cycling. The infor- mal group of female cyclists shares a pas- sion for cycling each Wednesday evening on a 42-kilometre loop in Gatineau Park. Riders meet at 6 p.m. (May-August) or earlier (September and October) in the Gamelin parking lot in Gatineau. “WOW is about en-

couraging women to sweat now and age later!” says Mansfield. “Last year we had a core group of 30 women who regularly came out to ride on Wednesday nights.”

LaroccaXC Mountain School & Creative Wheel Centre

Dominique Larocque, a sport

psychology consultant and retired world-class athlete, operates a mountain bike school on her 43-hectare training base in Val-des- Monts, Que. While her niche for the 12 past

“WOW is about encouraging women to sweat now and age later!”

To keep the groups manageable,

the women are divided into three or four packs of similar speeds. The av- erage pace is 25 km/hour on the flats and, although it slows down on the hills, the intensity of the effort is high! More experienced riders are ex-

pected to help newer or less expe- rienced women cyclists with proper group riding technique and etiquette. “Safety is the most important thing here,” Mansfield says. While this is not a formal club and

has no fees, all its cyclists must carry a spare tire and pump and be able to change a flat, have a full water bottle and a snack if needed, and always wear a helmet. The group has also organized

a “buddies of women on wheels” (BOWOW) group for male friends or partners who want to ride. This group leaves Gamelin a few minutes before the fastest women’s group.

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years has been women and children, she says more men are showing up to perfect their skills on her single-track trails. With women and men riding together, “we have had incredible results coaching women to a whole new level of fitness and skills, increasing their enjoyment of the sport,” she says. Larocque has several new instructional programs to meet women-only and co-ed demand. They are:

Beth Mansfield

June Co-ed Training Camps

Each Saturday and Sunday in June, she

offers three-hour instructional clinics that cater to the specific needs of her riders. The morning class is for beginners, afternoons for intermediate riders and evenings for advanced cyclists. Participants can stay the day and practice, or join the club and get access to the trails every Friday to Sunday, from June to November. ($65 + trail improvement fee and insurance)

The Club – Thursday night women-only rides

This Ontario

Cycling Association affiliated club is co-ed, but offers a special program on Thursday evenings for women. Through the club membership ($175), women can ride the trails at the

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Centre (Friday to Sunday) and meet other like-minded women who love cycling. Club rides in April to mid May take place on the road and move to trails in the Gatineau Park/ Kanata Lakes until October. Women can also join the kids & youth high- performance rides on Wednesday evening.

Three-hour Group Instruction

“Women constantly underestimate

their abilities,” Larocque says. “Most are so much better than they imagine.”This course (seven person max.) will increase riders’ confidence and bike skills. It’s for total beginners needing to learn the basics, or for intermediate riders wanting to correct and fine-tune. She asks participants to be honest about their skill level. Cost: $146.02 per person. ($75 + trail improvement fee and insurance)

Private Mountain Bike Instruction

If you want more one-on-one at-

tention, she also has a customized three-hour instruction course (cost: $146.02). ($95/person + trail improve- ment fee and insurance)

Spoke by Spoke (July 26, five-day camp)

This is a pilot project where Domi-

nique hopes to empower young girls aged 11 to 14 through cycling. «oo Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48