The news pieces I collected this week were a source of inspiration for me. Most of the stories are about people coming together, through cycling, to help somebody, break a personal record, tell a story, or just plain have fun – I hope that they put a smile on your face…
GK Ripper raises $10,000!
Last week's GK Ripper, a fundraiser to help out riders Graham Kuerbis and Michael 'the Pirate' Owen-Evans, raised ten thousand dollars towards their rehabilitation. The GK Ripper is a one-day event that brought out 90 teams of 2 riders to relay race up and down a mountain trail. Roland Green and Andrew Shandro were the day's top finishers. The after party hosted a silent auction, door prizes and over 500 people showed up to support that as well.
Kuerbis is now walking with a cane but doesn't have complete body movement yet. Race co-organizer Allie Sheridan described Kuerbis as an amazing person who keeps on touching lives with the positive outlook on his own. Owens-Evans was recently hit by a car while riding his bike and three thousand dollars was given to him from the event's profits to help in his recovery.
This fundraiser was organized by Tantalus Bike Shop owner Al Ross and Allie Sheridan. Last year's event raised seventeen thousand dollars for Kuerbis's rehabilitation. Plans for a bigger event next year are already in the making!
Breaking A Speed Record
Sam Whittingham and Andrea Blaseckie are attempting to break another speed record! Victoria's own Sam Whittingham and Andrea Blaseckie are registered this weekend to individually break the World Human Powered Speed record. Whittingham set a record last year and became the World's fastest human propelled by his own power. His broke the record (for the second time) by going 80.55mph using a bike called the “Varna Diablo”. Blaseckie is the current Women's 200m Record Holder, winning the speed record in 2000 with a speed of 54.03mph. She won using the “Bibet Varna”. Blaseckie didn't contest the record last year but is at it again for 2002. Both of their 'speed bikes' were made/designed by Victoria's George Georgiev. The 2002 World Human Powered Speed Challenge got started this Sunday and will go until the 5th of October. The stage will be set at Battle Mountain in Nevada, also last year's course.
Drop-In (Action Sports TV)
Multiple in-your-face cameras, five riders, two producers, a run-down bus, 12 Canadian West Coast locations and 63 days of filming. In last week's column I spoke briefly about a new TV show that made its debut this September called DropIn. DropIn is a documentary-styled TV series about Canadian freeriders on a road trip. Unlike most of the footage you see out there, this production was put together for the viewer to watch the action shots as well as the behind-the-scenes footage that leads to the overall picture. Behind the scenes shows the fear, preparation, and courage of the riders, the friendships created, the experiences on the cramped bus, and a glimpse at the lifestyle of pro freeriders.
Collaborators Tim Bieber and Mike Johansen of Fall Line Productions (FLP) received a commitment from SportsNet TV earlier this spring to run the episodes. With help from Mike Kinrade, (producer of the Second Coming and Hidden Pleasures) they found the riders that were willing to commit for a whole summer of shooting. Kinrade also starred in and co-produced the series, as well as produced his next movie, Riders Anonymous.
Word is that that FLP has signed a 2-year contract with SportsNet that will allow them to run a second season of DropIn. The partners have decided to do another bike-theme show next fall. The near future may see the production company filming other action sports like downhill skiing and surfing.
10th Anniversary of Critical Mass
“Feel the joy of riding beside another cyclist instead of a car!” – Bev Canuel.
This Friday afternoon was rather amusing for Vancouver downtown dwellers. Around 6pm, (yes, rush hour traffic) over three hundred cyclists converged on the streets and stopped traffic in honour of the 10th Anniversary of Critical Mass! Every cyclist had a smile on their face a mile wide as they rode slowly around Vancouver city blocks.
Critical Mass, (as defined by the International Critical Mass website www.criticalmasshub.com), is a monthly bicycle ride to assert cyclists' right to the road. In Vancouver, they like to say it is to demonstrate 'against our society's obsession with the personal automobile'. The first event was in San Francisco in 1992, however there are cities all over the world that now host these events.
Vancouver's next critical mass ride is the last Friday of October and it is themed as the Hallowe'en Ride – costumes are encouraged! For more information about a critical mass near your city, go to www.criticalmasshub.com.
Whistler Mountain Bike Festival
Although we haven't received any official results from the 1st annual Whistler Mountain Bike Festival I think we can say it was a success. The Fox radio station was airing live from the bottom of the hill all day long on Saturday. It was pretty refreshing to hear live broadcasts of a bike race all day long on the local radio station. More reports to come at www.pedalmag.com.
Cyclocross Race Cancelled
Vancouver's 1st Cyclocross race of the season was cancelled. Vancouver was going to have their first cyclocross race of the season on October 12th but it has been cancelled. So far the word is that the provincials (October 26th) will still be a go. Stay tuned to Pedal to find out more.
Leigh Hargrove resides in Vancouver where she lives on a houseboat in the heart of the city, near the mountains and the beach where she is happiest. As a former national team cyclist from 1995-1997, cycling has always been close to her heart, and she still rides her bike, (although right now it's a Dyno Beach Cruiser!). She has been writing for Pedal Magazine for the past three years and also pens Jonesin' for Juniors, a column about junior riders, in the print version of Pedal.