The criterium cycling races for the Canada Summer Games were held in downtown St. John’s on Saturday. (Mike Rossiter/CBC)
A much cooler day in downtown St. John’s didn’t stop heated competition at the Canada Summer Games, as parts of the annual pedestrian mall were turned into a high-speed track for cycling.
The criterium races in road cycling were held Saturday on a 1.3 kilometre track across the downtown area. Racers started at Supreme Court in St. John’s and rode down Water Street, travelled along Beck’s Cove to reach a straightaway at Harbour Drive before travelling up Job’s Cove and back to Water Street to complete a lap.
The streets were lined with spectators, either watching from the sidewalk or using the pedestrian mall patios at downtown restaurants.
“We thought it was going to be really, really cool, but today is just blowing my expectations out of the water entirely. The city has turned out in droves, and most people don’t even know about cycling,” Karl Smith, co-chair of the Canada Games Host Society, told CBC News after the women’s race.
“You saw the excitement in that race, and you can’t help but be excited when you see something like this.”
The format of the criterium race also added some drama.
The race, also known as a crit, operates under a point system. Points are awarded to the first four riders who cross the finish line every five laps, and double points are awarded to the top four riders at the halfway point and in the final sprint.
Team N.L. cyclist Courtney Abbott, far right, said racing in downtown St. John’s was an amazing experience. She got to celebrate with her friends on the sidelines after her race. (Danny Arsenault/CBC)
Smith, also a local cyclist, said the tension and high speeds made him want to get in on the action.
“I wanted to be out there so bad, I tell you,” he said with a smile. “I wouldn’t be able to keep up, but I would have enjoyed it.”
Ed and Rowanne Collier were among the spectators. They said watching bikes rip through downtown St. John’s was a spectacle.
“It’s great. I love it, I love it. It’s amazing,” Rowanne said.
WATCH | The Canada Games takes to the streets of downtown St. John’s:
Courtney Abbott, a Team Newfoundland and Labrador cyclist from Mount Pearl, said she soaked in her first shot at national competition in front of the home fans.
“Everybody cheering me on is so much fun. Not even people I know, just cheering me on is just so much fun,” Abbott, 18, said.
“They’re waving cowbells, Newfoundland flags. It gets the energy going, and me pushing a lot harder.”
Abbott also competed in races on the Team Gushue Highway over her week at the Canada Games, and said it made for a memorable experience.
“The overall atmosphere is just, like, unimaginable.”
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