The Sunshine Coast Cycling Club (SCC) has selected their 2008 core team and they're out to make a name for themselves in the racing circuit again this year. "We're a youth development team and we have a great group of young cyclists to work with," said Steve Sleep, SCC's club president. "We're trying something new this year with the team. We'll be working with our cross country racer as always, and this year we'll be sponsoring a downhill team as well. We had some strong interest in the downhill discipline so we thought we'd give it a try." Returning to the cross country team this year are Katherine Short, Christine Lynch, Jesse Horn, Jen Brown, Sebastian Sleep and Sarah Fedor, while new members include Jessica Marquis, Louis Dillon, Jonas Lomax, Harrison Duxbury-Sleep and Forrest Riesco. Harrison and Forrest will join downhill racers Nick Pike and Jenna Phelps on the downhill team as well. The team benefits from strong sponsorship from the community that helps cover some of the travel, accommodation and race entry expenses through the season. The core team will be outfitted in new yellow, green and white team jerseys and other clothing that shows off the local sponsors. Spin Cycles and Off the Edge provide a very generous discount on parts and accessories for the team, and their mechanical expertise goes a long way in keeping the bikes in top shape. During the season, the team will train on weekly rides and other events that include maintenance and skills clinics. This year the team will be taking on a new volunteer coaching staff.
"We're really excited to have Katherine Short taking on the role of girls coach," said Sleep. "Katherine has been racing since she was in Grade 7 and her experience will no doubt benefit the team. Warren Torrence will be working with the rest of the team as a coach and will help with training plans and team rides, and we'll have downhill racer Gary Jackson from Off the Edge doing some work with our downhillers as well. We'll really miss Bob Stanhope who is taking some time off from coaching this year, but he promises to be out on the rides with the team when he can."
The club would like to thank all the sponsors for their support and invite all cyclists to become a member. See the club website at www.sunshinecoastcycling.ca for more information.
