Road Race Worlds 2011

Shelley Gautier always wanted to go to the Olympics. She was a multi-sport athlete in hockey, soccer and a ranked mountain biker while she studied at U of T to become a physical therapist in the mid 1990’s. Although she continued in competitive sports after her graduation, her real dream became to work at the Olympics as a Physiotherapist. While working toward that goal, a life-altering event changed her path in 2001, an event that would force her to use all of her courage and strength to keep going and ultimately to continue on her quest to make it to the Olympics.

Shelley was mountain biking in Vermont, when she had an accident, crashing head-first and smashing her helmet. She woke up after being in a coma for six weeks, to find that the right side of her body was paralyzed. She had to relearn how to read and write, and as a right handed person, she also needed to learn how to do everything with her left hand. After several months in the hospital, Shelley began riding a recumbent trike. She had to relearn how to ride, and slowly built up to participating in the 50km Ride for Heart, her first of many. Meanwhile, she learned to sail and won several regattas between 2003 and 2007. A true fighting spirit, she refused to let her disability keep her from competing and living. 

It was in 2008 that Shelley decided to try her hand at trike racing. She called the National Coach, and he put her in touch with the Quebec Cycling Federation (QCF) who loaned her a trike. It was broken down, but she was donated a frame and bought a conversion kit and finally the bike was ready to go in 2009. She began racing and just loved it. She had found a new passion! Her new goal became to be the first female trike rider to represent Canada in the 2012 Paralympics games in London.

Shelley is now the first female with an Ontario Cycling Association UCI race license. She has had a busy few months. She carried the Torch for the 2010 Paralympic Games in Quebec in February. In May she made the Canadian Paracycling team as a tricycle rider. Since then she has competed in several races, including the World Cup competitions in Spain in June, where she came in first in both her races, giving her points toward the Paralympic games, and allowing Canada to take more athletes in 2012. Her most recent race was in Baie Comeau, Quebec in August, where she won the World Championships in the Female Triker 1 Class.

Shelley always had a positive attitude, and believed that there wasn’t anything she couldn’t do. She hopes to be a role model for disabled people, to show they can still choose to believe in themselves and to follow a dream. She encourages them to follow other interests, no matter how difficult it seems at first. “Find another way to follow your dreams” she says. “Volunteer in the field of your passion”.  Shelley also wants other Physiotherapists to see just how much their patients can do. 

When she isn’t training, Shelley volunteers and finds it to be a very rewarding experience.  She is a teaching assistant, working in Medicine, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy and also speaks to high school students. She has also learned to paint since her accident.

Shelley’s next hurdle is to be named to Team Canada, and the decision will be made in the Fall. Shelley is an inspiration to everyone, and shows that any obstacle can be overcome, no matter how impossible it may seem. She reminds us there is always a way to fill one’s life with purpose and joy. We wish her much luck in her journey toward 2012 in London, and will update you on her progress along the way.

The Althlete’s Village was large and difficult to walk around at for me. The Canadian Paralympic Committee orgainized things so I could have a wheelchair. That made things much more easier. I could use my enery for trike racing rather than for walking place to place.

What was really neat was that I knew the physiotherapist for team Canada. Agnes Makowski and myself are physiotherapy classmates from the University of Toronto program. We were super-excited to reconnect here in Guadalajara, Mexico. The staff with team Canada were all helpful and made sure everything was right and that we didn’t miss anything.

I was there for two races. The first race was a Time Trial and the second was a Road Race. The course was mostly flat with roundabouts and false flat areas. It was a factored event as the men and women T1 and T2 raced against each other. There were 7 athletes racing each other. I was able to keep up to the athletes for a short period of time. About half way through the race I passed the T1 male. I rode and did my best. In the end, with the factoring I came in second. A silver medal. It was my best time trial ever, first in the T1 women’s category.

The rest of the team did very well. Our men’s tandem team of Daniel Chalifour and pilot Ed Veal got a bronze medal. It was the first time they raced together. Our World Champion tandem of Robbie Weldon and pilot Lyne Bessette won a gold medal. Unfortuately our T2 female rider, Marie-Eve Croteau who crashed badly finished 4^th overall. Personal bests were established by Mattieu Parent and Eric Bourgault.Without the trike racers the rest of the team moved on to race at the velodrome. Watching the event, I saw our tandems win their pursuits in very close races with the USA. The following day another gold for Robbi and Lyne, Daniel and Ed got a silver.

