The Cycle Messenger World Championships, or CMWCs, are an annual urban cycling competition whereby cycle messengers and cycling enthusiasts showcase their skills in an array of events, many of which simulate everyday tasks for a cycle messenger. Each year, the CMWC's are held in a different city around the world, with each host city designing it's own unique course. The highlight of the CMWC's is the main race in which cyclists are given manifests and must pickup and deliver items to various locations around the host city as quickly and efficiently as possible. The total number of pickups and dropoffs is unknown to the messengers before the race, but has been known to reach up to 100 stops and usually takes between 3-4 hours to complete.[1] The cyclist who completes all of the assigned deliveries in the least amount of time wins the race. In addition to the main race there are also several side events which have become increasingly popular over the past few years. These events change yearly depending on the discretion of the host city but usually include backward circles, bike polo, bunnyhop, cargo race, longest skid, sprints, and trackstand.[1]
History
editThe idea for the Cycle Messenger World Championships, or Cycle Messenger Championships (CMCs) as it was initially called, was first conceived in 1992 by Achim Beier and his assistant, Stefan Klessman.[2] Both worked for messenger Berlin, a Berlin-based messenger service, and were inspired to have a gathering of the world's bicycle messengers after talking with co-worker and ex-Washington D.C. bicycle messenger Michael "Ozone" Odom. Beier then took a trip to New York City where he visited Washington Square Park and talked with local bicycle messengers including James "The General" Moore about the proposed idea. The idea was received well by the local messengers and thus Beier and Klessman began planning the logistics of the first Cycle Messenger Championships.[2]
Since no competition of this type had ever taken place, there were many challenges to overcome before the first CMC be completed. Most notably, the host city, Berlin, needed to approve the proposal of such an event. This, in itself, was an enormous task since many streets had to be shut down for an entire weekend, the duration of the event, including 17 Juni Strasse, the main thoroughfare for East-West traffic through Berlin, and the area around Brandenburg Gate.[2] In the end, the city of Berlin approved the event with only minor changes to Beier's requests and in 1993 the first Cycle Messenger Championships took place. In all, around 500 messengers participated in the inaugural event. [2]
Though the 1993 CMC was declared a success, it lost a substantial amount of money. As a result, Beier and Klessman decided to transfer ownership of the event to a sports marketing company which had expressed interest in organizing it. Beier and Klessman stayed with the project, acting as consultants, to ensure that the competition retained its' authenticity. [2]
The marketing company, though based in Berlin, had a partner in London and thus it was decided that the 1994 CMWC would be located there. Unfortunately though, months before the scheduled date of the CMWC the marketing company pulled its' sponsorship of the event and left Beier and Klessman alone on the project. [2]
After much deliberation, it was decided that the 1994 CMWC would still take place in London, though now it would be organized solely by cycle messengers. Against all odds, the event took place and attracted around 500 participants.[2] Once again, the CMWC was deemed a success.
With the sting of the marketing company's withdrawal still fresh, several cycle messengers at the 1994 event decided to form a committee dedicated to the successful realization of the CMWC. Largely self-appointed and without any real power the committee floundered.[2] The need for such an organization, however, was being realized by more and more cyclists.
The 1995 CMWC took place in Toronto, and in 1996 it was hosted in San Francisco. It was here that the International Federation of Bike Messengers Association, or IFBMA, was created for the purpose of guaranteeing that the CMWC would take place each year.[2] This committee, unlike the previous one, was open to all who wished to attend and thus had the potential of being a legitimate organization.
