Eight Selected For Jr Caribbean Cycling Champs
The Bermuda Bicycle Association is pleased to announce the selection of eight junior athletes to participate in the 2011 Junior Caribbean Cycling Championship to be held in Puerto Rico on August 13 and 14.
This year’s squad will be comprised of Gabriella Arnold, Vashon Cann, Tre-shun Correia, Mark Godfrey, Dominique Mayho, Molly Pilgrim, Daelen Richardson, and Deshi Smith. The championships will offer two events per category, an individual time trial and a road race with distances varying by category.
The team was selected from a pool of eligible cyclists who put themselves forward for consideration by the BBA’s selectors; Elliot Hubbard, Greg Hopkins (both BBA directors) and Peter Dunne (BBA president).
Mr Hubbard commented, “We are fortunate to have so many capable athletes to consider for this event. In the last several years our numbers of junior cyclists has grown dramatically, bringing new teenagers into this sport”.
Mr Dunne echoed Mr Hubbard’s sentiments, saying, “We have seen tremendous growth in our sport at all levels but it is most satisfying to see the numbers grow among the junior ranks. While selecting individuals is always a challenge and causes some to be disappointed, we feel that this is a very positive sign and bodes well for the future of cycling.”
The Puerto Rico Cycling Federation will host the regional championship and this will be the sixth installment of the competition at which Bermuda has been represented each year.
Cann, Correia and Mayho will be returning for their third year on the squad and will race in the Junior Boys (17-18 years old) category. Godfrey competed in 2010 for the first time and came home with the silver medal in the Juvenile Boys (15-16 years old) group.
Joining him in the younger group will be Bermuda Institute students Richardson and Smith. Both Arnold and Pilgrim will have their first experience at this level of cycling competition and will compete in the single category for girls ages 15-18.
Since the inception of the competition in 2006, Bermuda has brought home four medals; Hayley Evans (bronze, 2008 time trial in Curacao), Sophie Adams (bronze, 2008 road race in Curacao), Izabella Arnold (bronze, 2009 time trial in Bermuda) and Mark Godfrey (2010 road race in Aruba).
