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The Shimano Canadian cyclocross championships add Volvo as new presenting sponsor

Geoff Kabush and Michael van den Ham
September 1, 2015
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Geoff Kabush and Michael van den Ham
Geoff Kabush and Michael van den Ham ride in the elite men’s race of the 2014 Shimano Canadian cyclocross championships. Photo credit: David Lipnowski

The Shimano Canadian cyclocross championships, which are returning to Winnipeg for a second year, have added Volvo as a presenting sponsor. The three-day event is now dubbed the Shimano Canadian cyclocross championships presented by Volvo.

“Volvo is proud to support the Canadian cyclocross championships in 2015,” said Matt Sarmatiuk, general manager of Volvo Winnipeg. “As part of our event, we will have our new XC90 on the course. Participants and spectators will have a unique opportunity to experience the XC90 and several other Volvo models, which are the perfect vehicles for the lifestyle many cyclists lead.”

Shimano returns at the title sponsor. “Heading into the 2014 Shimano Canadian cyclocross championships, we knew the event was going to be good,” David Blondel, marketing co-ordinator of Shimano Canada. “What we weren’t prepared for was how far our own expectations would be exceeded. Working with a near perfect venue, providing racers with an exceptional course and spectators with an experience not soon to be forgotten, the 2015 championships promise to deliver and Shimano remains a proud title sponsor of the event.”

The event starts on Oct. 23 with the Kick Cancer cyclocross derby, a day of fun races and fundraising for the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation. The following day is the competition for the maple-leaf jerseys. There will be many races from masters 50-years-old and older to elite women and men. In 2014, Catharine Pendrel took the win for the elite women, Mike Garrigan for the elite men. “The Forks in Winnipeg was the perfect venue for a high-level cyclocross event,” Pendrel said. “The course was fast, varied and challenging, the spectators awesome and the organization flawless.”

The final day of the event, Sunday, Oct. 25, features a UCI C2-level race called the Manitoba Grand Prix of Cyclocross. Confirmed riders for the Manitoba GP include Jonathan Page, Jeremy and Gaby Durrin of the Neon Velo Cycling Team, Meredith Miller and Allen Krughoff of the Noosa Pro Cyclocross Team, Emily Kachorek and Anthony Clark of Squid Bikes, and Jake Wells and Ally Stacher of the Stan’s NoTubes Elite Cyclocross Team.

Other major sponsors include Ridley, the official bike supplier. Winnipeg craft brewery Half Pints will be brewing a beer exclusively for the event—Dead Ringer Belgian IPA—once again.

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