In pictures: Cycling NWT celebrates its athletes as season ends

Members of Cycling NWT gathered at Yellowknife Ski Club on Sunday to celebrate a successful season of mountain biking and road cycling.

Cycling NWT is one of the newest territorial sports organizations, having been recognized by Sport North and Cycling Canada in the past year.

“All the participants need to be commended, especially up north, when you have to battle the elements and you never know what you’re going to get tossed your way,” vice-president Chris Bruckner said at Sunday’s event.

Cycling NWT vice-president Chris Bruckner. Elke Sorensen/Cabin Radio

Kiran Ray. Elke Sorensen/Cabin Radio — Kiran Ray with awards for open male and U19 male mountain biking. Elke Sorensen/Cabin Radio

“At the beginning of the year, we were freezing our butts off. Now we’ve come full circle, because we got eaten alive by bugs.”

Adam Clinton went home with two awards on Sunday: overall winner for the U19 category and first place in open male road cycling.

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Clinton, also a competitive skier, told Cabin Radio he got into cycling after finding a bike on Facebook Marketplace. “I’m on the varsity ski team next year,” he said, “so cycling is training for the summer.”

The sense of community provided by Cycling NWT was Clinton’s highlight of the season. “It’s been fun to go out with other people. It’s nicer than just going out by yourself for hours on end.”

Adam Clinton. Elke Sorensen/Cabin Radio — Adam Clinton with his trophies. Elke Sorensen/Cabin Radio

Luke Dizon, third place in the open male road cycling category, told Cabin Radio he enjoyed cycling with others as well, and “wasn’t really in it for the competition” – though he added, looking at his medal, that “it’s a nice piece of hardware.”

Dizon’s highlight of the season took place the day before, during the criterium race.

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“I was on the last lap, then I got a flat,” he said.

“I carried my bike on my shoulder, was just walking to the line. My clips definitely didn’t appreciate that. But I still finished it.”

Korry Garvey, a member of Cycling NWT’s board, told Cabin Radio: “There’s a lot of younger folks right now who are trying to get into cycling, which hasn’t been a thing here.

“Having the opportunity through Cycling NWT to do it more competitively is a great thing.”