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History Blizzards 1981 to 1986 |
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Written by Pat Ferris
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Thursday, 05 January 2012 05:23 |
In the beginning: 1981
To tell you the truth, I never even thought about cycling after moving to Fort St. John until ex-Victoria Wheeler Gary Leung came over and suggested we get out and do some. I remember that afternoon very clearly. It was like a switch had been tuned on, that had been off and dormant for a very long time. Patricia encouraged me to get out there, so I did.
I had to find all my bike stuff which was at my parent's house. My Galmozzi road bike and bike clothing were intact. I picked it all up the next time I was in Prince George.
Gary and I rode almost every day, that summer. It was hard to try and get back into cycling after such a long time. I did not fly up the hills, anymore, for some strange reason. I gasped and wheezed constantly as I struggled to keep up.
That summer, a remarkable event occurred. I heard from the radio that a fellow was trying to start a bike club, in Fort St. John. His name was Mark Mann. He was a BMX wannabe with no actual cycling experience except for a keen interest. Gary, Mark, myself and one more person (I can't remember who..CKNL Sports guy?) met at the Marigold Restaurant and formed the Fort St. John Bicycle Club. Mark was President with Gary and me as Vice Presidents.
The 'Fort St. John Bicycle Club' fizzed out a month later as Mark went off with the BMX and Gary and I left as that was not the cycling that interested us.
By the mid eighties a highly successful BMX racing club was formed under Mike Morris. They had a real racing track at Kin Park. The club lasted until about 1989 at which point BMX racing went through a massive decline. Their track still exists in Kin Park, to this day.
The Blizzard Bike Club still did not exist at this time.
Club Start - 1982
One gorgeous summers' day in June, Gary, Patricia and I were sitting in our living room musing about a bike club. I can't remember who coined the name Blizzard, but it stuck. I think Gary came up with the red and white jersey color scheme.
From there, we set up evening club rides from Overwaitea at 7:00 pm in efforts to drum up some members. The rides were done Monday thru Friday with weekends off for good behavior.
Some of the early folks we had that year were Rob Pryor, who was a student of Gary's from Kearney School. Andre Vietinghoff and Chris Budac were some of the others I can remember.
My first big thrill with our new club was when we had twelve riders attend! Wow, it seemed like a veritable army of riders. Success at least or so it seemed.
The club rides were the only club activity we did in those days. The rides consisted of everyone going as fast as possible so riders were scattered all over the country side, when we were done. It should have come as no surprise that there were very few repeat riders coming out.
We did have our first race, that year. It consisted of a criterium around the Fir Hall block. There was only four riders so we did not have to close down the road (or tell anybody!) that it was going on. Patricia was the timer with me, Gary Leung, Rob Pryor and Gary Frymier, a rider who joined in from a nearby BC Forest office. The new guy won. The weather was glorious. It was a wonderful day for northern cycling.
Year End 1983
1983 was a very good start for the Blizzard Bike Club, sending a number of riders to compete regionally and getting provincial recognition for it's' efforts.
The Club expanded into what it is, today, in terms of events and ridership back in 1983. The club held a series of time trials, road races and a hill climb, covering the full season from April to August. Points from these events accumulated to decide the 'Best All Rounder' (BAR) winners. Average race attendance was ten to 15 riders from a membership of 25.
The Ferris brothers featured prominently in the first race of the season, a 15 Mile Blizzard Trophy race on the Montney Road. Tim Ferris won with Pat Ferris second and David Ferris, third. Thirteen riders competed, including (now) Judge Brian Daley, who was a respectable 9th place.
Seven Blizzards went to Prince George for the 'Old Fort Classic' in May to compete in their stage race. Riders came from clubs in 100 Mile, Quesnel, Williams Lake, PG and FSJ. There were 25 riders in the 'Senior' event. About 45 in total, all ages. Top local finishers were Pat in 3rd and Tim in 5th, overall, Senior Men's.
The Blizzards were back to PG in June, for the BC Summer Games selections. In the 'deciding' road race, Tim was second and Pat third in the big bunch sprint.
Pat and Tim made the team, along with Rob Pryor and all went to a roasting hot Maple Ridge for the BC Summer Games. The BC's had a time trial, road race, criterium and a 4-rider Team time trial, in those days. Each zone could send sixteen riders aged thirteen and older.
