Tag: crash

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SRAM & RockShox Announce Crankworx Whistler Events – Pinkbike

SRAM & RockShox Announce Crankworx Whistler Events - Pinkbike
PRESS RELEASE: SRAM

SRAM, RockShox, and Zipp are excited to announce a schedule full of interactive events we will be hosting August 6-12 during Crankworx Whistler. Everything from athlete and ambassador-led rides to suspension tuning on the trails, skills clinics, and more! Space is limited for many of these activities, so be sure to register early! We look forward to seeing you all at Crankworx.

SATURDAY AUGUST 6TH
1:00 – 3:00 PM Get to Know the Bike Park with SRAM Ambassadors (meet at SRAM booth)
REGISTER HERE
SUNDAY AUGUST 7TH
9:00 am – 4:00 pm Indigenous Women Outdoors (IWO)

IWO’s vision is to hold space for Indigenous Women and Girls to experience mountain biking with their peers on the World Stage of “Crankworx”.

In partnership with Hilltop MTB and SRAM Mountain Bike, we would like to invite Indigenous Women and Youth, living or visiting the Whistler area during Crankworx, for a fun-filled day of connecting to the land, each other and the mountain bike community, through sport and mentorship.

We are excited to bring Indigenous women and youth together to experience the joys of mountain biking in the Whistler Bike Park, on the shared traditional territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Lil̓wat7úl nations.

MONDAY AUGUST 8TH
12:30 pm – 4 pm Ride with The Free Radicals (meet at SRAM booth)
REGISTER HERE

4:30 – 5:30 pm Here, There, and Everywhere with Miranda Miller (at SRAM booth)

TUESDAY AUGUST 9TH
9:00 am – 10:00 am Basic Skills Clinic (co-ed) with Braydon Bringhurst (meet at SRAM booth)

11:00 am- 12:00 pm Basic Skills Clinic (co-ed) with Braydon Bringhurst (meet at SRAM booth)

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Suspension Tuning on the Trail (meet at SRAM booth)
REGISTER HERE

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 10TH
10:00 am – 11:30 am Suspension Tuning on the Trail (WTFNB) with SRAM Ambassadors (meet at SRAM booth)

1:30 pm – 3:30 pm WTFNB Skills Clinic with SRAM Ambassadors (meet at SRAM booth)
REGISTER HERE

THURSDAY AUGUST 11TH
9:00 am – 10:00 am Basic Skills Clinics (co-ed) with Braydon Bringhurst

11:00 am – 12:00 pm Basic Skills Clinics (co-ed) with Braydon Bringhurst (meet at SRAM booth)

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Suspension Tuning on the Trail with SRAM ambassadors (meet at SRAM booth)
REGISTER HERE

FRIDAY AUGUST 12TH
10:00 am – 11:30 am Suspension Tuning on the Trail (WTFNB) with SRAM ambassadors (meet at SRAM booth)

1:30 pm – 3:30 pm WTFNB Skills Clinic with SRAM Ambassadors (meet at SRAM booth)
REGISTER HERE

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Numerous events planned to honour airmen who died in 1946 plane crash near Estevan

Numerous events planned to honour airmen who died in 1946 plane crash near Estevan

Activities will happen from July 7-9 to pay tribute to the 21 members of the Royal Canadian Air Force – 20 pilots and one crew member – who died in a plane crash south of the city on Sept. 15, 1946. The event was to happen last year for the 75th anniversary of the tragedy, but plans had to be shelved due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

ESTEVAN – Local residents are encouraged to attend events that will take place next month in honour of a grim moment in Estevan’s history.

Activities will happen from July 7-9 to pay tribute to the 21 members of the Royal Canadian Air Force – 20 pilots and one crew member – who died in a plane crash south of the city on Sept. 15, 1946. The event was to happen last year for the 75th anniversary of the tragedy, but plans had to be shelved due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Committee member Marie Calder said the efforts are coming together nicely. There is a committee of four people, with Calder joined by Allison Holzer, Lois Wilson and Wayne Younghusband. Additional people from the community are helping out. 

“I’m really hoping that the community, not just Estevan, but anyone who is interested in honouring those who served [will attend],” said Calder.

She cited men and women of the Canadian Forces, police officers and so many others as people who served. 

“Our safety and our freedom isn’t free, and we really have this opportunity now to show our gratitude through the 21 airmen. We’re hoping that people will come on out.”

The crash will be commemorated in Regina and Estevan. Family members of the crash victims will gather with Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty at Government House in Regina on July 7. Then the focus will shift to Estevan.

On July 8 at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., there will be tours of Lester Hinzman’s carved wooden monument and aviation collection. The tours will depart the Estevan Court House at 9:15 a.m. or 1:45 p.m. and are expected to take about an hour.

