Canbicuba runs some great Cuban tours aimed at all levels of cyclists. This March Les Humphries, a long-time cyclist with both a competition and touring background, is leading a great excursion to get you away from the Canadian winter (even on Vancouver Island. Here is more information on the tour - dates, itinerary, and cost. Contact Les directly to book a space as these popular tours fill up fast!
Time to party like its 2013! You are all invited to the New Years Day Run and Dip at Westwood Lake at 10 am. Anyone is welcome to join in the festivities as we start off with a social run, or walk, of the lake followed by an optional dip into the lake at the end. Bring a change of clothes if you choose to dip. Afterwards we all gather for free chili, coffee and hot chocolate at a social where we can meet new people and catch up with old friends. Start the New Years off right!
In the afternoon you can head down to Nanaimo River Road for the MIVA 15km time trial. There's a draw prize of a MIVA skin suit .
If it's not raining and the road is OK, there will be a 15km time trial on Nanaimo River Road on New Year's Day 2013. Start time will be 2pm. Entry fee $5. Free pair of MIVA socks to all participants.
Hurry - most of clothing gone! First come, first served. Skin suits are great for any events under an hour and a half. MIVA Clothing Blow Out - 2 days left- 27. 28 December
Skin suits, short sleeve 5 L, 1 XL $60
Skin suits, long sleeve 1 L, $65
Summer vest, 1 L $50
socks, red or black plenty of L and S $5
Remember, sizes are on small side - European cut.
President's End -of-Year Message to MIVA Members and Friends
Looking back on 2012, the club's second full year of operation was a very good one. MIVA held over fifty events including: weekly series of time trials and criteriums, several pre-season time trials and a road race on the closed Duke Point Highway, cyclo-cross clinics and trainer nights, and the CTOR Cyclo-cross Championships at Beban Park.
Our riders competed with success in a number of provincial road races and cyclo-cross, including the provincial CX championships where we had top ten placings including Bill McMillan's 50+ win and Janna Gillick's master women victory. We also had several competitors in the the national CX championships where Janna was crowned as the national champion in the women's 30+ category.
We started a popular Monday evening series of club rides with the emphasis on female participation. These were organised by Ms. Gillick, with the help of Colleen Wtorek, Shepherd and Charlene Stewart, Kyle Waring and Phil Birrer..
The weekly cyclo-cross clinics took place in October in Beban Park and were very-well attended, with several of the participants greatly improving their results in the weekend COTR events.
For the second year, the indoor trainer sessions have started at Pleasant Valley School and will continue until the end of February.
In November, the top-placed riders in the club events were recognised at MIVA's second annual awards night at the Longwood Brew Pub and the board of directors was re-elected for a third straight year.
Finance VP, Phil Birrer has been keeping a close watch on the club's finances, competition director, Iain Hay made sure that the club race programme went smoothly and was instrumental in getting the Comox juniors to many of our events and taking Nanaimo junior Brodie Hay to a number of provincial youth camps and competitions, where he had some good results.. Women's director Janna Gillick increased the female participation in both club events and provincial competition. Publicity and promotion VP Kyle Waring coordinated the new clothing design, produced the attractive new promotional business cards and the great (but abortive) Cobblestone Classic poster, and set up the awards night video presentation.
For 2013, our weekly time trial and criterium series will continue, and the hill climbs will become a separate series. The club will hold a three race omnium (look it up on Google) in September and the COTR championships in November. The cx clinics and trainer evenings will also continue and we hope to expand our club ride activities and implement the club youth development programme. In addition, MIVA will probably field a cat. ¾ women's team in the Race the Ridge stage race next Spring.
To all of you who volunteered your time to help with the club's activities – a warm thank you. And to those of you who are not yet MIVA members – please consider joining the club in 2013. To the club sponsors – your support in the current year has enabled MIVA to become one of the most successful new clubs in the province. We hope that you will continue your valued association.
Peter McCaffery