To View Previous Award Winners

Awards Ballot

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Next, please fill in the following fields with your choice for each award.

Beryl Burton Award (Best Female Rider)

Awarded to a club rider who is outstanding in one year or over several years, and has...

• shown interest in the club and has provided support and assistance;
• helped on rides or helped other riders

Your Vote	Comment(s)
Brenda Wiechers-Maxwell	Brenda experienced health setbacks following a covid infection in February. She started the season in much reduced form for such an accomplished randonneur. She demonstrated great determination and resilience as she forged forward to complete a series prior to PBP. While her recovery was slow with her breathing being much affected, she was able to handily complete PBP2023 in great form! Brenda never fails to impress, she's constantly out there putting in the kilometers. But beyond that, she's always looking out for others, making sure that anyone who is struggling gets help, and keeping spirits high! Completed Devil's Week Series. Brenda had another great year wrt completing two Full Series's, one before the new year in 2023 and the other leading up to this year's PBP. Brenda was an inspiration, providing support to fellow riders throughout the year. Way to Go Brenda! Brenda is an outstanding advocate for the club, a mentor, and one of the strongest riders I'll ever know. She persevered through the Great Canada Bicycle Tour 600km brevet even though she was super sick -- which she didn't even need, because she had already completed a 600km brevet back in November 2022 in icy sleet conditions all by herself. She completed PBP, and was a driving force behind those who completed it with her.
JungAh Hong	In 2023, JungAh rebounded from a serious bout of Covid to have an amazing season, including completion of PBP. With her determination, sense of humour, and ability to track down the best food at controls, JungAh brings so much to our Randonneuring community. An accomplished Randonneur of the first order. Has completed her second PBP this season, and LEL in 2022. Works hard for RO. We couldn't do it without her. Always helping out.
Abstaining	None of the above

Coronation Cup (Most Improved Rider)

Awarded to a club rider who has at least one previous year riding with the Randonneurs Ontario, and has...

• shown consistency in appearing and in cycling;
• demonstrated improvement either in cumulative mileage ridden from previous season, or in brevet finishing times over the previous season

Your Vote	Comment(s)
Fred Chagnon	If you don't know who Fred is ... You will have the pleasure of meeting this Gentleman who has now taken the Role as the Huron Chapter V.P! Fred completed an number of 200km Brevets in 2022, then completed a Series this year with the Refined Son's Foolish 300 being the ride he developed on his own! His enthusiasm is going to take Randonneuring up a notch! Awesome Meeting You Fred!
Michel Hebert	Michel made huge strides in 2023. Not only did he complete his first SR series, but in so doing, pushed through a lot of personal barriers. He learned from the early-season suffer-fests that he was basically riding entire brevets half-bonked, and adjusted his fueling habits accordingly. By the time he was on day 3 of the 1,000km brevet (yes, he completed that as well), he was still riding as strong as day 1. Michel is a solid and consistent randonneur who is not afraid to stretch himself. He demonstrated incredible accomplishments by finishing the The Great Canada Bicycle Tour 600 AND Lake of the Burning Plains 1000!!! Riding alongside Michel is a privilege. He is friendly and supportive of riders around him.
Paul Young	Really pushed himself this year outside of his comfort zone and managed to successfully complete a SR series and attempt to tackle PBP. While PBP didn't end up going according to plan, he can be very proud of the massive efforts he put in to get there.
Abstaining	None of the above

Dan Herbert Award

Awarded to a member who has in one or more years: benefited the club by mentoring one or more members

Your Vote	Comment(s)
Alan Ritchie	I've heard from a few members in Ottawa that Alan Ritchie is a model ambassador for our sport, particularly for new members.
Darcy Haggith	He's always willing to share knowledge, tactics and of course fueling strategies. Even off-bike, Darcy is quick to recommend good reads to help prepare and strengthen both your your mental and physical state.
Stanley Zhou	No Comment
Tim O'Callahan	Tim is committed to enhancing the profile of RO and supporting any cyclist who demonstrates a desire to ride long distances. He will never leave a rider unsupported and goes out of his way to arrange logistics to make long distance cycling accessible to everyone. Many members in this club would recognize Tim as their mentor.
Abstaining	None of the above

Half Wheel Award

Awarded to a club rider, who has consistently forced the pace of the group during brevet rides.