Since the inception of the IFBMA the CMWCs have taken place each year in different locations around the world. The following is a list of host cities along with the year they hosted the CMWCs: [3]
- 1993 Berlin, Germany
- 1994 London, England
- 1995 Toronto, Canada
- 1996 San Francisco, CA, USA
- 1997 Barcelona, Spain
- 1998 Washington D.C., USA
- 1999 Zurich, Switzerland
- 2000 Philadelphia, PA, USA
- 2001 Budapest, Hungary
- 2002 Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2003 Seattle, WA, USA
- 2004 Edmonton, Canada
- 2005 New York City, NY, USA
- 2006 Sydney, Australia
- 2007 Dublin, Ireland
- 2008 Toronto, Canada
- 2009 Tokyo, Japan
- 2010 Panajachel, Guatemala
- 2011 Warsaw, Poland
- 2012 Chicago, USA
- 2013 Lausanne, Suisse
Events
editMain Race
editThe main race is designed to simulate the normal workday of a cycle messenger. At the start of the race, each messenger is given a manifest with the location of pick-ups and drop-offs of packages throughout the host city. The messengers must then quickly and efficiently plan their routes so as to pickup and deliver each package in a timely manner. After the first manifest is completed, a second manifest is given to the messengers with more locations of pick-ups and drop-offs throughout the city. The total number of manifests and deliveries is unknown to the messengers before the start of the race but has been known to reach as high as 100 pick-ups and drop-offs.[1] The field of cyclists is narrowed down after each manifest is completed since a decreasing number of manifests become available as the race progresses. The route usually takes between 3 to 4 hours to complete. [1]
Sprints
editThe sprints are a shorter distance race, usually ranging from 200-300 meters in length, on a closed course with the cyclist completing the course in the fastest time being declared the winner. [3] [4]
La Ocho
editThis event was designed especially for the 2010 CMWC at Panajachel, Guatemala. The 180 meter course consisted of a figure eight track built from hard packed dirt with banked curves and an over-under bridge intersection in the middle. [3]
Bunnyhop
editThis event has been described as the high jump of cycling. Designed to simulate the need for avoiding obstacles during a messenger's workday, contestants must use their bikes to jump over a bar of increasing height. If a contestant is unable to clear the bar after two attempts at a particular height, he or she is eliminated from the competition. The last contestant remaining is declared the winner. The current CMWC record for this event is 51 inches (1.27 meters) set by Marlon Prather at the 1998 CMWC in Washington D.C., USA. [3]
Trackstand
editThe trackstand competition is an event in which cyclists try to maintain a stationary position for as long as possible while on a bicycle. All cyclists start off with both hands and feet on the bike in the traditional trackstand posititon. As the competition progresses, cyclists are instructed to remove specific limbs from the bicycle. The order which cyclists remove their limbs from the bicycle usually starts with taking off one hand, then both hands, one foot, then both feet. The cyclist who remains balanced in an upright and stationary position the longest is declared the winner. [3]
Skids
editThis competition consists of cyclists attempting to create the longest skid. Quite possibly one of the most dangerous events other than the main race, competitors sprint toward a starting line then lock up their back wheel to initiate the skid. Competitors must then balance themselves over their handlebars to create as little friction as possible between the rear stationary wheel and the ground while still steering their bicycle. Each cyclist is given two attempts to skid as far as possible. The record for the longest skid at the CMWC is set around 500 feet. [3]
Backward Circles
editThough this event has very little correlation in simulating the ordinary workday of a cycle messenger, it is quite possibly one of the most popular events other than the main race. This competition requires cyclists to pedal backwards and form circles. The cyclist who can complete the most consecutive backward circles is declared the winner. [3]
Cargo Race
