October 21/05 10:13 am - Blizzard Bike Club News

Posted by Editoress on 10/21/05
 

Blizzard Bike Club Fort St. John, BC, Canada

Oct 20th

Fort St. John's Blizzard Bike Club will celebrate 2005, Saturday night, with their 24th annual Awards Banquet. Various club riders will receive their trophies and accolades along with a delicious meal in a festive atmosphere. This function started back in 1982.

Individual highlights include Stephen Ferris winning the Alberta Category 3 Championship. Fifteen local riders competed well at the World Masters Championships in Edmonton. Terry Stone brought back two gold medals from the BC Seniors Games.

The Blizzard were edged out by the Challenge Cup for the first time in over a decade. The locals plan to bounce back for next year.

Blizzards were also very active in triathlons. A contingent attended and did very well in Grande Prairie, Fort St. John, Fort Nelson and Edmonton. Six Blizzards are signed up for the Penticton Ironman in August of 2006.

The club does a variety of events. These include time trials, road races, duathlons, the Tri-Co-op 2004 Triathlon, mountain biking, Randonneur and cyclo-cross.

Next year the club will look forward to the 9th Tri-Co-op 2006 triathlon as well as the North Rockies Series. The club will also go to the 2006 National Cyclo-Cross Championships in Nanaimo.

Sunday is the final cyclo-cross race of the season, at Beatton River Park, for the six race series win and the club cyclo cross championship. Race time is at 2 pm.

The defending 2004 Champion Mike Heintzman and top elite rider Robin Baillie are tied for first in the series with 16 points each. Pat Ferris has eleven points, one ahead of 4th place Roger St. Jean. Barb Polehoykie has a solid lead of 25 points for the Women's.

Mike Heintzman won last years' seven-race series (3-Thursday night events and 4-Sunday events) and the Club Cyclo-Cross championship, with a perfect 35 points. He won the final Muddy Face Championship was under difficult, snowy and muddy conditions with 12 laps in the 45-minute time limit. Pat Ferris was second and Gary Hilderman third, both with 11 laps.

Check out the club's excellent web site at www.dawntech.bc.ca/blizzard for more information.