December 6, 2009 – In the fall, Sandra Walter and Pedal Magazine helped more Canadian riders receive high-level European racing experience at the two final UCI MTB World Cups in Champery, Switzerland and Schladming, Austria, respectively. The Canadian Privateer Project saw four athletes take to the European racing scene with gusto. Peter Glassford, Eric Batty, and Samantha Grover welcomed veteran Walter’s Euro tips and advice during their first trip to the “Old Country” and came out of it with valuable racing experience, exciting adventures, a desire to return, and new friends. All four racers who took part in the two-week project deemed it a success.

Canadian National MTB Coach Dan Proulx was also impressed with the initiative taken by Walter and expressed his hope that such “privateer” projects running parallel to National Team projects will continue in future, as the CCA can only support a limited number of athletes. The Canadian Privateer Project was partially motivated by Proulx’s assertion that more Canadian racers need to race in Europe to become internationally competitive.

Check out Glassford’s YouTube video about the project.

Peter Glassford Talks About Europe