There will also be presentations at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. by Craig Bird at the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. Bird, who is the founder of the South East Military Museums, will speak on the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

Rides on a Tiger Moth, Cornell and Harvard aircraft from the Brandon Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum will be available from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Rides must be pre-brooked by emailing lbarwil@yahoo.com.

Payment can be by credit card, cash or cheque on the day of the flight. Pilots and passengers must be fully vaccinated against COVID, including boosters where eligible.

A memorial dedication will occur at the crash site at 10 a.m. on July 9. It is located on the access road for the Woodlawn Regional Park’s Boundary Dam site. SaskPower, the City of Estevan and the Rural Municipality of Estevan provided support for the monument.

There will also be a community social with family and friends, plus the Estevan Flying Club’s annual fly-in. Lunch will be available. 

Banners for each of the airmen will be hanging up around the city, thanks to the support of Bird, who has had banners completed of veterans in the community. 

Calder noted that after the crash in 1946, there was tremendous support for a mass funeral for the 21 airmen.

“Literally, the people stepped right up to the plate. They hosted families. Often it was the wives, the newly-widowed women, who were trying to understand what had happened, and trying to deal with the change in their lives, and Estevan opened the doors to them,” said Calder.

Estevan didn’t have enough hotel rooms at the time to accommodate everyone coming to the community.

Thousands of people turned out to see the funeral procession for the airmen.

She also hopes that local residents are very welcoming to the families who are coming for the commemoration. 

While they won’t have families of all of the victims, there will be children of four people who died, along with grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

They hoped to have siblings of the airmen present, but age and travel costs kept them from coming. 

“We can’t put it off anymore. This has to be it,” said Calder. “In spite of all of the challenges, we are excited to have people coming out from the United States, and of course from all across Canada,” said Calder. 

Calder is the author of Together Forever in the Clouds, which was released last year and has profiles of each of the 21 airmen who died in the crash. She spent four years searching for their families. She was also on the committee for the Forever in the Clouds monument, carved by Darren Jones, that honours the victims of the crash. 

The organizers hope these men will never be forgotten, and that closure may come to families who thought their loved ones’ service to country had been forgotten.

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St. Clair College Easter brunch event returns after two-year hiatus

St. Clair College Easter brunch event returns after two-year hiatus

The annual St. Clair College Centre for the Arts Easter Brunch returned with in-person dining on Sunday after a two-year absence due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Five hundred tickets sold out in about two weeks, according to organizers who say they’re already looking ahead to Mother’s Day.

“We’re extremely excited after a two-year hiatus to have Easter brunch back here at the Center for the Arts,” says Joe D’Angela, director of operations.

“It’s good to see that things are returning back to normal and having the activity back in our ballrooms.”

D’Angela suggests anyone interested in booking reservations for May to act fast, noting it will be a similar setup and that tickets are already 50 per cent sold.

“It’s reservation only by calling the Chrysler Theatre Box Office. Reservation times are 11, 11:30 and 12 o’clock,” D’Angela explains all reservations are for private tables. “We’re still adhering to some restrictions and it makes people a lot more comfortable that they’re sitting on their own private table they’re not sitting with other guests.”

D’Angela adds, “in the past that we would put 800 people in the ballroom, but we’ve decided this year to keep it around 500. We just want people to be really comfortable coming in dining with us know.”

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FMBA Announces 2022 Calendar Ahead of First Event of the Season – Pinkbike

FMBA Announces 2022 Calendar Ahead of First Event of the Season - Pinkbike
PRESS RELEASE: FMBA

Here we go again. The FMB World Tour is back and getting things rolling on the 2022 season. With 24 events, and counting, coming down the pipeline, the 2022 FMB World Tour is set to deliver a season not experienced since pre-pandemic. From the return of Red Bull District Ride to a new stop being added to the Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship (SWC) to the homecoming of esteemed FMB Gold level events like O Marisquino and Big White Invitational, the calendar is filling up fast.

With the 2022 FMB World Tour kicking off in less than two weeks, the FMBA is stoked to share what riders can expect from the season ahead. So, what exactly is on offer this year?

The 2022 FMB World Tour will see five FMB Diamond level events in the same calendar year for the first time since 2017. As well as the SWC will feature four events for the first time in three years. Yup, it’s been that long… As to where the new tour stop is though, Crankworx hasn’t spilled the beans just yet. Expect an announcement in the coming weeks!

Riders can also get pumped for the return of many beloved FMB Gold level events, as well as the introduction of an entirely new event in Canada with SilverStar Slopestyle. Remember that epic Slopestyle course that Brett Rheeder and Matt MacDuff debuted during Crankworx BC last year? A course like that can’t just sit around…

The 2022 FMB World Tour is also on track to host three National Series in support of regional freeride mountain bike events creating their own ranking – Australian Slopestyle Tour, Freebird Slopestyle Series, and Swiss Dirt Series.