Your Vote	Comment(s)
Eric Shtapler	He's always out there keeping the pace high and driving for fast times, sometimes out of necessity after a few refreshment breaks (and safety meetings).
Michael Henderson	Someone should remind Mr. Henderson that ‘half-wheeling’ doesn't make your bike lighter by half-a-wheel. (Just kidding). Mike rides a great pace, and challenges me to keep up.
Sergii Tsymbal	Sergii’s smile, enthusiasm, and superior bicycling skills always “forces the pace” for riders who share the road with him. In 2023, Sergii participated in rides in 3 RO chapters. But his solo rides (sometimes using RO brevet routes, other times just exploring new roads) definitely serve to inspire other riders.
Tiago Varella-Cid	Tiago is an incredibly strong rider. I have never been able to hold his wheel...but if I could, I would! I love his enthusiasm and encouragement of all riders.
Abstaining	None of the above

Jim Griffin Rookie of the Year

Awarded to a club rider who has joined the Randonneurs Ontario in the year of the award or who rode their first brevet in the year of the award, and who has...

• shown ability in the year;
• shown interest in the club and in other club riders

Your Vote	Comment(s)
Natalia Derbentseva	Natalia completed two 200 and one 300 brevets this year. It was a real treat to observe her positive attitude on the road. On one brevet, she demonstrated randonneuring generosity and preparedness by pulling a spare shifter cable out of her bag to save a fellow randonneur’s ride.
Stanley Zhou	No Comment
Yian (Taylor)Liu	Taylor joined the club after attending an in-person workshop on the sport held in London. Though he'd never ridden a brevet before, he showed up to the Railway City 200 with the most beautiful custom made steel rando-bike -- a rig he had meticulously pieced together as a personal project. Taylor went on to completed both the Railway City 200, as well as the Queen's Bush 200. An outstanding first year. I had the opportunity to ride with Taylor on his first and next Randonneuring event. I appreciate his enthusiasm and positive attitude. He is a strong, rider who is determined and very capable. I look forward to watching him stretch to longer distances.
Abstaining	None of the above

Mike Barry/Jock Wadley Award (Outstanding Rider)

Awarded to a club rider who is outstanding in one year or over several years, and has...

• shown interest in the club and has provided support and assistance;
• completed at least the Super Randonneur series in the year of the award;
• helped on rides or helped other riders;
• completed the most difficult ride in the year of the award

