iRide continued to ramp up in the Comox Valley this May with events in Cumberland, Comox, Courtenay and Campbell River. iRide head coach Lauren Lan coached students of Ecole Robb Road, Brooklyn Elementary and Lake Trail Middle School and coach Lynda Magor visited Queneesh Elementary.
Lake Trail teacher Ms. Jana Buckle has been an out-spoken supporter of the iRide program since her school first participated in an event last fall. Watch a video of that November program below. Ms. Buckle states:
The iRide program has not only provided my students with an amazing skill set from basic to advanced mountain biking, but it has also helped nurture a lifelong passion for the incredible sport of cycling. I am beyond impressed with not only the level of progression I saw in my students, but also by the level of knowledge and sheer motivation displayed daily by our gifted instructor, Lauren Lan. The absolute joy on my students’ faces during each session says it all…the iRide program is EPIC!
One of Jana’s students, Damien says:
This is amazing! I feel so ALIVE out here on my bike!
Lauren Lan said that it was clear from the start that her Ecole Robb Road students knew their way around their bicycles. Of course this makes sense as last year, Ecole Robb Road won the award for Best Overall Active Travel Participation School during Bike to School week, and many students have ridden to school every day throughout the spring.
Over at Brooklyn Elementary, students spent their 3rd session working on climbing, descending and wheel lifts before moving on to master an obstacle course. Students are pretty revved up for the final session next week that will feature a group trail ride on the awesome network of trails adjacent to the school.
Students at Queneesh Elementary really brought their enthusiasm for cycling when I first meet them on-field. We started with neutral positioning before tackling tight turns and descents. The students scored a big win by matching the iRide’s Comox Valley school record for the “rodeo roundup” game, managing to get 9 riders inside circle. It was a sight to behold! In addition, one special student took home the great news that he can also now join his classmates in regular iRide class after his teacher, Ms. Ripple, helped him learn to ride a 2-wheeler!
– Lauren Lan
iRide in Comox, BC from Cycling British Columbia on Vimeo.
If you’re a fan of Cycling BC’s iRide program, check us out on Twitter, Instagram, or donate through Chimp to support our programs in your area. To learn more about iRide Summer Camp or book future in-school events, please contact iRide@cyclingbc.net or (604) BC-iRide.
