Big Chill Reunion Party in Ontario Massive Success
by Tim Lefebvre
November 15, 2016 (Woodbridge, ON) – The who’s who of Ontario’s cycling scene from the 1960’s, 70s and 80s gathered last weekend for a massive “Big Chill” reunion at the home of Marc and Lisa Polsinelli of Woodbridge, Ontaro.
Over 150 of Canada’s former cycling greats from near and far shared a glass for an “absolutely amazing night” of cycling yesteryear including former stars such as Steve Bauer, Gord Singleton, Joe Jones, Gene Samuals, Gary Trevisiol and Eon D’Ornellas. Lister Farrar traveled from B.C. joining his brother Tim of P2A fame while Ottawa’s John Large and Craig Burge were also on hand as stories, laughter and memories of the good old days made for a “party of the century”.
In early 2016, Polsinelli had decided it was time to get the boys back together and floated the idea around to his network of friends for a reunion of sorts with old cycling pals and rivals alike. As a member of the old Miele Cycling Team in the mid-80s he still had many of his old teammates close by and relied on their help to start the transformation of his home.
Lining each wall with re-prints of old photographs that many cyclists had sent him, Marc and Eddie Smolinski covered the entire house. Old jerseys were hung, vintage bikes were poised and food and drink were on each floor, with a covered tent out back provided by Martin Cramaro.
By 7 pm on Nov. 5 night Polsinelli’s home was crowded with a massive crew of smiling Canadian cycling greats for a memorable epic evening that was so successful a follow up barbeque gathering is now in the works. Enjoy our fabulous array of photos from an incredible evening when the “stars” came out to play.
- (l-r) Ross Knight, ??, Craig Burge, Gene Samuals © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Robert Hill, Claude Lanthier, Albert Faccenda © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Dan Lefebvre, Tim Lefebvre, Bruno Grossi, Rob D'Amico © Sandra Leitch
- Phil Hime (l) and Craig Burge © Sandra Leitch
- Hugh Walton (l) and George Cihorski © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Host Lisa Carr, Carmine Caravaggio and Candace © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Dan Lefebvre, Rick Froner, Andy Lubczynski © Sandra Leitch
- Host Marc Polsinelli © Sandra Leitch
- Danny Faurden (l) and Paul Jurbala © Sandra Leitch
- Tim Lefebvre (l) and Rick Maset © Sandra Leitch
- Nanni Bucci (l) and Dan Lefebvre © Sandra Leitch
- Dan Lefebvre (l) and Eduardo Maset © Sandra Leitch
- Hugh Walton (l) and John Craig Jr. © Sandra Leitch
- Chris Kyriakopoulos (l) Peter Penman © Sandra Leitch
- Bob Hicks (l) and Tim Buckley © Sandra Leitch
- Gary Hirsch, Sigi Koch, Bill Buckley © Sandra Leitch
- George Cihoski (l) and John Craig Sr. © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Gil Palter, Craig Podbarski, ?? © Sandra Leitch
- Claudio Venier (l) Athos Zaghi © Sandra Leitch
- Ziggy Martuzalski (l) and Gene Samuals © Sandra Leitch
- Jim Nolan (l) and Mike Armstrong © Sandra Leitch
- Peter Penman (l) and Bill Buckley © Sandra Leitch
- Dave Vandevelde (l) and Geoff Banner © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Ziggy Martuzalski, ??, Klaus Jensen © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Domenic Reda, Mauro Martini, Marc Polsinelli, Joe Torchia © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Rob D'Amico, Domenic Reda, Mauro Martini, Marc Polsinelli, Joe Torchia © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Rob D'Amico, Gary Trevisiol, Mauro Martini, Joe Torchia © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Domenic Reda and friends © Sandra Leitch
- Steve Bauer © Sandra Leitch
- Gary Hirsch © Sandra Leitch
- Albert Faccenda © Sandra Leitch
- Robert Cramero (l) and Peer Lovell © Sandra Leitch
- © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) John Craig Jr., Allan Brocklebank, Louann Singleton, Gordon Singleton C.M., Gino Greco © Sandra Leitch
- © Sandra Leitch
- Eon D'Ornellas (l) and Martin Cramaro © Sandra Leitch
- Bob Barber © Sandra Leitch
- (l-) Claude Lanthier, Marc Polsinelli, Len Ramsay © Sandra Leitch
- Les Humphries (l) and Aldo Sfalcin © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Ted Rudyk, Joe Torchia, Rui M © Sandra Leitch
- Don Zuck, Carmine Caravaggo, ?? © Sandra Leitch
