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RACING NEW GROUND 鈥� David Jackson (front left) races in the Robert Cameron Cycling Classic last weekend on Vancouver Island. Jackson was nominated to the Yukon鈥檚 Canada Summer Games Cycling team this week. Photo courtesy of DAVID JACKSON
A young Whitehorse cyclist has accomplished his goal of qualifying for the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg.
A young Whitehorse cyclist has accomplished his goal of qualifying for the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg.
David Jackson, received word Wednesday that he had been nominated to the Yukon鈥檚 cycling team for this summer鈥檚 Games.
The nomination comes after a tough week of stage racing on Vancouver Island alongside former Yukoner Elijah Buffalo and gaining more race experience.
The 20-year-old鈥檚 best result of the weekend came during a club time trial 鈥� his self-described best discipline 鈥� outside of Victoria.
After a 鈥渞elaxing鈥� ferry ride, Jackson met up with Buffalo at the ferry terminal in Nanaimo and they travelled to the event together.
In the 15K event, Jackson came third.
鈥淚t was fun,鈥� he said.
They were early to bed that night as Friday鈥檚 wake-up call came bright and early at 4:30 a.m.
The duo warmed up on stationary trainers in their kit as Jackson prepared for the first stage of the Robert Cameron Cycling Series: the Energylab Sprint Time Trial.
Jackson had a smooth start and said he felt like he鈥檇 accomplished a goal after he finished. He placed 16 out of 24.
The Schwalbe Cycling Classic road race was the second stage of the weekend.
The 70K event had riders cycling 10 loops of a gruelling up and down course.
At the mass start, Jackson had mechanical trouble 鈥� his chain dropped 鈥� and he lost 20 seconds sorting it out while the lead group got farther and farther away.
He didn鈥檛 let it defeat him.
鈥淚 just thought, 鈥極K, now I have to try and chase these guys down,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淚 felt pretty strong for the first couple laps and then as it progressed, it got more tricky just because of that climb.鈥�
While Jackson ended up with a DNF 鈥� he was lapped after five times around 鈥� he opted to complete the course and did so in around 2 1/2 hours.
He said due to the hills, it was 鈥減robably the hardest road race I鈥檝e done yet.鈥�
The Russ Hays Grand Prix criterium was the final stage of the weekend.
Jackson was lapped and received a DNF.
With the valuable racing experience he gained on Vancouver Island, he said he feels more confident in his riding.
The confidence showed Wednesday evening as he shaved 30 more seconds off his U Kon Echelon time trial time.
With his nomination to the Canada Summer Games team, Jackson said that his summer training is just starting and plans to ramp it up before the quadrennial competition.
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