The 2023 Quad Tandem World Championship was a tremendous success!
Team USA members Jude Rittenhouse, Zac Moylan, Colin Ashby, Sam Paccassi, and (alternate) Drew Dove proved surprisingly adept at riding a four-person bike, despite not even getting to see one in person until two days before the event started! They certainly showed they could learn on the fly as they conquered the perils of mountainous terrain, highway riding, and even gravel roads over the course of their 8-day, nearly 500-mile adventure. Ultimately this group of non-bikers placed second among the field of five teams, behind only reigning champs Team Great Britain and ahead of Team Canada Women’s, Team Canada Men’s, and Team New Zealand, in that order. Along the way, they also went viral with more than 3 million views on a DownieLive video of them trying out the bike for the first time! Check it out here: Team USA rides their Quad Tandem for the first time. – YouTube
Team USA Enters Tandem Bike Race
Racing a Quad Tandem Bike is Mostly Mental
Even better than their impressive showing in the race was the overall experience of their trip. Not only did they get to represent their country in the unconventional sporting event, they also met and get to know truly wonderful people from various corners of the world. After the racing each day, the team spent their evenings at campsites in gorgeous British Columbia. They hung out with the other riders and crew members; swam in lakes, rivers, and waterfalls; played and shared music; and talked about the cause of mental health care. They made connections that no doubt will continue to bless them in years to come.
Thank you for supporting the Bluegrass and Bikes concert or Wirth directly during the race to raise funds for travel!