Your Vote	Comment(s)
Brenda Wiechers-Maxwell	Completed PBP qualifying 600km brevet in November '22 in difficult weather conditions. Completed PBP 2023.
Dave Thompson	One of the most respected randonneurs around the world, Dave just keeps on riding. After being hit by a car in the Philippines in 2022, he recovers (partially) and is back doing 1200's. With 20 km to go at PBP, Dave is plowed into by a line of riders. Not able to finish PBP so close to the end does not keep him from getting back in the saddle, and he is back doing 1200's again! He is remarkable!
Fred Chagnon	A rider can only be nominated as ‘Most Improved’ for a certain number of consecutive years before they have earned the ‘Outstanding Rider’ award. Although Fred did not do PBP this year, I would suggest that the Lake of the Burning Plains 1000km was the most difficult ride this year. Fred has demonstrated ‘interest in our club’ as evidenced by his role on our board, hosting several educational sessions about randonneuring for cycling enthusiasts, and organising/supporting rides with our club. Fred had an outstanding year. He's an integral contributor to the club: He's done great things for RO mapping process He's had great success with his supported Railway City 200 bringing many new riders into the sport and generating interest for randonneuring in Elgin County and the surrounding area. Ran a successful inaugural Refined Fools 300 brevet He's committed to generating interest in the Fleche for 2024 Fred successfully completed his first series this year, participated in his first fleche in very challenging wet weather and completed his first 1000 completing a challenging course on the inaugural LOTBP 1000k with sparks flying off his disc brakes as he pedaled into the night.
Martin Cooper	In 2023 Marty successfully completed PBP, but also earned the R10000 medal (less than a dozen Canadians have achieved ACP’s R10000). In addition to his achievements on the road, he continued to provide stellar leadership to Randonneurs Ontario as our President.
Sergi Tsymbal	Sergi Tsymbali has been a force of nature on the bike this year. He rode up a storm of brevets. Always a pleasure to see on any ride over any distance. An experienced Randonneur and an inspiration to all. Everyone enjoys having him riding an event with them.
Stanley Zhou	He has shown interest and supported his team mate.
Tim O'Callahan	Tim has ticked all the boxes for this award. Nevermind that he's such a strong rider -- he also provides support for rides to anyone who needs it. He provided strong leadership on a very challenging Fleche ride. And he finished PBP under extremely challenging circumstances. First of all, congrats on finishing 2023's PBP Tim! Tim has never had an issue taking the Organizer Role for any rides he participated in. He has notoriously provided support and assistance 100% if the time! Proof of his interest in the club ... Tim is now the President of Randonneurs Ontario!
Vincent Halis	Crushed it at PBP, completing PBB in a blistering 72 hours, and crossed the finish looking almost as fresh as when he started!
Abstaining	None of the above

Organiser of the Year

Awarded to that person who has provided support to the club's riding events in the year of the award or over several years, and who has...

• demonstrated care for the well-being of the club's riders;
• consistently taken on the task of organising and supporting club rides

Your Vote	Comment(s)
Alan Ritchie	Alan has stepped into the organizer role for the Ottawa chapter with delicious gusto. Not only has he been an outstanding organizer, he has on his own, supported several brevets this season, always with his signature cinnamon buns and more options for food and drink than you could shake a stick at. Bravo and much appreciated Alan! Wonderful human!
Fred Chagnon	Thank-you for organising a supported ride. This ride demonstrated great enthusiasm and engagement. Several new Randonneurs launched their long distance interests because of your support and organisation. We appreciate your on-going support to ensure rides are announced and that results are submitted in a timely fashion. No Comment
John Cumming	A very active member for years. His work on The Great Canada Bicycle Tour 600 was commendable. It was a huge success in large part because of all his hard work. John's work on the research of the Great Canada Bicycle Tour, and everything he did to put that ride together (booking accommodations, logistics, putting the route together, and supporting the overnight control) made this brevet an unforgettable experience. John provided support second to none during the Great Canada Bicycle Tour 600km Brevet held for the first time this year. Not to mention the fact that John developed this route to begin with! John has never had an issue taking the role as an Organizer for many brevets the last few years. Much Appreciated John! John Cummings not only organized a fantastic inaugural GCBT, he had thoroughly researched and built a route that closely mirrored the original routes travelled by that of American Wheelmen on high wheel bikes. The anticipation and excitement building up to the brevet was contagious. It was fantastic to see such a great turnout. Events like these build the mythology, tradition of our sport - How grand it is to follow in the footsteps of giants!
Peter Grant	Peter organised the Madawaska 600, Randonneurs Ontario’s first 600km brevet with 8,000 m of climbing. After doing all the route design to satisfy the ACP requirements, Peter provided excellent support to riders on the brevet . While Peter kept apologizing for the brutal climbs which he had included in the route, the glint in his eye suggested he really wasn’t sorry ! I'd like to nominate Peter Grant for his work organizing the Madawaska 600. This went far beyond the usual organizing tasks, beginning with the development of a superior route, with the additional constraint of having to have more than 8000 metres of climbing. He also provided extensive support for the entire brevet.
Abstaining	None of the above

Outstanding Performance on a Brevet

Awarded to a club rider who has demonstrated significant fortitude, courage, or generosity on a brevet ride, and who has...

