March 9/06 8:24 am - Atlantic Awards

Posted by Editor on 03/9/06
 

Atlantic Awards
Courtesy Atlantic Pedaler

Atlantic Pedaler Online Magazine recently held it's awards night and handed out awards in all four Atlantic provinces in their inaugural ceremony. The awards consisted of sponsorship awards, kilometres biked awards, and a photo of the year contest.

A total of 588 votes were placed in their first annual "Cyclists Choice Awards". From these votes, various awards were handed out across Atlantic Canada.

Four provincial sponsorship awards were presented: For Newfoundland and Labrador, Freeride Mountain Sports took the Cyclist Choice Award for Provincial Sponsor with 43 percent of the vote and Browning Harvey as runner up.

For Prince Edward Island, Smooth Cycle claimed the Cyclist Choice Award with 89 percent of the vote with Dalvay-by-the-Sea runner up.

For Nova Scotia, Bicycles Plus took the title for provincial sponsor in the Cyclist Choice Awards with McInnes Cooper runner up.

For New Brunswick, Incline Sports took the sponsorship award with 49 percent and Mike's Bike Shop runner up.

The smallest province in Canada took home the "Most Active Bicycling Province" Award. This award was determined by the total amount of kilometres submitted by riders in their home province. P.E.I. took first with 70,576 km, N.B. took second with 62,477 km, and then N.S. with 50,682 km. No figures were submitted from NL.

Individually, Bob White of Dartmouth, NS, was the big winner of the night. White captured the Most Kilometres Cycled in Atlantic Canada by an individual as well as the most kilometres bicycled by a Nova Scotian. White cycled 12,762 km in 2005 and was in attendance to accept his award. Levina Luymes captured the title for P.E.I. with 7,325 km and George Versloot for N.B. with 6,346 km.

White was present during the awards and offered the following:

"I think that one should focus on using his / her bike whenever possible, commuting, shopping - a lifestyle choose. A win for everyone and the environment, and no age or speed barriers."

Atlantic Canada Cycling Tours based out of Halifax took home the Regional Cyclist Choice Award for Regional Sponsorship. They captured 62 per cent of the popular vote. Runner-up was the Atlantic Canada Cycling Centre in Dieppe, N.B.

The Summerside Cycling Club (P.E.I.) took home the "Most Active Bicycling Club" Award with 30,279 km. The standings are based on the riders who identified themselves as a member of a cycling club and submitted their mileage to the website. Velo Halifax came within 300 km with 29,962 km, followed by Fredericton Freewheelers with 28,156 km, Velo Cape Breton with 22,385 km, and then Old Scarred Bikers (Fredericton) 12,066 km.

In all, a total of over 183,735 kilometres in 2005 were bicycled by riders who submitted their kilometres to the Atlantic Pedaler web site. Riders cycled anywhere from 50 km to 12,276 km.

Bruce MacPherson, Charlottetown (P.E.I.), took home the Cyclist Choice Award for Photo of the Year. MacPherson won with 48 per cent of the popular vote with an image of two cyclists on a trail at Brookvale during the summer of 2005. Runner-up was Angie Vickers of Miramchi (NB) with 26 per cent.

Norco Performance Bikes garnered the final award for the night. Norco took an overwhelming 53 per cent of the popular vote with Giant taking 19 percent as runner-up for the National company who has given to Atlantic Canada cycling.

Atlantic Pedaler is an online not-for-profit bicycling magazine developed by Ken Trenholm, of Summerside, to connect all types of bicycling interests in the four Atlantic provinces in one central location. "It started with my passion and has grown into an east coast vision of inclusive bicycling. Already," says Trenholm, "there are over 300 organized bicycling rides planned for 2006 in Atlantic Canada . . . and now with one central location to find them."

The online magazine, that began three short months ago in December 2005, now has over 20 volunteer contributors and over 100 subscribers to its free newsletter. And, as Trenholm comments, "it is winter time . . . a time when some people aren't thinking about bicycling at all. Interest will only grow."

The web site is located at www.atlanticpedaler.com.

Next year Atlantic Pedaler is looking at increasing the awards to
include Youth Cycling Developmental Program and Must-Ride Event of the
Year.

The complete list of the 2005 award winners are as follows:

Most kilometres biked in Atlantic Canada
Bob White (Dartmouth, NS) 12,276 km

Most kilometres biked in their home province
Bob White (Dartmouth, NS) 12,276 km
George Versloot (Fredericton, NB) 6,346 km
Levina Luymes (Charlottetown, PE) 7,325 km
No submissions from NL

Most Active Bicycling Province Award
Prince Edward Island 70,576 km
New Brunswick 62,477 km
Nova Scotia 50,682 km

Most Active Bicycling Club Award
Summerside Cycling Club (Summerside) 30,279 km
Velo Halifax (Halifax) 29,962 km
Fredericton Freewheelers (Fredericton) 28,156 km
Velo Cape Breton (Cape Breton) 22,385 km
Old Scarred Bikers (Fredericton) 12,066
Dalvay-by-the-Sea (Charlottetown) 9,600 km
Hub City Wheelers (Moncton) 9,930 km
2C2 Challenge 8,432 km
Incline Sports (Miramchi) 6,910 km

Cyclists Choice Award for Provincial Sponsor
Smooth Cycle (PEI) and runner-up Dalvay-by-the-Sea
Incline Sports (NB) and runner-up Mike's Bike Shop
Bicycles Plus (NS) and runner-up McInnes Cooper
Freeride Mountain Sports (NL) and runner-up Browning Harvey

Cyclists Choice Award for Regional Sponsor
Atlantic Canada Cycling Tours and runner-up Atlantic Cycling Centre in
Dieppe

Cyclists Choice Award for National Sponsor
Norco Performance Bikes and runner-up Giant

Cyclists Choice Award for Photo of the Year
Bruce MacPherson (PE) and runner-up Angie Vickers (NB)