events and when you add in all the weekly sanctioned series, we were close to 300 race events in 2006. Some of the highlights included:

The longest standing Canada Cup at Hardwood Hills proved again why it is one of the best attended and healthiest stops on the circuit

Scott Doel will be organizing a UCI Cyclo-Cross race for the second year in a row in Aurora

For safety reasons, we had to move our Provincial Road championships one week prior to the event. Thanks to the Cyclissimo club in Aurora, the replacement event exceeded all expectations and provided athletes with a first class Provincial championships

Plans are in the works for Velofest 2007, an international UCI Road Race that will take place in the Ottawa area

OCA boasts two Cyclo-Cross series in the province, both averaging almost 100 participants per race

CLUBS

Up from 92 in 2003, to 114 in 2004, 122 in 2005 and 143 this year!

More club members each year: 4212 to 4844 to 5131 to 5947 this year – huge growth!

BMX

With the introduction of our BMX Citizen Permit, we have more than doubled our BMX members to 460. This entry level membership offers a low barrier to entry for the kids who want to get started in a minimal cost, no pressure environment.

COMMISSAIRES

We now have 30 active Mountain Bike Commissaires in Ontario

Five new Commissaires in Ontario have become certified instructors

HIGH PERFORMANCE
Ontario representation on National Team: 21 riders

– 17 Athletes in the top 10 in MTB XC and DH National Championships: up 8 from ’05 (1G, 3S, 2B)

– 43 Athletes finished in the top 10 in Road/Track National Championships (3G, 1S, 8B)

– 13 BMX Athletes in Top 10 at National Championships

One Level 1 Technical MTB Coaching course was conducted at Hardwood Hills

One Level 2 Core Coaching course was conducted in Toronto

One Level 1 MTB Technical course was conducted in Thunder Bay in partnership with the Coaches Association of Ontario

One Level 1 Technical Road course was conducted in Toronto

In addition to the above courses there are two more courses planned for the fall.

Level 1 Road Technical course

Level 2 MTB Technical course

Ontario was proud to continue our BMX High Performance program in 2006. With a dedicated coach, Brendan Arnold setting up an annual training and competition program, Team Ontario had four podiums at the National Championships. Team Ontario BMX has the only Level 2 BMX coach in Canada working with 10 Expert and Elite athletes. Six projects planned are for 2007.

OVERALL

The OCA now boasts almost 2000 UCI license holders and when you add in our Citizen Permit holders and club affiliate members, a membership closing in on 10,000. At our recent Board retreat, we have ambitiously set our three year membership target at over 12,500.

In support of our National Federation, we have increased our affiliation fees to the CCA from $25,000 in 2002 to almost $38,000 this year.

The OCA continues to develop and sponsor youth programs including Sprockids and Kids CAN-BIKE. Much work needs to be done in these areas, especially with respect to Sprockids infrastructure. Youth programs and recruitment (“growing the base”) will continue to be a focus for the OCA in the years to come.

Ability Based Rules and Regulations / Power within offer

Ability Based Road Racing Rules and Regulations can be found by clicking here.

The Power Within Motivational Speaking event in Ottawa – special rate for OCA members. Click here for more information click here

Ontario Cycling Association
1185 Eglinton Ave., E., Ste. 408
North York, Ontario
Canada M3C 3C6 Phone: (416) 426-7416
Fax: (416) 426-7349
info@ontariocycling.org
www.ontariocycling.org