For those of you in the cycling industry, Sea Otter in California is probably written with permanent marker on your calendar for April. But this year, Sea Otter came to Ontario for the first time—and right to our backyard in Collingwood! It was held at the Blue Mountain resort, and for its first year in the country, I think it went super well! If you didn’t make it out this year, mark it on your calendars for next summer, because honestly, we live in such an amazing area for cycling that you really don’t want to miss it again. A few favorite highlights:
Canadian Brands
I was super stoked to see Canadian brands like Blacksmith Cycles (a custom creator/bike fitter in Toronto), book signings by Anna Dopico—who wrote the business book To Make Riders Faster about Cervelo (and co-founder Phil White was there), plus MTB guide Charlotte Batty with Minii Adventures and tons of other local businesses and brands out supporting the event. Peter was there as SmartAthlete Coaching and co-hosted a kid’s clinic with me for Shred Girls, and Joyride150 was there with a kiddie course. The major global cycling brands were all out in full force as well, but I loved the Canadian culture around the event.
Women’s Stuff!
Peppermint might be one of my new favorite brands, with women’s cycling kit made in Canada. Other brands emphasized women’s bikes as well as the men’s, and MEC’s XC short track payout was equal for men and women. A+!
Cool, Friendly Vibe
Sea Otter in Cali is one of my favorite things, but it can be a little intimidating and overwhelming. This was actually an awesome weekend for seeing tons of people we knew, but without feeling a lot of extreme overwhelm and pressure. It felt like a huge backyard barbeque while Sea Otter is more like a parade that never stops. Also, it was hot AF and our friend Colin randomly showed up with popsicles at exactly the right moment.
We got to play bikes and sign books!
Peter helped lead a mini-skills clinic for kids and it was fun watching him work with all different skill levels throughout the day. And Friday and Saturday, I was so happy with how many people stopped by the Continental booth to get books signed and just chat about what Shred Girls is and what their daughters are doing in cycling.
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