Winnipeg Free Press: 07/17/17
Ketler in the saddle for Manitoba
Mitchell Ketler is hoping to cycle his way on to the podium this summer.
Ketler, 19, who lives in south St. Vital, is preparing to represent the province in cycling at the 2017 Canada Summer Games on home soil.
According to canadagames.ca, the cycling competitions at the upcoming games will be held from July 28 to Aug. 13 in Winnipeg, Gimli, and Kenora. The various cycling events at the games will be held between July 30 and Aug. 12 at Birds Hill Provincial Park and Bison Butte Mountain Bike Park at FortWhyte Alive. Organizers say Ketler is one of the members of the men’s road team.
Ketler, a Dakota Collegiate alumnus who will be attending Camosun College in Victoria, B.C. in September to study electrical trades, spoke to The Lance from Vancouver while competing in a pre-Summer Games competition.
“It feels awesome to be representing Manitoba,” said Ketler, who rides for the Smart Savvy+Garneau U23 Cycling Team.
The team is a top level trade team, Ketler explained, which is the highest level he can reach as an amateur rider. One of his goals now is to make it onto a professional team for the 2018 season. In terms of the upcoming games, Ketler is looking forward to the challenge.
“I’ve competed in the Western Canada Summer Games, which was a real treat and a stepping stone for the Canada Summer Games, which is even bigger and has even more riders.”
“I’m going to try and represent the province as I can and have as much fun as possible doing it.”
The 6-1 athlete said he believes it’s an advantage to be competing in his home province, not least because he is familiar with the road course at Birds Hill and has trained on it many times. In fact, his passion for riding bikes dates back a long time.
“It’s a longtime thing. My dad got me into it, and I started on mountain bikes, and eventually made my way to road bikes,” he said.
Go online at mbcycling.ca to learn more about cycling in the province.