July 1st, the Bike Club was asked to carry the Canadian Flag out to the Canada Day festivities at Charlie Lake.
A big provincial award came our way! The Blizzard Club was named the recipient of the Bicycle Club of the Year Award from the Bicycle Association of British Columbia at their Vancouver AGM.
"Because the club went so well this year, it had an impact on the whole association," said Blizzard Bicycle Club President Jim Peltier., who accepted the trophy in Vancouver. "It was basically awarded for the amount of growth we had in the first year, "noted Peltier of the reason for the award.'
The first Awards Banquet was held for 12 attendees at the old Northern Lights Restaurant. Pat Ferris was the first Senior Men's BAR winner. Rob Pryor won the Junior trophy and Ken Chin was Most Improved.
The Blizzard Bicycle Club had an excellent year of activity, blended with success.
Year End 1984
1984 was a year of expansion and more success at regional races for the Blizzard Bike Club well as for the whole northern region. The Dawson Creek Wind Club started in 1984, the forerunner of the present day Dawson Creek Greasy Chain Club. Regional cycling had a huge expansion in those days with increasing numbers and clubs, from 100 Mile House, north.
The A & W Northern Challenge Cup' was initiated for the top senior (over 19) rider who won the most combined points for the 'Old Fort' two-day race in Prince George and the FSJ Coca-Cola Northern Classic two-day race.
The first big regional race was the 'Old Fort' Race in Prince George (PG). A dozen Blizzards went down for this event. There were about 60 riders, in total, with the senior race having 40. Pat Ferris won both the 80 km road race and the criterium in sprint finishes, winning the weekend with, Gary Leung in 3rd, Bill Scott in 4th and Tim Ferris 12th and Patti Johnson leading the women's.
That next weekend was the second half of the Challenge Cup. First up was the 80 km road race from Dawson Creek to FSJ with a crowd of forty riders. Pat Ferris won the road race in a close sprint over Otto Kamstra of PG.
Bag piper Gordon Adlard entertained the waiting riders and Red Wheeler fired the black powder gun to start the downtown criterium. Otto Kamstra of PG won the criterium around the 'bingo hall block' but Ferris won the overall 'Northern Challenge Cup' title with three stages wins out of four on the two weekends.
Next stop was the BC Games selections in Prince George, in June. 37 riders were trying out for the regional team. Pat Ferris won the road race by out sprinting Olav Stana. Bill Scott won the 16 km time trial, edging out Ferris and Stana. Patti Johnson swept the road race and time trial.
Pat and Tim Ferris went to PG one more time for the CKPG Road race, from Eagle Lake to PG, where there was a crowd of over 40 riders in attendance. Olav Stana initiated a break on the first big hill and rode away with Pat Ferris and Charlie Fox. Eventually, Ferris won the sprint by a length over Stana to take the trophy home. Tim Ferris won the pack sprint for 4th.
Five Blizzards went to Burnaby for the BC Summer Games. Bill Scott won bronze in the Senior Novice class and Debbie Johnson got bronze in cadet girls. Those medals were awarded to the overall winners, not by individual stage as they are now.
Dawson Creek held its first 'stage' race with a downtown criterium and a road race out to the Heritage Highway. Tim Ferris edged out Pat Ferris to sweep the weekend with Derek Carroll in third spot and Ray Kim in 4th.
Mayor Brian Palmer attended the club's Awards Banquet and handed out the trophies. Bill Scott was Most Improved, Pat Ferris-Senior Men's' BAR, Perry Dayton Junior BAR, Debbie Johnson the Women's BAR and Ken Chin the Half Wheel. Glynnis Mackie received the Unsung Hero award for being a tireless volunteer.
Another very successful season with more to come.
Year End 1985
Formal attire is not unusual, except when sported by a number of road bike riders, in the snow, on January1! Welcome to the first New Years Day Ride, Blizzard Bicycle Club style.
Tim Ferris and Jim Peltier started this unusual event which included riders turning out with Harris tweed coats and 'English' caps. Seven riders started out under -15 degree temperatures on road bikes. After some press ganging other riders who tried to sleep in, the number grew to nine. They all ended up at Bill Scott and Andre Vietinghoffs' house for food and an après party.
Olympic and National Cycling Team coach Barry Lycett came to Fort St. John to give a 2-day cycling seminar, in February. He put on an excellent cycling seminar as well as did interviews with the local radio and newspapers. Bas came for repeat performance in bitterly cold November.