- Don Zuck, Carmine Caravaggo, ?? © Sandra Leitch
- Phil Hime © Sandra Leitch
- Ted Rudyk © Sandra Leitch
- Ed Smolinski (l) and Fred Gray © Sandra Leitch
- John Large and Brian Chewter © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Steve Bauer, Peter Fusaro, Ziggy Martuzalski, ??, Henry Erlichman © Sandra Leitch
- Ziggy Martuzalski, (l) Henry Erlichman © Sandra Leitch
- Steve Bauer (l) and Ziggy Martuzalski © Sandra Leitch
- Steve Bauer © Sandra Leitch
- Gary Trevisiol (l) and Craig Podbarski © Sandra Leitch
- John Large © Sandra Leitch
- Peter Junek (l) and Les Humphries © Sandra Leitch
- Ziggy Martuzalski (l) and Bill Lindsay © Sandra Leitch
- ?? (l) and Clive Egan © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Andy Lubczynski, Nanni Bucci, ?? © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Sigi Koch, Peter Fusaro, ?? © Sandra Leitch
- Ed Smolinski (l) and Brian Chewter © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Ross Knight, Dave Spears, Tim Lefebvre © Sandra Leitch
- Bruno Vanin, Danny Faurhn, Bruno Perisini, Fred Gray © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Gerry Gatto, Albert Faccenda, Robert Hill © Sandra Leitch
- John Craig Sr, (l) and Claude Lanthier © Sandra Leitch
- Jerseys © Sandra Leitch
- Roger Waithe (l) and Rob Vellend © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Allan Brocklebank, Len Ramsay, Rob Vellend © Sandra Leitch
- Phil Hime (l) and Eon D'Ornellas © Sandra Leitch
- Gary Hirsch (l) and Zeilijko Pokupec © Sandra Leitch
- Gary Hirsch (l) and Zeilijko Pokupec © Sandra Leitch
- © Sandra Leitch
- Dave Girolametto (l) and Gino Greco © Sandra Leitch
- John Tancredi (l) and John Craig Jr. © Sandra Leitch
- Dave Feitler (l) and Peter Penman © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) John Craig Jr., Robert Cramero, Peter Fusaro © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Peter Fusaro, Martin Cramaro, ?? © Sandra Leitch
- Lisa Carr and Elgar Vaivars © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Domenic Reda, Emilio, Lisa Carr, Peter S © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Domenic Reda, Emilio, Peter S © Sandra Leitch
- Ben Baldassarre (l) and Geoff Banner © Sandra Leitch
- Brian Chewter (l) and Chris Kyriakopoulos © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Ted Rudyk, Paul Jurbala, Lister Farrar © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Heather, Brian Brill. Jeff Reid © Sandra Leitch
- Dave Feitler (l) and Craig Podbarski © Sandra Leitch
- (l-R Peter Junek, Josee Larocque,, John Large, Niel Crawford, Tim Lefebvre © Sandra Leitch
- Martin Cramaro (l) and Rob Vellend © Sandra Leitch
- Rick Froner (l) and Donavan Chensee © Sandra Leitch
- Zibby Zwolan (l) and Marc Polsinelli © Sandra Leitch
- Zeilijko Pokupec © Sandra Leitch
- Rob (l) and Tony © Sandra Leitch
- (l) Danny Faurden, ??, Bruno Grossi, Bruno Perisini © Sandra Leitch
- Ziggy Martuzalski (l) and Chris Kyriakopoulos © Sandra Leitch
- Ziggy Martuzalski (l) and Chris Kyriakopoulos © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Jim Nolan, Klaus Jensen, Nanni Bucci © Sandra Leitch
- Mark Berger (l) and Allen Stiehl © Sandra Leitch
- (l) Fred Gray, Len Ramsey, Tim Buckley © Sandra Leitch
- Peter Penman, Brian Brill, Heather © Sandra Leitch
- Don Zuck © Sandra Leitch
- Terry Detheridge (l) and Gino Greco © Sandra Leitch
- © Sandra Leitch
- © Sandra Leitch
- (l-r) Steve Bauer, Peter Fusaro, Ziggy Martuzalski © Sandra Leitch
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November 15th, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Greatest cycling reunion ever thanks to Marc Polsinelli. The food was better than at an Italian wedding. What a room full of great and beautiful cycling faces and racing experiences. Marc’s house was decoarated like a Cycling Hall of Fame. Fantastic experience.
November 16th, 2016 at 8:15 am
After all the dust settles and the competitions are over.
Everyone has learned the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.
We have all shared these emotions. Some more than others. But it’s these feelings that brought us back closer than ever. Just look at all of the smiling faces in the photo’s. All the very best to all that attended and too all that could not make it. Great effort by everyone, and Marc and family, you’ve just won your biggest race.
Gordon