Above all else, the mountain biking community can expect to witness one of the most progressive seasons yet. With sanctioned Women’s Divisions already scheduled at 13, and counting, FMB Bronze and Silver level events, 2022 is history in the making.

2017 was the last time that FMB Diamond level events were so plentiful, and athletes are already chomping at the bit to earn their place on those coveted rosters.

bigquotes My dream is to be back in Nurnberg again for Red Bull District Ride – such an iconic event that you won’t [want to] miss – but also a new Crankworx stop sounds very interesting!—Diego Caverzasi

With the return of Red Bull District Ride and the Crankworx FMB SWC announcing the addition of a fourth stop, the 2022 FMB World Tour calendar is shaping up to be an exciting one. Szymon Godziek is one of the numerous riders impatiently awaiting the homecoming of Crankworx Whistler.

bigquotes I have some unfinished business in Slopestyle there. I feel super motivated for the 2022 season. After my last year in 2018, lots of things happened and the progression of the sport went up so quick. I see riders like Emil [Johansson] doing tricks that I was always dreaming of [and it] gives me even more motivation. Unfortunately, my 2021 plan didn’t go exactly as I wanted, and I haven’t got back into Crankworx yet. That’s my main goal for this year.—Szymon Godziek

The 2022 FMB World Tour calendar will also see the return of esteemed FMB Gold level events O Marisquino and Big White Invitational after a two-year hiatus.

bigquotes This blank space of two years has served us all to reflect on the future of O Marisquino and see how we want to approach it for the next editions. This 2022 it seems that we have returned to pre-pandemic normality, so we hope to see thousands of people from the public cheering on the riders, a great atmosphere, and the best Dirt Jumps we have seen so far in Vigo. This year the riders are going to find a circuit similar to the 2019 edition, but a little faster and with bigger jumps. We have decided to extend the receptions and improve the speed so that they arrive more comfortably at the jumps and can comfortably demonstrate their best tricks.—Pablo Moreno, O Marisquino Dirt Jump Director

With these, the new SilverStar Slopestyle competition in Canada, and two more highly anticipated FMB Gold level events on the calendar (stay tuned for more details!), the upcoming season is set to include nearly triple the amount of FMB Gold level events that were on the 2021 schedule. Based on what’s coming down the pipeline, it is expected that six FMB Silver level events and 16 FMB Bronze level events will round out the 2022 FMB World Tour calendar, increasing the total number of events by more than 50% in comparison to last year.

Of the upcoming FMB Bronze and Silver level events, nine will fall under one of three National Series competitions taking place – Australian Slopestyle Tour, Freebird Slopestyle Series, Swiss Dirt Series. While Freebird Slopestyle Series and Swiss Dirt Series are returning to the calendar, the Australian Slopestyle Tour will be making its debut this 2022 season. With three FMB Bronze level events all featuring both a Men’s and Women’s Category, the newest National Series is set to confidently enter 2022.

Despite fewer contests taking place around the world last year, riders’ progression was still on point, and many are ready to get back to competition.

bigquotes My overall goal is to win the Freebird Slopestyle Series. I want to learn as much as I can, unlock more tricks, make new friends around the world, and of course, go to as many dirt parks as possible.—Renata Wiese

Many are also keen to see what athletes have in store for the upcoming season.

I think 2022 is going to be one of the most progressive years ever seen, with opportunities opening up for both up and comers and established riders, it’s going to be mind-blowing and I’m excited to be a part of it.—Mike Ross bigquotes

bigquotes Some of the athletes, like Lucas Huppert, have been competing at [Züri Dirt Contest] since 2015. It’s very nice to see how the athletes improve from year to year. Even if you look at the results over the years, it is very exciting to see that they are constantly higher up in the rankings.—Dominik Bosshard, Züri Dirt Contest Event Organizer

Kicking off the 2022 FMB World Tour in less than two weeks is Australia’s Highline Mountain Bike Festival.

bigquotes With only a few to go until the festival kicks off, the pressure and excitement is building! Our Mini and Pro Slopestyle courses are prime and ready for competition; we have done plenty of test tune sessions to ensure the best quality riding experience. [The] goal for this event is to showcase the quality of Australian male and female riders across the Slopestyle categories on offer.—Shannon Rademaker, Event Manager

This is the first year that the event is sanctioned as a FMB Silver level event. Combined with 25 new amateur Slopestyle riders competing for the first time and the addition of a Women’s category, Highline Mountain Bike Festival is boldly entering the 2022 season. Mike Ross is one of the many athletes ready for its return to the Land Down Under.

bigquotes Highline Mountain Bike Festival is definitely the event I’m most excited for. It’s kicking off the season and it’s a great event to showcase the Australian Slopestyle scene we have down here. Bring it on!—Mike Ross

A recent addition to the FMB World Tour, that will be coming into effect this year, is the FMB World Tour Women’s Division, which gives FMB Bronze and Silver level events the option to host a sanctioned Women’s Category.