The big news for the locals was the opportunity to try out for the Ras Tealteann (UCI) stage race, in Ireland(Eire). Twelve Blizzard riders put their names in for the tough twelve-stage, 8 day, and 1500 hundred km. event. The team of four Blizzard riders will go in July, 1986. Derek Carroll will pick the team as well as go as team manager.
Debbie Johnson and Lisa Lamoureux both attended camps and races to try to qualify for the Canada Summer Games team. They did well but didn't qualify.
The A & W Challenge Cup was up for grabs, again. Fifteen Blizzards traveled for this one. This time it was Tim Ferris winning the 'Old Fort' races in Prince George and getting 2 stage wins with Pat Ferris in second place, overall and Bill Scott in 5th in front of a field of 52 riders.
Future National team rider Olav Stana won the 'Coca Cola Classic' weekend, in Fort St. John, with a time trial and road race win. Pat Ferris was third but retained the A & W Challenge Cup for a second year. Tim Ferris ended up third despite having a nasty criterium crash and losing a fair amount of skin off his butt!
The next stop was a Canada Cup race in Edmonton. Provincial teams were present including and numerous fast riders such Brian Walton, Peter Toth, Bruce Spicer, Richard Streadwick and National Champ Gervais Rioux.
Ten Blizzards went to Nanaimo for the BC Summer Games, in August. They came back with 14 medals, putting on a very good performance that surprised the 'southerners'.
The first local mountain bike race was initiated, called the 'Fat Tire Follies'. Mountain biking was still fairly new, then.
1985 was the first year for the 'Northern Time Trial Championships', the forerunner of the S & S Turbines Championship. This was the first year of Jeff Wright's domination of all Blizzard timed events with Debbie Johnson equally impressive for the women. The Blizzard team of Jeff Wright, Pat & Tim Ferris and Bill Scott won the 4 rider team time trial.
Dawson Creek put on a stage race in September. It had a criterium as well as the first edition of the Peace River Road Championships. Pat Ferris edged out Ray Kim to win the 93 mile road race in a hail storm. The surprise was third spot, Debbie Johnson, a junior girl on the podium. Ray Kim won the criterium, next day.
Ken Chin won the first Blizzard Club Championship race in an exciting sprint finish over Pat Ferris and Bill Scott.
Coming up: The Blizzard Team gets severely tested at the Ras Tealteann, next year.
Year End 1986
The Ras Tailteann race was the years' focus. The team needed to be selected, prepared, fund raised for and sent. The Blizzard Team prepared itself for the 1986 Ras Tailteann as best as they could, but it was a tough event, indeed.
The Spring Stage race invented to ready the Blizzard Ras team. It featured 9 stages in 9 days, albeit short events owing to lack of daylight and a very persistent winter that seemed to dump snow every four or five days, until the end of May. The weather was awful with rain and snow but Bill Scott was the eventual winner on total time, with two stage wins and a lead of 4:48 minutes over Pat Ferris and Ray Kim. Derek Carroll, the team manager, selected Jeff Wright, Bill Scott, Tim Ferris and Pat Ferris for the team.
Team Manager Derek Carroll arranged a live radio interview on Eire's version of the CBC, for Pat Ferris for the upcoming Ras. The interview went well until the end, when the narrator asked a final question on how the Blizzards will do 'on the roads of Ireland'. Pat thought he meant bumpy roads so he said 'yes, we have a lot of potholes, here, too', much to everyone's' embarrassment!
It was the third year of the A & W Challenge Cup with the first weekend stage race in Prince George. Pat Ferris edged out Tim Ferris for the 'Old Fort' weekend. Olav Stana won the Coca Cola Classic back in Fort St. John and John Mandryk of PG won the A & W Challenge Cup.
Next stop for the Blizzards was the Ras Tailteann in Ireland. Riders Pat Ferris, Tim Ferris, Jeff Wright and Bill Scott left along with team manager Derek Carroll left for Dublin, late June. They arrived in Ireland with a few days of acclimatization to the food, lush climate and cycling on the left. Local Dennis Melon was assigned to us as driver.
