November 9/98 7:24 am - National Calendar, Editorial Commentary

Posted by Editor on 11/9/98
 

National Calendar Available

The Canadian Cycling Association has released the 'official' 1999 National Racing Calendar. You can find it on our website in the Calendars section. One thing that you will notice is how early the Road and Track Nationals are (late June/early July) - the reason is the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg (August). The locations for both the Track Nationals and Mountain Bike Nationals are not yet confirmed either. Track is listed for Winnipeg, but there may be a date conflict with another event scheduled for the facility (rumour is that the backup location is Bromont, Québec). Mountain Bike has no location listed - the CCA is still sourcing a venue/promoter.


Editorial Comment

We received a press release from the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame (located in Crested Butte, Colorado), updating us on the latest inductees to the Hall. Included with the release was a list of inductees since the Hall's inception in 1988. We have no quibbles with any of the current members, but one of the most striking things about the list was that every single member is American! Well, we hate to burst their bubble, but the U.S. does NOT have a lock on people who have contributed to the growth of the sport. Just off the top of our heads, we can think of numerous Canadian possibilities, including Patrice Drouin/Chantal Lachance (Gestev), Marc Lemay, Paul Brodie, the Syncros boys (Peter and Pippin), Grayson Bain (Rocky Mountain), Cindy Devine - the list is pretty long... And we haven't even mentioned the Europeans (Thomas Frishknecht, anyone?). We think that the Hall should either rename itself as the American Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, or should begin to live up to its stated aim of recognizing individuals who have "significantly contributed to the world of mountain biking".

If you agree, contact them at mbikehof@crestedbutte.net

The criteria and categories are as follows:

Nominations should be a minimum of 250 words. Please include why you think this individual belongs in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and what significant contributions they have made to the world of mountain biking. Tell us where and during what time frame they were active and what their status is in the sport today. We ask that a nominee have a history of at least 10 years as an active mountain biker. Please include a current address and phone number for the nominee. Deadline for nominations yearly is March 15th.

Nomination Categories

Advocacy - Individuals who have fought for land access, mountain bike trail policies and responsible rider ethics.

Industry - Advancement and development of the mountain bike through technology.

Journalism - Individuals who exposed mountain biking to the public through the media.

Pioneers - People involved from the grassroots inception of the sport.

Promotion - Promoters or individuals who encouraged mass involvement in mountain biking via events, races and organizations.

Racing History - Competitors who consistently, year after year, dominated the podium and left an impression in the public eye.