T
Tritonrider
Guest
This was here yesterday. Adam, JD Bilodeau, and Megan make
it happen. You wanna talk about putting your money where
your mouth is.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?G22D25AB8 I'm posting the whole
article as the paper requires a login, and I object in
principle.
NORTHAMPTON - The sun beat down as Chris DeFrancis of
Northampton, still dressed in his Northampton Cycling Club
uniform, sat on the grass and stretched his race-tightened
hamstrings.
At the corner of Main and King streets on the Hampshire
County Courthouse lawn, he had a perfect seat for the
races to come.
DeFrancis had been among the 50 men in the 30K amateur
division at the Northampton Criterium for Equal Access bike
races. Nearby as he cooled off were his wife, Jennifer
Gross, daughter Amelia DeFrancis, 6, and son Oscar
DeFrancis, 2?, both of whom competed in the 6-and-under
kids' race.
''It's a good spot to spectate from, the kids can run
around,'' he said as Oscar and his friend Colby Moore, 4,
jumped around. DeFrancis interrupted himself to let out a
loud cheer for his Maynard Road neighbor and fellow bike
club member Joann Glading-DiLorenzo as the women whizzed by
in their brightly colored uniforms and shiny helmets for
their first lap.
''It's a good event for Fourth of July,'' he said. Proving
the point, on the lawn around him were dozens of other
spectators.
For the second year, the Northampton Criterium for Equal
Access races drew cyclists on road bikes, training wheels,
and handcycles - and hearty community support.
The all-day Fourth of July event raises money through
registration fees and raffles for All Out Adventures Inc., a
local nonprofit organization whose aim is to improve
athletic and recreational opportunities that integrate
people with and without disabilities.
''Having people with and without disabilities in the race
takes away some of the stigma and introduces handcycling as
a sport in its own right and not just as a sport for people
with disabilities,'' said Megan Briggs, program coordinator
for All Out Adventures.
In fact, the nine participants in the handcycle race
included three people without disabilities from the eastern
Massachusetts-based World TEAM - which stands for The
Exceptional Athlete Matters.
Among all the race categories Sunday, about 300 people
competed: in three men's categories from beginners to
professionals, an open women's field, Shimano national youth
series, and hand cycle.
All the competitors raced around the same circuit for their
share of the $4,500 handed out over the course of the day.
The men's professional and women's open categories had equal
prize lists of $1,000.
The race circuit went from the front of the Northampton
Hotel on King Street, turned right onto Main Street, then
onto Gothic Street and down Trumbull Road back onto King
Street to the starting and finish line. Most races were 25-
30 laps around the course.
Meanwhile, on the courthouse lawn, Anna Moore, 8, who won
the children's race in her age group last year, said she
rides with her family and that she sometimes helps her
brother Colby, who was in his first bike race Sunday.
Handcyclists Karen Smith and Jeff Lavoie also competed in
their first race Sunday. Smith and Lavoie belong to a
recreational cycling club in Connecticut, called No Limits,
that Smith started to support people with multiple
sclerosis. She said she was a little anxious and nervous
about her first race but was ultimately enthusiastic.
''It just sounds like a fun kind of race,'' Smith said
before the competition. ''I like the whole atmosphere.''
''I just hope to finish as well as possible,'' she said.
''And have fun,'' Lavoie added.
Bill C
it happen. You wanna talk about putting your money where
your mouth is.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?G22D25AB8 I'm posting the whole
article as the paper requires a login, and I object in
principle.
NORTHAMPTON - The sun beat down as Chris DeFrancis of
Northampton, still dressed in his Northampton Cycling Club
uniform, sat on the grass and stretched his race-tightened
hamstrings.
At the corner of Main and King streets on the Hampshire
County Courthouse lawn, he had a perfect seat for the
races to come.
DeFrancis had been among the 50 men in the 30K amateur
division at the Northampton Criterium for Equal Access bike
races. Nearby as he cooled off were his wife, Jennifer
Gross, daughter Amelia DeFrancis, 6, and son Oscar
DeFrancis, 2?, both of whom competed in the 6-and-under
kids' race.
''It's a good spot to spectate from, the kids can run
around,'' he said as Oscar and his friend Colby Moore, 4,
jumped around. DeFrancis interrupted himself to let out a
loud cheer for his Maynard Road neighbor and fellow bike
club member Joann Glading-DiLorenzo as the women whizzed by
in their brightly colored uniforms and shiny helmets for
their first lap.
''It's a good event for Fourth of July,'' he said. Proving
the point, on the lawn around him were dozens of other
spectators.
For the second year, the Northampton Criterium for Equal
Access races drew cyclists on road bikes, training wheels,
and handcycles - and hearty community support.
The all-day Fourth of July event raises money through
registration fees and raffles for All Out Adventures Inc., a
local nonprofit organization whose aim is to improve
athletic and recreational opportunities that integrate
people with and without disabilities.
''Having people with and without disabilities in the race
takes away some of the stigma and introduces handcycling as
a sport in its own right and not just as a sport for people
with disabilities,'' said Megan Briggs, program coordinator
for All Out Adventures.
In fact, the nine participants in the handcycle race
included three people without disabilities from the eastern
Massachusetts-based World TEAM - which stands for The
Exceptional Athlete Matters.
Among all the race categories Sunday, about 300 people
competed: in three men's categories from beginners to
professionals, an open women's field, Shimano national youth
series, and hand cycle.
All the competitors raced around the same circuit for their
share of the $4,500 handed out over the course of the day.
The men's professional and women's open categories had equal
prize lists of $1,000.
The race circuit went from the front of the Northampton
Hotel on King Street, turned right onto Main Street, then
onto Gothic Street and down Trumbull Road back onto King
Street to the starting and finish line. Most races were 25-
30 laps around the course.
Meanwhile, on the courthouse lawn, Anna Moore, 8, who won
the children's race in her age group last year, said she
rides with her family and that she sometimes helps her
brother Colby, who was in his first bike race Sunday.
Handcyclists Karen Smith and Jeff Lavoie also competed in
their first race Sunday. Smith and Lavoie belong to a
recreational cycling club in Connecticut, called No Limits,
that Smith started to support people with multiple
sclerosis. She said she was a little anxious and nervous
about her first race but was ultimately enthusiastic.
''It just sounds like a fun kind of race,'' Smith said
before the competition. ''I like the whole atmosphere.''
''I just hope to finish as well as possible,'' she said.
''And have fun,'' Lavoie added.
Bill C
