The National Cyclo-cross Championships are taking place on November 17th. in Surrey. There is a youth introduction to CX skills and an opportunity for participants to ride on part of the championship course BUT there are no under 17, under 15 or under 13 categories in the championships, neither is there a junior women category!  In a province where there is a strong emphasis on youth development, with many riders in these age groups already demonstrating a considerable level of expertise, this is a lamentable oversight. Cycling Canada (formerly the CCA) will tell all that there are no UCI categories for these age groups. However, the UCI also gives national federations the right to set categorisation that fits in with each countries particular needs. Britain, Australia and the Netherlands are just three of the countries that do have youth categories in all their championships.

Mid Island Velo Association has as a priority, the development of youth road, track and cyclo-cross and the club sees as a priority the inclusion of youth categories in all BC provincial and national championships. All who feel that this makes eminent sense, please take a few minutes to email both your provincial and national associations to make your views known.

Cycling BC contact here

Cycling Canada contact here

Brodie Hay at Bowen Park CX

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MIVA riders represented the club well,  In the master's race, Bil McMillan was 3rd overall and won the 50+ men; Derek Steel was first 60+ to finish.  Cheryl Morch continued her good riding, placing 5th.  in the intermediate  women's category with  several  other MIVA women also placing well. In the men's intermediate event, MIVA was represented by Patrick Burnham, who also took lots of photographs while still cold and wet. Russell Berg sat out with an injury   but put together a great little video here. For full  results go here

Pacific Sport offers many excellent programmes throughout the year. Go here for information on their Winter coaching courses and workshops.

Mid Island Velo Association is pleased to announce that it has been granted the right to host next year's provincial road championships. This is a real coup for MIVA , which is only in its second year of operation. The proposed course will be a fifteen kilometre circuit on the Nanoose peninsula, just north of Nanaimo.  This challenging route has constant short, sharp rises and a two kilometre climb, and should produce worthy champions in the various categories. For the first time, there will be youth races for riders as young as eleven years, and of course there will be the usual events for under eighteen juniors, espoirs, elites and the two provincial master categories. The proposed date for the championships is May twenty-eighth, a couple of weeks before the national road championships in Quebec. This is so that the provincial races can be used as a final selection venue for selection of BC riders. MIVA president, Peter McCaffery is delighted that BC Cycling has seen fit to allow the fledgling club to organise such an important event but commented that MIVA has already proved itself worthy of the task, having already hosted a COTR cyclo-cross championship as well as over a hundred local races in its short existence.

This Saturday, November 10th. there will be an afternoon work party to hone the course for the COTR Championships on November 24th. MIVA members meet at 1pm at the BMX course in Beban Park, wear old clothes, work gloves, and bring a rake, trimmer, shears, scythe, sickle, or whatever implement you can lay your hands on.