Competing in her first Slopestyle event back in 2016, Kathi Kuypers reflected on how opportunities haven’t always been readily available for Women in freeride.

bigquotes I couldn’t focus on developing my skills on the Slopestyle bike because my sponsors didn’t see a market, so I rode all the other disciplines like Enduro, a little bit of Downhill, [did] loads of magazine story productions, and so on. But I never gave up and continued progressing. Now brands are hiring [Women], especially for freeride events and content, and [with] the FMB World Tour Women’s Division, there will be even more attention on [Women in freeride] and their accomplishments. This is all I’ve ever wanted.—Kathi Kuypers

On how this will transform the competitive landscape of mountain biking in 2022 and beyond, many in the industry see nothing but positive change.

It will definitely broaden the horizons of all of us. New brands will emerge, new sponsors, new opportunities will arise, and a new image will be cast on the sport. Women like Kathi Kuypers ride FMB World Tour events and have been fighting for this moment for over 10 years. I am very pleased to see that this effort is now paying off.—Dominik Bosshard bigquotes

bigquotes I love it!! I feel like it is going to be awesome to see what the girls can do! I like what the FMBA is doing by adding a Women’s Division and giving us the chance to compete equally.—Renata Wiese

Most of all, it seems as though the riding community is ready to once again experience the feeling of comradery that is so deeply rooted in mountain biking culture. On track to visit 12 different countries across three continents, the 2022 FMB World Tour is more than a circuit of mountain bike competitions. On what unites such a widespread, diverse community, many shared their perspectives.

Biking is fun and it’s the same all over the world, no matter where you [are] from or where you live.—Diego Caverzasi bigquotes

bigquotes The desire to have fun and the desire to excel are aspects that are universal.—Pablo Moreno

And at the end of the day, that’s really what it’s all about.

See the entire list here.

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‘Citizen scientists’ invited to join global bird watching event

'Citizen scientists' invited to join global bird watching event

MONTREAL —
Saturday marked the beginning of the 25th annual “Great Backyard Bird Count” — a global birding event where all “citizen scientists” are welcome to participate with no experience necessary.

People all over the world are looking to the skies, and of course, their own backyards, to admire and note the birds in their communities.

Organizers hope the event sheds light on nearby bird species, and how their ecosystems have changed. 

— Watch CTV’s Christine Long’s report above for the full story.  

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You can now bet on single events, like the Super Bowl, at OLG retailers

You can now bet on single events, like the Super Bowl, at OLG retailers

It’s Super Bowl weekend; and, if you are confident in who will win or what colour the Gatorade will be, you can now place that single-game bet in-person at any OLG Lottery location.

It’s one of the biggest sporting events of the year; a winning moment just for the one of the teams, but also for anyone able to place the right bet.

“I think Cincinnati is a great story, but I think it’s a Ram’s weekend,” Bob Lawrence, a patron at ‘Local Heroes on Clyde Avenue, told CTV News Ottawa on Friday.

You can now place that bet in-person, anywhere you would normally buy your lottery tickets.

“Yeah, I may do that,” Lawrence says.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) is now offering sports bettors a complete gaming experience with new sports betting products at retailers.

“We’ve been offering ‘PROLINE,’ at retail for 30 years; this was now embedding it into our retail sports-betting offering the ability to bet on individual one game,” David Pridmore, Chief Digital and Strategy Office with OLG, tells CTV News Ottawa. “That’s what they call single event wagering; so one event, before – you used to have to bet on multiple in one ticket.”

Changes to legislation last year allowed additions like single event wagering. While it’s been available through the OLG online since late August, opening it up to retail is new as of this month.

“There’s more options to have different types of betting experiences,” Pridmore says.

Pridmore adds that you can now also bet on an expanded list of sports too.

“We’ve added tennis, boxing, golf, mixed-martial arts, we have some Formula 1 racing,” he says.

Along with what the OLG calls ‘novelty’ betting – like, awards shows, including the Oscars; and yes, that also includes betting on the colour of Gatorade at the Super Bowl, according to Pridmore

“For Super Bowl, you have a lot of fun bets like coin toss, colour of Gatorade, length of the national anthem; some fun player bets, how many yards a quarterback would throw.”