The SRCC Board and members made substantial commitments to make this community-led project a reality. Now that it’s complete, SRCC members are invited to attend the official opening and naming of the bridge on Saturday November 20th at 1 PM.
The board donated $2500 in the club’s name helping kick-off the project’s fundraising and the members collectively donated an additional and impressive $8275. A special thanks to all who donated!
Many club members donated their time and expertise as well. Will Teron (Tacoma Engineers) did the initial engineering on the project. Meg Thorburn wrote many of the grant applications garnering the lion’s share of funding. And Lorenz Calcagno managed the project and was even seen to have tools in his hands on occasion.
This bridge had been crying to be built for decades. An earlier construction by a few visionary mountain bikers lasted several years, but was eventually undone. A more permanent solution was needed – one that would facilitate further improvements down the trail. SRCC was critical in making that happen. We hope it will be enjoyed and appreciated by all users for many years to come.
Come out on Saturday November 20th at 1 PM and be part of the opening ceremony and celebrate in a substantial gain for the community.
It has been quite some time since most of us have participated in mass start bicycle events. Fortunately for a group of our club members, they didn’t have to go far to try it out again. Waterloo Cycling Club put on a stellar cyclocross event this past weekend and the weather cooperated nicely. The KWCX wrapped up Sunday afternoon with a good contingent of SRCC racers having tested themselves and their bikes against a classic cyclocross course and some hearty challengers from across the province.
On a scale of zero to ten, the day’s temperatures progressed… in that order. The morning began under thick fog with frost on the ground as the Men’s M3 category hit the course (on occasion and unintentionally) to beat the grass into a slippery ribbon the rest of the day’s racers would follow.
First up, under frosty conditions, Lorenz Calcagno started back of the grid in M3 (masters – read olde) Men’s race to finish middle of the pack and third in his aged category. Pedal harder next time buddy!
By half past noon, the track was fully exposed to blue sky and sunshine when SRCC rider Erik Holbik took to the course placing 23rd in a competitive field of young men. Track conditions turned muddier as his race progressed, making for some increasingly challenging sections. Sand in the drivetrain was problematic all ‘round. I hope he has a good connection for parts!
Next up was the women’s race where SRCC was well represented with five competitors, two of them brand new to the club this year. In a stunning accomplishment, natural talent Sarah Baert topped the Women’s E3 podium winning her first cyclocross ever… EVER – unheard of! New member Riley Claire Sato found her rev limiter at the end of the race and placed eighth on a hybrid bike, whoa!! She was directly followed by another new member, Maxine Oleka, who finished well on file treads putting her awesome bike handling skills to the test in the mucky conditions (talk to your local bike shop owners for a tire sponsorship Max!). A strong effort in master’s Women B category was delivered by famed and longtime SRCC racer Heather (so many trophies) Lylyk as she took third place in her group. And finally, board member, recent birthday girl and SRCC ride lead coordinator Meg (sand bagger) Thorburn took 14th and won the 67+ age category. I mean seriously.
The clouds rolled in for the afternoon and conditions cooled over a well muddied course for the grueling 60 minute Men’s Elite race. Club president James (rainbow jersey) Fedosov put in a solid effort. His hill sprints were something to behold as his massive frame bore down on lesser opponents. James took 11th (7th Elite 1&2 Men) in the highly competitive event… also on file treads(?) (apply same editor’s note for Max here)!
And the hard luck trophy goes out to SRCC member, Alex (teflon) Lefebvre (wearing a Peterborough Cycling Club jersey – ptui!) for riding the wheels off his bike in 5th place for most of the race… until he actually rode a tire right off the rim. He ran half the course carrying his unshod bicycle to switch for a spare (recumbent) bike in pit lane. Alex finished a respectable (and fittingly unlucky) 13th (8th Elite 1&2 Men) at the end of the race. But in a surprising turn of events, he did top the podium in the 5K run. In a post-race press conference he stated he will be cutting ties with sponsor ‘Elmer’s Glue’.
Kudos to WCC for putting on an excellent event and to all the SRCC members who competed. And a special thanks to other SRCC members, friends and family who came out to cheer on our stalwart competitors.
We have decided not to run a gravel ride on Sunday October 24th and instead encourage our SRCC gravel enthusiasts to join in the Cyclocross fun in Kitchener with our good friends and hosts Waterloo Cycling Club at the KWCX held at Bingeman Park.
All you need is a OCA citizen’s permit (most of you will have that when signing up with SRCC) and…
Any bicycle can be used in any race with the exception of the M1/E1/E2 race where a UCI legal CX bicycle is required. The Single speed race requires a single speed bike. Full details in Event Rules.
This is an Ontario Cup, please remember to bring your series numbers (if you have been issued them). If you haven’t already received your numbers this year they will be provided to you at the race. If you lose your numbers you will have to pay a fee of $20 to obtain new series numbers.
Updated Route as of Saturday Night. Small change at the the very beginning and very end due to construction in Howitt Creek Park. The route is now 6km shorter. See below.
We’re doing it again! Back by popular demand, the SRCC Big Gravel Ride!
And like before, we guarantee there will be sections that are unknown territory for you. We will ride this as a club as permitted by provincial and OCA guidelines.
The Ride Event is for club members only and you must pre-register. No other club rides will run on this date.
About the route: It’s 83 km long. The start and finish are at Fixed Gear Brewing, our sponsor. There are three speed groups each with a different start time, Fast, Moderate and Recreational. Sign up soon to insure you get a spot! Several club members have ridden this already and given their seal of approval. The route is really special!
Here are the details for our third-annual BGR
The Essentials:
Sunday August 29th, 2021
First wave leaves at 8:00 AM
Start and finish is at Fixed Gear Brewing on Alma Street (the original location).
We want to take a moment to thank everyone who joined the Club for the 2020 season despite the uncertainty of the pandemic.
Congratulations are in order for everyone. We followed the rules, we kept safe and made the best of a very different season. And a special thanks to those who chose to do their own rides and still support the club – we respect your decisions and appreciate your commitment.
Together we made the best of it.
In recognition of your support, your board of directors want to show appreciation for everyone’s commitment with a special treat. So, we designed the very first SRCC water bottle! These high quality anti-fungal bottles were custom made for us by Specialized. They come in two sizes: Road Bike 769 ml (26 oz) or the smaller MTB 650 ml (22 oz). We have one for every 2020 member and two for every 2020 ride leader.
If you were a paid member in 2020 you should have received a detailed email with instructions on how to safely receive your SRCC water bottle. Check your spam folder if you haven’t.
Please contact board member Meg if you have any questions.
Looking forward to seeing you all… when we can. Your SRCC Board
