Kym from NYC and her bike (with frame destroyed) after a run-in with a car door.
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A couple of posts ago, we told you about the Bicycle Messenger World Championships being held in Toronto. The event attracted hundreds of competitors from North America, Europe and Asia.
As mentioned before these guys and girls can really scoot on their bikes! Making a living as an inner-city bike courier depends on speed!
You might assume (correctly) that bike messengers are a pretty fit bunch. They are mostly young iconoclasts who’s antics on busy city streets can often border on the reckless!
Of the hundreds of competitors who came for the competition, about 20 stayed with us at our hostel in Toronto. And this group achieved some pretty impressive results!
Sixth to eighth place were taken by competitors staying with us! And the second fastest female qualifier was a guest of ours!
Eighth place was won by Craig Roth a courier from the crowded streets of Boston. What made his top ten finish so impressive is that at 38 years of age, Craig was twice the age of some competitors!
I mentioned that fact to him; however, Craig is quiet and unassuming! He told me that the ninth place finisher was a 52 year-old from Washington, D.C.!
Kym Perfetto, a lovely lady messenger from New York City, had the second fastest time in the qualifying heats. She might have gone all the way too! Unfortunately, Kym had a run in with a car door, opened into traffic by a careless driver after parking, the day before the race!
You can see a photo of her bike above (complete with shattered frame!).
A group of competitors on the hostel patio.