December 7, 2005 – A new online Atlantic Canada Cycling magazine is online and sprinting out news and award announcements. Atlantic Pedaler is the brain-child of Ken Trenholm of Summerside, P.E.I.. Trenholm’s passion for cycling was evident this past year as he organized the Annual P.E.I. Biking for Breakfast 260 km tip-to-tip fundraiser, founded the Summerside Cycling Club, and was elected President of Cycling P.E.I. in November . . . now Trenholm is taking on a new bicycle-powered challenge: a 100 per cent Atlantic Canada online cycling magazine.

“One of the goals of this magazine is to be inclusive to all types of cycling disciplines (road, mountain, bmx, cyclo-cross, touring, recreational, racing, para) in the hopes of offering a uniformed voice for Maritime cyclists,” says Trenholm. Trenholm defines “inclusive” to translate into the need for the cycling community to look at cycling being something in-addition-to racing such as recreational, touring, and commuting. And for each type of cycling to be valued for what it offers to the total Maritime body of cycling.

Atlantic Pedaler offers original Maritime opinions and articles, free bi-weekly electronic newsletter, local profiles of riders and clubs, web news feeds, as well as launching a number of Awards. The first set of Awards were announced yesterday. They include (1) Most Kilometers biked per year by rider and by team / club; (2) Local / Regional / National Sponsorship Awards; and (3) a Photo Contest.

The deadline for entry for these Awards is December 20, 2005. The Sponsorship and Photo Contest nominations will be placed on the web site for an online vote the week of January 2, 2006. Visit www.atlanticpedaler.com for nomination information. The Sponsorship Award offers an unique opportunity to showcase sponsors and thus increase the potential for these sponsors to return next year.

Trenholm is impressed with the quick response of volunteers willing to lend a spare hand to the mix.

“I really had no idea what was going to sprout. It started with an idea and while it is true the vision was mine, it is more clear that many others shared this same vision and are willing to bring this magazine together.”

Trenholm now has 11 other volunteers shaping this vision. A brief look at the individuals hightlight an already diverse and experienced staff: a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Kinesiologist (Wes Jackshaw, PE); an aspiring Grade 12 student looding at a journalism as a career (Donald MacQuarrie), a Fredericton NB native who is co-authoring a piece with PEZ Cycling, a graduate student in biomechanics, and coach of a Frederction cycling Club, OSB (Stephen Dixon); a national cycling coach who sent 5 of his elite riders to the World Championships and two riders in Tours of France who captured first place finishes (Luc Arseneau, NB); a recreational tourist with a few tales to tell on location in PE (Rex Button, NL), a Halifax bike courier (Andy Cannings), an international road race competitor and aspiring cycling development coach (Nathan St. Onge); a current Journalism student / one-gear cyclist on location in Halifax (Laura Button, NL); a leadership and life coach (Faith West, NS); a photographer (Rick Meyer, PE); and mountain biker and acclaimed journalist (Charles Mandel, PE).

“It is the passion of the entire Atlantic Canada cycling community that will define the success of this magazine,” Trenholm explains. “Not any one person.” Trenholm states that Atlantic Pedaler will always have room for more volunteer contributors: be they writers, reporters, photographers, or cartoonists. “That’s the whole idea, inclusivity, right?”

Trenholm is quick to call this magazine a “grassroots movement” because “it is more than a mere publication — it is about a movement that lives and breathes and will change with the needs of the cycling community”.

And, although strictly volunteer at this point, Trenholm explains the publication also offers marketing opportunities for niche businesses and which that, Trenholm sees an opportunity to offer volunteer contributors compensation for their articles as well as developing a Support Fund for creative cycling projects in Atlantic Canada in the future.

As for the future, Trenholm smiles and says, “the only limitations are those we place on ourselves.” Whatever the future of Atlantic Pedaler, one thing is for certain, cycling in Atlantic Canada has just got a giant push out of the gate.

Visit http://www.atlanticpedaler.com for more information or email ken@atlanticpedaler.com to volunteer for the magazine.