The front ramp came down and the throng of cyclists and pedestrians pushed forward like the beach landing during Normandy, or whatever famous battle you would like to equate this particular influx to. For the second year in a row Toronto Island was being invaded by the cycling population of Toronto.
It was only last year when the crazy organizers of Toronto's second favourite street race decided to move it from the treacherous streets of Metro and hold it on the icy surface of the Island's channels. Not unlike recent events, the couse last year was a basic figure eight. But this year a work crew had gone out three week-ends in a row. They spent their days off cutting eight hundred pound sheets of ice out of the lake to construct the course.
The actual racing started around six o'clock with most of the 200 spectators showing up on the seven and eight o'clock ferries. There were more thrills spills and of course spills then could be helped at the event. The lihting was good, much bettrer this time then last year when the only illumination was the fire set a good two hundred feet away from the course and the occasional racer who had a light on his bike.
This year the track was illuminated with small pots set around the course filled with flammable. If that wasn't enough there was the constant blast of the flame thrower igniting the double headed metal dragon that dominated the race course. Not even Michele Feaver, fire breather from many a past cycling event could match its fiery disposition.
With ice walls surrounding most of the two hundred metre course, spectators were delighted to witness some of the most exciting racing seen all year. Contestants took to the course with studded and non-studded tires for a night of howling good fun. There were many a spill, but the most spectacular crash was between Crissima Pearce and Albert De Ciccio, who slammed into each other on the cross path.
The racing and the revellery continued until the ice champion was named and that was none other then Albert De Ciccio a bike messenger who works for CC+D. The event was a great success with riders showing up from Montreal, New York and San Francisco. If these people thought Canadians were crazy before then this only proved the point even further.
The party was broken up when everyone realized they werer going to miss the last ferry and there was a mad dash for the dock. Most of the racers and spectators went from the ferry terminal straight to 330 Dundas W. where they danced and drank into the night. Five Hundred dollars was raised for those whacky anarchists ARC, Advocacy for the Respect Of Cyclists. All in all it was a great night and the nice thing was that it wasn't to cold and no one went through the ice.