The best-prepared sports organizations are always readying for the future. The national NextGen program has been established across a wide range of sports to prepare the next generation of Canadian Olympians.
Part of the process involves giving the young hopefuls a crack at senior international competitions if the opportunity presents itself. It has for Victoria cyclist Erin Attwell and four others from Cycling Canada’s NextGen program, who will represent the country in the fifth round of the Track World Cup series from Friday through Sunday in Minsk, Belarus.
Canada’s strong showing by its senior performers in the first four World Cup meets has allowed for this shot by the younger riders.
“The [NextGen] women have been training hard and are ready to have their first crack at World Cup racing,” said Jenny Trew, Cycling Canada women’s NextGen track endurance coach, in a statement.
Joining Attwell this week will be Maggie Coles-Lyster of Maple Ridge, Devaney Collier of Edmonton, Sara Giovannetti of Mississauga, Ont., and Laurie Jussaume of Contrecoeur, Que.
Attwell is another product of the Canadian Sports School in Saanich, which is operated by Canadian Sports Institute-Pacific at its PISE campus on Interurban Road. It is where top student-athletes spend their afternoons in both academics and athletic training, after attending their regular high schools in the morning. It is operated by School District 62.
“My goal is the Olympics in track cycling,” said Attwell, upon graduating from the Canadian Sports School last spring.
She looks well on her way.
Fellow British Columbian Coles-Lyster, 2017 points-race world junior champion and a mainstay of recent Robert Cameron Law Cycling Series races in Victoria, looks to be the breakout performer of Canada’s NextGen women’s track cycling group.
