Emily Batty Project Teams Up with Durham Shredders Youth MTB Cycling Program

Starting from an early age, mountain biking has been at the core of Emily Batty’s life. The sport laid a foundation on which she has built a career at the elite level, twice representing Canada at the Olympic Games. Now, through the recently launched Emily Batty Project, the Trek Factory Racing athlete is hoping to lay the foundation for young riders across the country.




Recently, Emily met with members of the Durham Shredders, a mountain bike club for kids and youth, on her home trails of Durham Forest, northeast of Toronto.




“I want to see more kids on bikes for so many reasons,” said Batty. “Learning how to work with others, learning how to overcome and persevere. There are so many life skills that I personally learned. I think there are so many opportunities for others to learn the same.”




Lending exposure and support to local organizations already looking to foster greater youth involvement in mountain biking is a core principle of the Emily Batty Project. With growing interest and involvement of kids in mountain biking, the extra boost offered by the project is a welcome addition as, now more than ever, greater resources are needed to ensure kids not only have a chance to try the sport but continue to thrive on trails.




“Our main objective is to give kids an outlet to get outside, get back in touch with nature, have some fun, make some friends, and hopefully teach them that riding a bike on the incredible trails we have in the area is far more fun than electronics,” said Mark Bradley, founder and operator of the Durham Shredders.




The Shredders program is underpinned by the efforts of qualified instructors and a multi-week program that teaches skills. A partnership with Trek Toronto has helped to supply bikes for kids to start out with, ensuring they’re learning on good quality, well-fitting bikes. Whether starting out in a Learn to Ride or Learn to Race Program, or as part of an XC Race Development program, the Shredders participants are given a fun environment to develop not just their skills, but their love of mountain biking.









The growth of cycling has made headlines across the country as cities develop new dedicated infrastructure for cyclists, while mountain bikers are enjoying growing access to expanded and all-new trail networks coast to coast. This growth underscores the importance of positive experiences early on in the sport.

“I think kids need opportunities to challenge themselves in all areas of life to become confident and community minded people,” said Bradley. “The are too many benefits to list; good exercise, a healthy lifestyle, the social interactions, and learning how to set a goal and work toward it. Even accepting the ups and downs along the way without giving up. Mountain biking builds persistence!”




The Shredders started in the spring of 2017, and have proven there’s an appetite for this sort of programming, with an expected 150 kids participating in four, six-week programs, well exceeding the initial goals of 32 per session. Many kids find it so much fun that they’ve opted into taking one session after another. Enrolment for the final session of the year is expected to hit 80 riders.



“As I grew up I saw more and more families take part and now it’s this great big culture that’s really shaped who I am,” said Batty. “I’ve been lucky enough to take it to a professional level and represent Canada at two Olympic games and hopefully two more in the future. There are so many life skills learned through the sport, I want to see more kids have those opportunities.”


The Shredders benefit not only from financial help but also through partnerships with great companies. Thanks to Caterpillar, for the first time ever, kids will have their own courses at each of the Ontario Cup races. Superfly Racing ensures the course for each week is clearly marked, while BikeNXS runs a Thursday night race series. The program also couldn’t function as it does without the Durham Mountain Bike Association, who continually maintain and expand the trail network used by the Shredders.




The Emily Batty Project aims to work with existing organizations that foster greater youth involvement in mountain biking. If you know a program that could use a helping hand and want to help us create more great stories like this one, reach out to the Emily Batty Project.

Learn more about the Durham Shredders and their programs

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About Emily Batty
Emily Batty has represented Canada at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where she finished two seconds back from the bronze medal position. Batty finished last season winning the bronze medal at the 2016 Mountain Bike World Championships, and closed out the World Cup season third overall. Batty races for Trek Factory Racing and is sponsored by Red Bull, Lululemon, Pfaff Auto, Trek Bikes, and Oakley.


Follow the Emily Batty Project online:
Coast to Coast Against Cancer – Emily Batty Project
Emily Batty Project on Twitter
Emily Batty Project on Instagram

Follow Emily Batty on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube


For more information, please contact:
Adam Morka: Co-Founder, Emily Batty Project: 1 (520) 388-0390 // adammorka@me.com

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