Zach Bell wins seventh male athlete of the year award from Sport Yukon

Waston Lake, Yukon’s Zach Bell won the 2014 international male athlete of the year award at the 39th annual Sport Yukon awards night on Thursday. The honour marks the seventh time Bell won the award. He also won in 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006.

“Zach Bell is literally worth his weight in gold. You put him on a scale, find out what the price of gold is: that’s Zach,” said Team SmartStop director Michael Creed on his podcast in September. While Creed may have exaggerated for effect, he then listed the qualities that led to Bell becoming the team’s leader. “[He’s a] great team captain. Calm. Shows up fit, ready to rock.”

In 2014, Bell’s year had some high and low notes. He finished strong with a win at the Thompson Bucks County Classic. In June, his wife Rebecca gave birth to their daughter, Lucy. Lucy is the couple’s second child. Their first, Paxton, died shortly after birth on Oct. 13, 2012. Earlier in the 2014 season, Bell was involved in a crash at the Tour of the Gila and broke his collarbone.

Of his nomination for the Sport Yukon award, Zach said: “I have been nominated for a few awards, it is really important to give back. To recognize that all the opportunities I have in sport stayed because the systems there gave me that chance.

“Any other place in the world, I would not have lasted to become a professional. I just was not good enough at any sport. So these seats give me a chance to go back and connect with the next generation of athletes and thank them all for the support.”

Bell has also launched a Rural Youth Program bearing his name. In partnership with Air North, the Yukon’s Airline, Bell set up his own sporting grant to bring professionals and Olympians to the Yukon to work with young athletes and coaches.