Ontario Cycling Association
June 2020 Newsletter
Return to Cycling Update
Hello OCA Members,
We hope that everyone is safe and healthy during these challenging times.
Over the past few weeks there has been a number of announcements and news postings from the Provincial Government, Cycling Canada, and Ontario Cycling Association [OCA] relating to “Return to Sport” and specifically cycling. We recognize that some of this messaging created conflicting information and challenges to interpret the types of permissible and/or sanctioned activities.
As clarification:
Cyclists are permitted to ride in groups of up to five (5) people [distanced a minimum of 2m apart] as per Ontario Government regulations. When the OCA references “non-sanctioned” activities, this does not indicate that members are not permitted to participate in those activities but rather that those activities are not covered by the insurance program provided by the OCA. This would include activities done outside of approved club/team activities [solo rides, rides with friends, etc.].
To help ensure our members understand what is permissible as an OCA sanctioned activity and the protocols to maximize safety in compliance with the provincial restrictions, the OCA will provide weekly posted updates on the OCA website relating to the return to cycling process. While many of the weekly updates may not include any changes, the intent is that they provide members with the confidence that they have the most up-to-date safe cycling information as it relates to OCA and member club activities.
The OCA staff has been working extensively with ministry, health, and legal experts to ensure correct interpretation of the Return to Sport allowances and their implementation within the current provincial restrictions. This week, we were able to obtain clarification on the application of the laws and approval of our required safety guidelines, allowing the OCA to begin the return to cycling process.
Return to Cycling Update – May 29, 2020
For our Progressive Return to Cycling Policy - https://www.ontariocycling.org/forms/oca-progressive-return-to-cycling-policy/
All participants must have signed the ONTARIO CYCLING ASSOCIATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, RELEASE, IMDEMNITY and ASSUMPTION of RISK regarding COVID-19
Adult Waiver (18+ years of age)
Minor Waiver (Under 18 years of age)
Please visit the OCA Website for the latest information regarding permissible club/team and group riding activities.
OCA Indoor Road Race Series
With all sporting events on hold, the OCA has brought cycling inside by running a virtual racing series on the Zwift platform every Saturday morning at 10:30am.
Open to all riders, the series has seen hundreds of riders from across Ontario and beyond come together to enjoy racing. The virtual courses have brought riders from the streets of London, through the jungle and to the desert.
The races also feature a points system which awards racers not just based on their finish but also for registering with the OCA ahead of the event and on their use of HR monitors and power meters. In addition to the points, series organizer Andrew Paradowski from ARC Event Management has been doing a live play-by-play of the races on YouTube.
The OCA Indoor Road Race Series runs until June 20th. For details on upcoming races, recaps of past races and a link to register, go to https://www.ontariocycling.org/ and view the latest OIRRS update in our news section.
Webinars and Member Profiles
Over the past two months, the OCA has partnered with members of the cycling community to run over 20 webinars with the aim of helping to motivate and educate our members while also creating a sense of community.
This included a Yoga for Cyclists series run by Molly Hurford [consummateathlete.com], Home Workouts hosted by CSIO and Cycling Canada Strength Coach Greg Lewandownski, and Nutrition Workshops focused on supporting immune system health hosted by Registered Sport Nutritionist Melissa Kazan.
Many of these webinars are available to view on the OCA YouTube Playlists
The OCA has also launched a series of Member Profiles of all ages, abilities, and cycling sport disciplines. These are updated regularly and if you have someone you think should be profiled, please reach out to us.
Greg Lewandowski - Core Strength
Molly Hurford - Yoga for Cyclists
Melissa Kazan - Nutrition
Champion System
A reminder that Champion System is an official supplier of apparel for the Ontario Cycling Association.
For cyclists, Champion System provides three levels of apparel to match the needs of everyone from recreational cyclists to professional cyclists. All of their apparel is designed for comfort, quality and peak performance. They also provide a free 'Crash Replacement' for any items that have been destroyed due to a crash.
As an OCA member, new customers to Champion System get a 10% discount on the first order.
Interested in learning more about Champion System and their products. Please contact wchung@champ-sys.ca or visit www.champ-sys.ca
Communication and Important Links
This newsletter is being sent to you by the Ontario Cycling Association and the purpose is to provide all members with direct information on the Ontario Cycling Association and various member items that you should be aware of.
Our primary means of communication is on our website www.ontariocycling.org which contains:
· Coaching Information, Course Schedule and Safe Sport/Responsible Coaching Movement
· Insurance Program Information
· Commissaire/Official Information
We also utilize Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as a tool to highlight upcoming events and postings to our web site.
Need to Reach Us?
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak the OCA office is closed to the public and staff are working remotely. We ask for your patience as our home based team is working hard to maintain office operations. Our business hours are 9:00am to 4:00pm.
The office main phone number is 416-855-1717. From here you may be transferred to the staff member who can best answer your questions or concerns.
You can send a message to:
Our office team - support@ontariocycling.org