Para Cycling Talent ID Camp

Cycling Canada in conjunction with Cycling BC is excited to announce it will be hosting a Para Cycling Identification Camp in Vancouver June 1st and 2nd.

The camp will provide athletes interested in competitive Para sport the opportunity to give cycling a try. The purpose of this camp is to find our next para-cycling talent to build the next generation of Canadian para-cyclists.

Para Cycling is open to athletes with physical and visual disabilities of 14 years and older. Competitions include road events such as the Individual Time Trial, Road Race and Track events; Pursuit, Sprint, 1 km and 500m Individual Time Trial. Competitors are placed into 4 broad categories with separate events for each discipline. A basic overview of each category is described below:

Hand Bike: Hand bikes are divided into 5 sub-categories based on the type of lower limb impairment: H1, H2, H3, H4, H5.  Hand bikes are operated using hand controls and compete only in road events.

Tandem: Athletes who are visually impaired or blind compete on a tandem bicycle with a sighted pilot. Tandems compete in both track and road events.

Tricycles:  Tricycles are divided into 2 sub-categories based on an impairment that affects balance: T1, T2.  Athletes compete with three-wheeled bicycles that provide better stability.  Tricycles compete in only road events.

Standard Bicycle: Standard bicycles are divided into 5 sub Categories: C1, C2, C3, C4, C5. Athletes are categorized by physical impairments that prevent them from competing in able-body events but still enable them to compete using an upright bicycle. Athletes compete in both track and road events.

The camp will start Friday, June 1, in the afternoon with an information session on para-cycling and testing at Fortius Sport and Health in Burnaby, BC.  On Saturday, athletes will be set up on bikes and will take part in a cycling skills session as well as a short ride in the Vancouver area. Cycling coaches will be on hand to help athletes get fitted on bikes.

Bicycles are available through Cycling Canada if athletes do not have their own. Athletes are required to bring their own athletic wear and cycling helmet to attend the Saturday on-bike sessions.

Athletes interested in attending the camp should contact Phil Abbott at phil.abbott@cyclingcanada.ca no later than May 25^th.