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Joe Zombor
Peter Bigg
History of the EMCC
The EMCC arose from the perceived need for age-related bicycle racing in Alberta.
The first meeting of the Edmonton Veterans Cycling Association was held on Monday, June 16, 1986 at the Italian Cultural Centre. Of the nine people in attendance only Joe Zombor is still a member. The first Bylaws of the EVCA were signed on March 5, 1987 by Jim Horner, Arvon Stacey, Lino Bovo, Peter Bigg and Dave Phillips. Jim Horner was the first president.
The first few years saw regular changes of President, as the new group sought to establish an identity:
- July 07, 1986 - Jim Horner
- May 14, 1987 - John Van Werden
- October 19, 1987 - Len Blair
- October 17, 1988 - Don Jobson
Then things started to settle down, the first trophy was established in 1989, the club that we know today started to emerge, and there was a period of steady growth though the 1990’s under Presidents:
- November 17, 1990 - Len Blair
- November 04, 1992 - Gordin Warner
- November 09, 1994 - Peter and Lesley Heppleston
- November 13, 1996 - Matt Claassens
- December 09, 1998 - Graeme Dibbs
On November 10, 1999, at the Annual General Meeting, the membership voted to change the name of our organization from the Edmonton Veterans Cycling Association to the Edmonton Masters Cycling Club. The two changes to our name came about because UCI terminology became “Masters” rather than “Veterans”, and because the majority of our membership had become first-claim riders. Graeme Dibbs was the first President of the EMCC.
By now the Club’s identity and annual program of events was well established, and strong growth continued into the new century, with membership and activity peaking in 2005 as a result of the interest created by the World Masters Games being held in Edmonton. Our presidents during this time were:
- December 13, 2000 - VACANT
- January 10, 2001 - Graeme Dibbs
- November 20, 2002 - Jim Yeske
- November 05, 2004 - VACANT
- December 08, 2004 - Joy Mekechuk
Since the WMG the Club has gone through a period of retrenchment, though participation in and support of the program of events continues to be very strong. Mandatory volunteerism was introduced in 2005; until then events were run by members’ spouses and supporters of the Club on an unofficial and totally voluntary basis. Since 2005 our President has been:
- October 01, 2005 - Shane Frahm
- November 07, 2007 - Shane Frahm
Current Status
The EMCC organizes some two dozen races (time trials, road races, criteriums and track events) between May and September. There are club rides every Sunday morning from the beginning of April to the end of September, although informal rides start earlier and carry on later as the weather permits. There is also an annual week-long training camp in Penticton, held sometime during April. Every Friday evening from May to the end of August we rent the Argyll Velodrome for training purposes.
Participation is the main emphasis of the group as a whole, but the competitive spirit is alive and well in many of us, so trophies – for all age categories and for both men and women - and medals are up for competition each year and are presented at the annual awards night and banquet.
Membership is open to anyone, man or woman, aged 30 years and older, and includes access to all the above activities and events. As of 2008 we had some 100 members ranging in age from just 30 to 80. Members are required to assist in running the races – for more information on this and other matters, please see the Code of Conduct.
The Future
While the number of original and early members who are still active has inevitably declined, the foundation that they built has resulted in the robust Club that we are today. The future looks very promising as the largest age group of members is now the 50-year-olds, closely followed by the 40-year-olds. It seems that the need for age-related racing that was felt in 1986 is still very valid today, and the EMCC looks set to continue accommodating that need for some time to come.
Awards
The history and evolution of the EVCA/EMCC can be neatly traced from the following list of trophy and championship winners. Note the early Italian influence of Rino Ongaro et al, the persistence of Maurice Johnson, and the recent "introduction" of ladies! Our second world-class member (besides Maurice Johnson) (albeit second-claim) is Nancy Burden, World Triathlon Champion 1999.
EMCC/EVCA Trophy Winners
Jim Horner Memorial Trophy - Award of Excellence
Jim Horner was a dedicated man who track cyclists could always count on for help. Whether you needed to have a bike set up, a gear changed, or just wanted to be timed for a flying 200, Jim was there to lend a hand. We all miss Jim very much, so we wanted to commemorate his dedication to cycling with an award. The Jim Horner Memorial Trophy - Award of Excellence is for a club member who goes above and beyond in some aspect of the Edmonton Masters Club. It could be for volunteer work, for racing excellence, or helping out new riders.
This year's recipient of the Jim Horner Memorial Trophy is Karen Carruthers. Karen was chosen as the recipient this year in recognition of her unwavering support of the EMCC and it's events.