Sault Ste. Marie to Host Ontario Cycling Youth Mountain Bike Camp
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Sault Ste. Marie is proud to partner with Ontario Cycling to host a two-day youth mountain bike development camp aimed at nurturing emerging talent. The camp will take place on September 16 and 17 and will be led by Provincial Mountain Bike and former Team Canada Coach Rob Holmgren.
Holmgren is a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) coach with over 25 years of coaching experience in mountain bike and cyclocross. His accomplishments include coaching Team Ontario at national championships, US Cups, and Canada Games. Under the guidance of Holmgren, the camp will elevate participants’ mountain biking skills and mastery of trail technical features.
“The camp will provide an opportunity to introduce and assess the fundamental mountain bike skills required for building on-bike confidence and life-long enjoyment of the sport,” said Michael Suraci, Sport Performance Director, Ontario Cycling. “Additionally, we want to work with the coaches and cycling community with an eye towards the future for hosting more athlete development opportunities and potential competitions.”
The selection of Sault Ste. Marie as host for this camp underscores the City’s commitment to offering world class mountain biking experiences. This commitment is reinforced by the investment in the expansion of the mountain biking trail network. Supported jointly by the Province of Ontario, the Federal Government, Tourism Sault Ste. Marie, and the City of Sault Ste. Marie, this expansion project will receive a $2.3 million boost by 2025.
“Since hearing about the new trail systems and the youth mountain bike programing, we have been eager to host a camp in the Sault Ste. Marie area,” added Suraci. “Having the opportunity for our Provincial Coach to work with a new group of athletes is great, not only from a talent identification and development perspective but also to help connect coaches and grow the network of youth clubs across the province.”
The trails, which are located in Hiawatha Highlands, have been recognized by both the City of Sault Ste. Marie and by Tourism Sault Ste. Marie as a pivotal driver of future tourism and an important asset for community development, attracting new residents. The expansion initiative, which began in 2021, has already resulted in an additional 20 kilometres of new trails, featuring cutting edge, machine-built trails in the Crystal Creek trail system and Farmer Lake area of Hiawatha Highlands.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized for our world-class mountain biking trails and we’re thrilled to host this Ontario Cycling event”, says Travis Anderson, Director Tourism and Community Development.