Sports

Ride the Lobster Unicycle Race begins in Yarmouth

by michelle.sundvick | June 16, 2008 at 09:11 am

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It takes a lot of practice and extreme balance to ride these pedal-driven devices, making this five day, 800-kilometre race for the elite unicyclists only. Ride the Lobster is a great event, attracting 124 riders from over 20 countries; including the man who holds the 24-hour distance record on a unicycle in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Ride the Lobster Unicycle Race kicked off in Yarmouth on Monday with riders from 35 teams, representing seven countries, racing across the start line at the town RCMP detachment parking lot at Lake Milo.

Before the start of the race, all unicyclists drove through the town, coming up Forest Street and then making their way down Main Street.

On Sunday, a team of unicyclists also did demonstrations of their skills and tricks at the Dennis Point Wharf in West Pubnico and on the Yarmouth waterfront.

Adopting a Tour de France type theme, the 800-kilometre Ride the Lobster race will be staged in five legs, which a each leg of the race taking place on a different consecutive day.

The finish line to the race is in Baddeck in Cape Breton. Racers are expected to cross the finish line in five days.

The race will be available for viewing on the Internet live and will also be filmed, said race organizers.

Teams will be tracked by satellite using global positioning transponders on the riders.

More information is available on the race website, ridethelobster.com.