94 Forward is presenting an evening with Shawn Clarke, Women’s Sport Director with GreenEDGE Cycling on Thursday, March 28 from 6 – 8 pm in the 94 Forward Boardroom, PISE, 100-4636 Elk Lake Drive, Victoria, B.C.

Shawn Clarke is a sports director with GreenEDGE Cycling, home to Team Jayco Alula and Liv Alula Jayco, Australia’s first men’s and women’s, World Tour cycling teams, and an all-new women’s development team. Previously he worked with Cycling Canada on projects ranging from Junior National Cups to Elite World Championships and the Olympics. Shawn grew up in Ottawa, Ontario combining alpine skiing and bike racing. He now calls Girona, Spain home.

GreenEDGE Cycling

Space is limited – please RSVP to jmacmillan@94forward.ca

Photo credit: L. Drews

PCC cyclist Tristan Drews made it four in a row last weekend when he won the Southie Circuit Race in Langley. His previous podium wins were at the Thunderbird, Wix Brown and Thornhill Circuit Races. His next challenge will be the Junior/U17 track nationals taking place from March 29-31 in Bromont, Québec.

“My path to the nationals has been shaped by four challenging road races, each contributing to my growth and readiness for the grand event,” he says. “During these races I encountered countless obstacles, from treacherous weather to fierce competition. However, it was the Southie Circuit race that truly tested my mettle, as I found myself targeted by rival cyclists, pushing me, testing me to my limits, both physically and mentally.”

Before each race he incorporated training sessions at the track on Fridays in preparation for nationals. “These sessions were invaluable opportunities to acclimate myself to the banking and the speed of the track, refining my technique and building my confidence for the upcoming event.”

Tristan adds: “As I approach nationals, I carry with me the lessons learned and experiences gained from these races and training sessions. From staying calm when things don’t go as planned and using my strengths to the best of my ability. Regardless of the outcome, I know that this journey has been a triumph of dedication, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to my craft.”

 

Tristan on the podium at the Wix Brown Circuit race. Photo: L Drews

Congratulations to PCC athlete Tristan Drews who won his second and third races of the season last weekend. He podiumed at the Wix Brown Circuit Race on Saturday in Langley following up on Sunday with another win at the Thornhill Circuit Race in Maple Ridge. This followed a track training session at the Burnaby Velodrome on the Friday.

Last weekend he won the sprint race at the Thunderbird Circuit Race in Langley.

“We used these races to gain experience and for fine tuning his race strategy,” said PCC head coach Houshang Amiri. “This will build a base line for the bigger races Tristan will compete in, in the summer.”

 

Tristan Drews on the podium. Photo: L. Drews

Congratulations to 17-year-old PCC athlete Tristan Drews who won the sprint race at the Thunderbird Circuit Race in Langley, B.C. last weekend.

It was a long day for Tristan as he caught the 7 am ferry from Victoria to get to the race site for the 11:30 am start. He put in a strong performance with a break from the pack to win.

“It’s a wonderful start to the season with this first race win,” he said. “Even Though the weather wasn’t favourable the heat within the peloton was high. I am super excited for the upcoming races, and to show more of what I got!”

The next races are this weekend, the Wix Brown Circuit Race on Saturday, March 9 in Langley and the Thornhill Circuit Race on Sunday, March 10 in Maple Ridge.

The second session of the 94 Forward Connecting Performance Speaker Series will take place on Thursday, February 22.

Olympian Gary Reed, Principal Conductor – Pacific Opera, Giuseppe (Joey) Pietraroia, and Clearance Diver – Canadian Navy, Marketa Lund will headline the event, bringing sports, arts and first responders together for a diverse discussion on different aspects of performance.

For information and tickets go to:

94F2401-Speaker_Series_Flyer_2-1.1.1

On the podium at the 2022 Masters Track World Championships. Photo: PCC

PCC athlete Renate Walton has been added to the Historical Canadian Track Records. Her performance at the 2022 UCI Masters Track World Championship in Los Angeles in the 2000 metre IP (Individual Pursuit) earned her a Gold medal and World and Canadian titles (her time was 2:59:027).

At the same event she won a Silver medal in the 500 metres ITT, also a Canadian record in her W65+ age group, in a time of 44.65.

Congratulations Renate.

Registration is now open for the final early season training camp from February 16 – 18. Based in Victoria, BC the camp is led by head coach Houshang Amiri.

The camp is placed in the end-mesocycle of the specific preparatory phase and is structured to maximize skills in an athlete’s desired discipline. The three-day camp will include 3-4 hour endurance rides where riders will be evaluated on their aerobic base and power. There will be a presentation, Q & A and a guest speaker.

More information and to register

Tristan Drews on the podium at the BC Track Championships. Photo: PCC

Two PCC riders participated in the BC Track Championships this past weekend at the Burnaby velodrome – Tristan Drews and Amiel Flett-Brown.

This is Tristan’s first year as a junior rider and he started track training late summer in Victoria. In Burnaby he competed in the Scratch race, Points race, Individual Pursuit, Kilo 1000m ITT and the Omnium finishing second in all of them.

Tristan (right) preparing to race. Photo: PCC

“At the track provincial championships there was only three male Junior riders so they ended up racing in the elite male category,” said PCC head coach Houshang Amiri. “While this wasn’t an ideal situation, this did open up a new opportunity to race with the best in BC in track cycling including some National team members. This was a steep learning curve for Tristan with less focus on results, and more on gaining experience and to know the pace and skills he needs to work on in the coming months and years.”

“While navigating the velodrome’s twists and turns, I got a glimpse of the art of track cycling,” Tristan said. “Figuring out how to cut through the wind without losing speed, riding elbow-to-elbow with fellow cyclists in the pack taught me that split decisions in your position can make or break a race. Provincials showed me that strategy is just as vital as raw power.”

Tristan’s next race is the Junior Track Nationals Championship in Sylvan Adams Velodrome, Bromont, Quebec at the end of March 2024.

Amiel Flett-Brown (left) was 2nd in the Points race. Photo: PCC

Amiel had a good event finishing second in the Points race, fifth in the Scratch and seventh in the Omnium.

Registration is now open for the third PCC Education and Endurance training camp of the 2023-2024 season. The camp will run from January 19 – 21, 2024 and will be held in Victoria, BC and led by Head Coach Houshang Amiri.

The camp is placed in the mid-mesocycle of the specific preparatory phase and is structured to maximize skills in an athlete’s desired discipline. The three-day camp will include 3-4 hour endurance rides where riders will be evaluated on their aerobic base and power. There will be daily presentations and a guest speaker – to be announced soon.

Information and Registration

 

The first 2024 pre-season training camp took place in Victoria last week. The three-day camp featured three four-hour endurance rides where riders were evaluated on their aerobic base and power. The rides included hill climbs and a time trial with a focus on technique and sharpening cycling skills. There was also a group lunch and a training presentation.

“The camp was a perfect way to start the 2023-24 cycling season with dry weather for the three days,” said head coach Houshang Amiri.

“The PCC training camps are incredible valuable and have pushed me forward into being a better cyclist,” said Lauren Babineau, who regularly attend the camps. “It is a pleasure learning under Houshang’s leadership, knowledge and attention-to-detail. He created an environment where all of the participants felt comfortable to be in the group; this means everyone was able to challenge themselves yet still be vulnerable and realize where their weaknesses lie. Beyond the athletic focus of the camp, I appreciate Houshang’s kindheartedness, millions of stories he shares and, most importantly…his great sense of humour.”

The next camp is December 1 – 3. Deadline to apply is November 25.

Apply here