The 'Ras' started with a prologue hillclimb. There were 134 riders from Ireland, England, Isle of Man and Germany. Two riders of note with Lawrence Roche and (?) Kelly, brothers of Irelands top pro's Stephen and Sean. The Blizzards best showing was Geoff Wright in the top third.
The first stage was started in front of the Dublin Post Office, with a huge crowd and hoopla. The Blizzards found the pace screaming fast! It was a harrowing experience, speeding along the 66 km narrow rural route at speeds of 25 (at times 40) miles per hour on the 'wrong' side of the road in a tight pack of 134 riders. Tim Ferris had a flat tire and a slow wheel change so was forced to chase. It did not get any easier for the team.
If that setback was not enough, Pat Ferris was forced to withdraw with illness, to become the team mechanic. Team Manager Derek Carroll had to leave to attend the funeral of his mother. Bill Scott, Jeff Wright and Tim Ferris soldiered on despite these problems.
Eventually, the Blizzards finished 6th International, of the twelve International teams. Top local rider was Bill Scott in 64th place. The team returned home, pleased with a good performance, to a crowd of family and well wishers.
The Dawson Creek Club ended the Blizzards' season with a win in the Northern Time Trial Championships Team Time Trial. Grant Magusin, Ron Cartier, John Blatchford and 'loaner' Blizzard Wim Kok won with a 58:30 minute 40 km ride.
Bill Scott edged out Dawson Creek's Grant Magusin for the second 'Peace River Road Championships. Ray Kim was Club Road Champion.
There was a huge crowd of 75 people at the Awards banquet to end the 1986 season.
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Breaking News! Race Sunday! Kyoto Cup! |
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Written by Pat Ferris
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Thursday, 05 January 2012 03:08 |
Breaking News!
Due to the projected warm spell (+4) the Blizzard Club will have a race for the 'Kyoto Cup', this Sunday!
Race Time: Sunday at 2 pm at the Baldonnel School.
Course: The 16 km paved circuit Road Race style!
Past winner: Bob Andrews is the past Champion, last won in 2007.
Note: Come a few minutes early and bring your club fee ($40) if you have not already signed up for 2012, in order to compete with the race, or you can pay up at the shop 10 - 5 Monday to Saturday.
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Written by Pat Ferris
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Monday, 02 January 2012 04:13 |
Eleven riders from the the Blizzard Bike Club kicked off it's 30th season with the 27th annual New Years Day Ride.
Conditions were breezy, icy and -10 degree temperatures.
This famous event was first started in 1985 as a way to give an early start to the cycling season.
The coldest was the 1992 edition at -39 C and warmest was a balmy +14 in 1986.
www.ferrisfastcycles.com or FaceBook
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2012 Randonneuring in the Peace Region |
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Written by Pat Ferris
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Sunday, 01 January 2012 19:35 |
2012 Randonneuring in the Peace Region
Below information links about marathon cycling (not racing), including two proven training schedules developed by Ertic Fergusson, one of BC top randonneurs.
Info Website: BC Randonneurs Club http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca INVALUABLE!!
Membership form: => http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/organize/2012_membership-and-waiver.pdf
Recommendations new riders: http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/introduction/recomnd.html
Peace Region organizer: E.W. (Wim) Kok Phone: 250-785-4589 E-mail: wkok@nlc.bc.ca
2012 Event Schedule
BC Peace Region http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/schedule/sch_peac.html
Distance / Event
Date
Peace Populaire 100
April 7
Peace Popualire 150
April 14
200 km: Signs of Spring 13.5 hrs
April 28
Limtri Flèche Pacifique (All Regions)
May 4 - 6
300 km: Le petit tour de Peace 20.0 hrs,
May 12
400 km: Le grand tour de Peace 27.0 hrs
May 26
600 km: Foothills Randonnée 40.0 hrs
June 16
200 km: Canada Day Brevet (Sunday) 13.5 hrs
July 1
300 km: Summer Brevet 20.0.hrs
July 14
Rocky Mountain1200 (All Regions)
July 22-26
200 km: BC Day Brevet 13.5 hrs
August 6
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Late season Cross pics by Gord |
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Written by Pat Ferris
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Tuesday, 27 December 2011 04:20 |
Some great pictures from the North Peace Cyclo cross series!
Thanks Gord 'The Hammer' Harris!
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Page 4 of 74
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Blizzard Bike Club |
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Blizzard Bike Club of Fort St. John Information:
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