My Experience in Cycling Events of '97 BC Seniors' Games
 

This is my first involvemnt in BC Seniors' Games and so I have no other games to compare with. But I believe my inputs willl help improve the future games.

First of all I'd like to express my appreciation of the opportunity to be in the games and of many volunteers, devoting to present successful events.
 
 

1. Time Trial:

i) I did not like the rough surface of the Dyke Road. Did the organisors ever try to persuade the city to resurface the section before the events?

ii) The Bib and the call out numbers did not match. It caused some confusion.

iii)The automobile traffic should have been blocked along the Boundary, where starting and goal lines were located. In some cases a large van obstracted the view of racers from the official's view.

iv) Isn't the fastest racer's time unrealistic(a little over 19 minutes)? Consider the BC record established this year by a top racer is over 20 minutes, even though our course was shorter than the standard 16 km, yet with much more tight corners. This leads to a suspicion of inaccuracy of time keeping.
 
 

2. Road Race:

i) On the first lap the marshals at Dyke and Pembina directed wrongly the top group into Pembina(The proper route was straight to Dyke). And several racers were forced to turn into the street and then realizing the mistake had to back track to the right route.

ii) We had been giving the remaining lap sigh by one less. Later I was told the top group of the first group finished after 7 laps instead of 8. I was in the second group to the top and aware of the mistake. This group ignored the official's sign and completed 8th lap. Conseguently the winners did not finish the distance? My question is if there is a rule in BC Games which overrides the actual distance(supposed to be 64 km instead of 56). Those riders who rode 64 km did not get any credit?

iii)At Spagnol and Salter a local truck van almost blocked us, without realizing the race was on. A stronger auto traffic control should be implemented in the future events for safety of participants.
 
 

3. Hill Climb:

I could see an improved managing by officials. Yet, a local traffic was allowed even around the goal line, which was annoying. At least a couple blocks along the finish line should have been bloced off traffic during the race.