• demonstrated physical or mental abilities beyond the usual in the conduct of a brevet ride

Your Vote	Comment(s)
Chappy Chappelle	Kemble Rock 200, March 29, 2023. Need I say more? .....I guess you had to be there.
John Keiffer / Carey Chappelle	For pushing on to finish the Kemble Rock 200 on March 29 in unimaginable winter blizzard conditions, these two should either be awarded the 'Outstanding Performance on a Brevet' or committed to an insane asylum!
John Kieffer	Remembering the Nasty Kemble Rock 200 held this year reminds me of the courage and mental fortitude that John exhibited throughout this Brevet. Only two cyclists were able to successfully complete this 200 with one being myself, knows that it was the support and encouragement I received from John that got me to the Finish! Thanks Buddy, One Great Story To Tell!!
Stanley Zhou	No Comment
Tim O'Callahan	Successfully completing PBP after two previous DNFs!
Xinhua (Luke) Luo	Luke was one of only three riders to complete the challenging Lake of the Burning Plains 1,000. What made his performance on this brevet memorable was his personal commitment to ditch-napping - as practice for the upcoming PBP. (I'm told he favoured country schoolyards because of their low human traffic on weekends.) He finished the brevet in 72 hours. Luke is a strong, consistent rider who demonstrated significant fortitude and courage on both the 1000 and PBP! Luke rode the Lake of the Burning Plains 1000km on his own with occasional support at controls. He also successfully completed PBP-2023 while coping with Schermer's neck. He is strong and determined. He is also a great support to his fellow riders.
Abstaining	None of the above

Special Recognition Award

Awarded to a club rider who has completed a cycling event in the year of the award that merits commemoration

Your Vote	Comment(s)
Ben Merritt	After logging incredible km's on brevets and solo rides in Ontario and Florida over many years, Ben has been pushing to recover from several cycling incidents (including a vehicle collision in Florida in early 2023). Every cycling and walking event that Ben has completed in '23 is a testament to his determination to get back in the saddle
John Cumming/ Carey Chappelle	For there organizing, pre riding and support for the The Great Canada Bicycle Tour 600. A Great effort and it was appreciated by all the riders.
John Cummings	John is the ultimate Rando man, deserves to to be recognized!!!
Natalia Derbentseva	Natalia did her first Brevet this year, the South Bruce 200 and it was obvious she was meant for this sport! I hadn't met Natalia until this ride. She pretty much stayed out front with the faster riders when she noticed my friend and I had stopped to fix his bike after one of his shifting cables broke. Low and behold, Natalia turns around, comes back and after seeing the damage, lets us know she had a spare cable we could use! Quick fix and we were back on route! It Was Great to Meet You on this 200 Natalia!
Stanley Zhou	No comment
Thomas Toole	Tom has been following the RO club for a while and committed to riding his first 200km in the fall 2023. Sadly, Tom's father passed away just a month before his planned ride. Tom had flown out to BC to be with his dad during his end-of-life care and told his dad about his goal to do this ride. Tom did the Rando Rondeau 200 - his longest ride (previously he had done 110km!) and finished strong. He dedicated this ride to his father. He dug deep and I was so proud to be on this ride alongside him and Ken Jobba.
Vaune Davis	Vaune completed the Northern Transcontinental bike tour that left from Everett, WA on August 7th and arrived at Rye Beach, NH on September 12. That's 35 days and 6,157kms (3,826 miles) averaging 177kms (110 miles) per day. https://www.pactour.com/northern
Abstaining	None of the above

Thank you!