The MIVA schedule for this year has been completed and should be up on this site shortly. There are number of additions this year, including an Island cup event on May 12th., the Cobblestone Classic Criterium in downtown Nanaimo on June 17th. and a couple of new hill climbs. The club is also hosting the Island Cyclo-cross Championship again on November 17th. Please note that our weekday events are only open to club members (insurance requirement) so if you wish to ride these and are a member of another club, you can join MIVA as an associate, non-voting member for only $10!

Easter weekend is obviously a busy one for everyone, so we're going to move the technical date to later in the month. But it's going to allow for more dates on the practical! So, let's try the following dates as registration for this week is very low.

April 10th, April 16th, April 24th (Victoria - Practical)

April 11th, April 18th, April 25th (Nanaimo - Practical)

April 12th, April 19th, April 26th (Campbell River - Practical)

Technical is going to be running on either April 29th or May 6th. Note, this is now a SUNDAY to accommodate local bicycle dealers.

Colin Campbell sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience this may have caused, but I want the largest turn out possible to these courses!!! Please let your friends that would be great with children and love cycling know about this course! It's FREE people!!!! How often do you get anything like this for free! :)

Thanks again for all of your wonderful support in this program. It's going to be a ton of fun for both the instructors and the children!

There was snow on the ground and a lot more on Mount Benson at 7am in the morning but by the 11am start time, it had turned

into a beautiful sunny but cool morning. The eight starters rolled

off easily and for the first few kilometres they stayed together but

on the first ascent of Jacks Hill a group of four including Doug

Merrick, Charles Hamer Ian Smith and Iain Hay upped the pace

and caused a split. Phil Birrer and Keegan Metheringham hovered

a couple of hundred metres back but Dave Steen and Kyle Waring

were already a good way back. The lead four kept up the pressure,

losing Hay to a flat just before the half way mark, and eventually

left Birrer and Metheringham trailing almost half a kilometre down

with Steen (now in his usual time trial mode) chasing steadily and

Waring, showing his state of unfitness, bringing up the rear.

In the final sprint, Ian Smith took a couple of seconds out of Charles

and Doug, who finished in that order. Keegan out sprinted Phil for

fourth and Dave managed to stay away from Kyle to take sixth.

Brodie Hay decided to ride a fifteen kilometre time trial to see how

he had improved since last Fall and beat his previous best time by

almost a minute and a half.

Everyone had good things to say about the course so, if the Duke

Point Terminal is still closed, there will be a three lap race on the

same circuit in two weeks.

As cyclists, most of our readers will doubtless be affected in a number of ways as the average temperature creeps up over the next few years. We'll sweat more on rides and battle against or be blown along by winds of increasing velocity. We are well aware that the climate is changing but the causes are being argued by both scientists and various groups with vested interests. For a thought provoking and informative video on global warming, go here.

The RBC Gran Fondo Whistler registration is now open.  This is a great ride through some of the best scenery anywhere. for further details, go here. Last year's event was sold out by mid April!