November 21, 2018 (Peterborough, Ont.) – As the 2018 Shimano Canadian Cyclocross Championships presented by Trek / Wild Rock wrapped up late Sunday afternoon, organizers and athletes alike were calling the event an overwhelming success. A crown jewel of the Canadian cyclocross calendar, the 3-day event attracted past Canadian champions, Olympic medallists, and nearly 500 riders from across Canada and two American states, competing for both national championships and valuable UCI points.
“Athletes were quick to praise the event, the venue, the course and the volunteers, with many quick to call it one of their favourite Canadian championship experiences, one that they were keen to return to in 2019,” John Hauser, Event Chief notes. The athletes were joined by approximately 5,000 spectators over the weekend, along with thousands more watching the Saturday livestream.
Echoing the athlete’s sentiments, Josh Peacock, Cycling Canada’s Events Manager adds, “The 2018 Shimano Canadian Cyclocross Championship event held in Peterborough was easily one of the top highlights of our 2018 national calendar. We were thrilled by the level of support received by the local community not only at the municipal level, but also by the unprecedented number of volunteers who supported the success of this event. Online viewers tuned into the video livestream from all over the world, with just shy of 6,000 views from 20 different nations taking in the action. We are already looking forward to returning to Peterborough in 2019 for the second edition of this event.”
An early economic impact study projects the event to contribute in excess of $250,000 to the local economy, particularly welcome as it occurred late in the shoulder season when visitor numbers are traditionally low. The event also aligns strongly with tourism efforts over the last several years aimed at defining the Kawarthas as a cycling destination.
Following the event, crews were quick to begin course tear-down with the full park open by 9:00pm Sunday evening. Monday saw most of the remaining equipment removed, and some initial land remediation work done. “From eye-level, the effect of cyclocross on the land immediately following a race is pretty high-impact. At ground level, though, it’s quite the opposite, and very low impact on the root structure and ground,” explains John. “The first precipitation following the race will wash the grass down, allow the ground to settle out again, and about 95% of the course will remediate naturally.” The remaining sections will be remediated by the Peterborough Cycling Club/PTBO CX organizers.
