A young cyclist handily beat a transit rider and driver in a commute race from Edworthy Park to Eau Claire in downtown Calgary in a total ride of about 20 minutes.
The 10th annual Suit Pursuit began in Edworthy Park on Friday morning, pitting a cyclist, a transit commuter and a driver in a race to a location in Eau Claire.
The competition is meant to express how cycling is a healthy and convenient option to commute.
This year, 11-year-old Tarn McFarrin was the rider and completed the race in 19 minutes and 32 seconds, about seven or eight minutes ahead of his nearest competitor.
McFarrin has a lot of experience on two wheels; he and his family rode 14,000 km from Calgary to Mexico when he was only four years old. That trip took them about a year to complete.
"That was extremely fun, seeing all the places and routes. We did a bike trip in Quebec and also out to Nova Scotia."
He says that biking is always a challenge. "It's really difficult and sometimes you really just don't feel like doing it, but then you just get right back on the bike and it's really fun," McFarrin said.
Tarn’s parents founded and run the charity called ‘Two Wheel View’, which promotes youth education in environment and community resources.
The event is a lead up to the annual Bike to Work Day, which comes up on May 6.
Lonny Balbi, founder of the Bike to Work Day, says that the Suit Commute is a lead up to the main event next week.
He says it says a lot about bicycles as a good way to commute. "It was to show that cycling is a viable alternative to driving or taking the bus downtown. We had our great rider and he just rocked it. We went along the bike path and he beat everybody."
Balbi says the Bike to Work Day includes bike giveaways, a pancake breakfast and many other features.
Next week’s event will also help support the McFarrin’s charity.