While others were competing at the Velodrome, a coach was present to train with the trike racers. We were able to train around the stadium. It is a secured place, no traffic. We were able to get ready for Saturday’s road race.

My second race was the Road Race. It was the same course as the triker Time Trial, only longer. Two laps instead of one as was for trikers in the Time Trial. There was no factoring in the Road Race. T1 Females are expected to be the slowest riders in the group of T1-T2 riders. I came in 6^th. Our tandem teams came in first, Marie-Eve Croteau won a bronze medal and Marie-Claude Molnar won a bronze medal. All of the girls won a medal at these games. It was all great for Canada!

Shelley Getting The Silver Medal

2011.09.11

CANADA ADDS TWO MORE WORLD TITLES TO ITS COLLECTION AT UCI PARA-CYCLING WORLDS

Tricyclists Gautier and Croteau win second World Titles at 2011 Para-cycling World Championships

(Roskilde, DEN – September 11, 2011) Shelley Gauthier of Toronto, Ont. and Marie-Ève Croteau of Québec, QC both won the World Titles in their respective categories at the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Roskilde, Denmark on Sunday. Both taking their second rainbow jersey in as many races for these two Canadian women racing in Tricycle categories.

In the women’s tandem, the defending World Champion tandem of Robbi Weldon of Thunder Bay, Ont. and Lyne Bessette of Knowlton, Qué. finished fifth of the women’s tandem race, which ended in a bunch sprint won.

Canada concludes these Para-cycling World Championships with an all-time high five World titles, as well as a silver medal by Marie-Claude Molnar of Sainte-Adèle, Que. in the C4 road race, and a bronze medal by Mark Ledo of Maple, Ont. in the H3 road race.

Canada also ranked as the top nation in the women’s ranking at these Championships, all categories.

Complete results for all categories can be found on www.uci.ch.

The Canadian Cycling Association is the governing body for competitive cycling in Canada. Founded in 1882, the CCA aims to create and sustain an effective system that develops talented Canadian cyclists to achieve Olympic, Paralympic and World Championship medal performances. With the vision to be a leading competitive cycling nation by 2020 celebrating enhanced international success, increased a participation and world class event hosting, the CCA manages the National teams, hosts national and international events, and administers community programs to promote Cycling in Canada. For more information, please visit: www.canadian-cycling.com.

.:: Canadian Cycling Association ::.

2011.09.09

CANADA GRABS THREE TITLES AT PARA-CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Weldon/Bessette, Gautier and Croteau win World Titles in time trials at Para-cycling World Championships

(Rokslide, DEN – September 9, 2011) Three Canadian riders have won World titles at the 2011 UCI Para-Cycling Championships in Rokslide, Denmark, with the tandem of Robbi Weldon (Thunder Bay, ON) and Lyne Bessette (Knowlton, QC), Shelley Gautier (Toronto, ON) and Marie-Ève Croteau (Québec, QC) all winning the prestigious titles and the rainbow jerseys in the time trial races, on this second day of competition.

Robbi Weldon and Lyne Bessette won their first World championships title in the time trials, doing so in their second participation at the prestigious World Championships event. Last year, Canada’s top tandem won the road race Championships title in Baie-Comeau, Canada, and they will defend their jersey on Sunday.

In winning the World Championships title in the T2 race, the surprising Marie-Ève Croteau capped off a dream season in her first year in cycling, winning the Canadian Championships as well as the 2011 UCI World Cup Title.

In the T1 race, Shelley Gautier also won the title and was presented with the rainbow jersey for the first time in her career. For years, Gautier rode alone in her category and could never receive the jersey as a minimum of three riders must be racing to award a jersey.

Racing at the 2011 UCI Para-Cycling World Championships resumes tomorrow with the first set of road races, and ends on Sunday with the remaining road races.

Complete results for all categories can be found on www.uci.ch.

The Canadian Cycling Association is the governing body for competitive cycling in Canada. Founded in 1882, the CCA aims to create and sustain an effective system that develops talented Canadian cyclists to achieve Olympic, Paralympic and World Championship medal performances. With the vision to be a leading competitive cycling nation by 2020 celebrating enhanced international success, increased a participation and world class event hosting, the CCA manages the National teams, hosts national and international events, and administers community programs to promote Cycling in Canada. For more information, please visit: www.canadian-cycling.com.

.:: Canadian Cycling Association ::.