editThis side event requires cyclists to transport oversized objects from one point to another. Typical objects chosen for delivery range from beer kegs and tractor tires, to wooden pallettes and office furniture. Cyclists are encouraged to come up with creative ways of transporting such irregularly shaped objects while still using a bicycle. Many competitors prefer to use panniers and trailers, while some even use specially designed bicycles for the event. [3]
Bike Polo
editBike polo follows the same general guidelines as traditional polo only this event is played using bikes. Teams consisting of three cyclists use mallets to pass a ball and score as many goals as possible without setting a foot on the ground. Teams usually compete on a designated court with an approximate size of 150 feet long and 100 feet wide.[5] Allowing one's foot to touch the ground or the ball during play is called "dabbing" and is considered a penalty. After "dabbing" a cyclist must travel to a designated spot at the opposite side of the court before being allowed to continue playing. [5]
Reception
editThe CMWCs have been well received by the local populations of several host cities while others consider the event a nuisance. For instance, the 2007 CMWCs in Dublin, Ireland, were pushed to the outer limits of the city after the local population protested the event.[6] On the other hand, the 2002 CMWCs held in Copenhagen, Denmark, were welcomed by the city and competitors were even treated to a free breakfast and free beer courtesy of the mayor. [6]
Winners
edit2010
Male: Craig Etheridge - Seattle, WA, USA [7]
Female: Josephine Reitzel - Lausanne, Switzerland [7]
2008
Male: Hiroyuki Shinozuka - Tokyo, Japan [8]
Female: Jenna Makgill - Auckland, New Zealand [8]
2007
Male: Peter Bradshaw - Boston, MA, USA [9]
2006
Male: Raphael Faiss - Lausanne, Switzerland [10]
Female: Sarah Torgrimson - San Francisco, CA, USA [10]
2005
Male: Karl Stransky - Basel, Switzerland [11]
Female: Johanna "Jojo" Reeder - Stockholm, Sweden [11]
2003
Male: Raphel Faiss - Lausanne, Switzerland [12]
Female: Sheba Farrin - Washington D.C., USA [12]
2000
Male: Carsten Schaffer - Copenhagen, Denmark [13]
Female: Sheba Farrin - Washington D.C., USA [13]
1998
Male: Korte - Copenhagen, Denmark [14]
Female: Ivonne Kraft - Duseldorf, Germany [14]
1997
Male: Lars Urban - Germany [15]
Female: Ilona Luuko - Finland [15]
1996
Male: Sven Baumann - Switzerland [16]
Female: Ivonne Kraft - Duseldorf, Germany [16]
1995
Male: Lars Urban - Germany [17]
Female: Ivonne Kraft - Duseldorf, Germany [17]
1994
Male: Andy Scheider - Cologne, Germany [18]
Female: Ivonne Kraft - Duseldorf, Germany [18]
1993
Male: Andy Scheider - Cologne, Germany [19]
Female: Ursi Haenny - Basel, Switzerland [19]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference
pickupsdropswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c d e f g h i "Who are we, and how did we come to exist? or A Short History of the CMWC, the IFCMC and the IFBMA", messengers.org, accessed November 22, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Cycle Messenger World Championships, Panajachel, Guatemala", cmwcguatemala.com, accessed November 22, 2010.
- ^ "Program", cmwc2009.com, accessed November 22, 2010.
- ^ a b "CMWC Bike Polo Tournament", cmwc2008.com, accessed November 22, 2010.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
dublinwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b "Champions and Messenger Bag Winners", cmwcguatemala.com, accessed November 23, 2010.
- ^ a b [1], cmwc2008.com, accessed November 23, 2010.
- ^ "More on the CMWC XV DQs", movingtargetzine.com, accessed November 24, 2010.
- ^ a b "CMWC XIV WINNERS!!!", messmagazine.net, accessed November 22, 2010.
- ^ a b "CMWC 2005 New York", nybma.com, accessed November 22, 2010.
- ^ a b [2], messengers.org, accessed November 22, 2010.
- ^ a b "CMWC2000 Philadelphia Main Race Results", dccourier.com, accessed November 21, 2010.
- ^ a b "ITS OVER", dccourier.com, accessed November 21, 2010.
- ^ a b [3], messengers.org, accessed November 21, 2010.
- ^ a b "CMWC '96 SF FINAL RESULTS", messengers.org, accessed November 21, 2010.
- ^ a b "CMWC 95 Final Results", messengers.org, accessed November 21, 2010.
- ^ a b "CMWC '94, London, England", messengers.org, accessed November 21, 2010.
- ^ a b "CMWC '93, Berlin, Germany", messengers.org, accessed November 21, 2010.