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GSA Events

Ride El Tour de Tucson!  Raise $$$ for GSA:
Perimeter Bicycling Association of America has kindly taken in GSA as a beneficiary of the 2008 UMC El Tour de Tucson.  In addition to bringing you one of the largest cycling events in the southwest, the event organizers will be presenting a new kind of bike race! Indoor El Tour is a stationary cycling event that people can ride anywhere, anytime. The idea is to save people time and money on transportation to the ride venue while providing a fun outlet for exercise. Part of your entry fee for Indoor or outdoor El Tour goes to GSA. Go to our website learn more and download a registration form.

El Tour de Mt. Fuji Update
Olympian Jame Carney blew away the competition, finishing first place and half an hour in front of second. The third annual GSA-sponsored 2008 El Tour de Mt. Fuji reached an amazing 1,200 participants. The beauty of the Fuji Foothills stole the show during the event, and many cyclists kept their focus on the global environment by attending the “Ecocycling” forum that accompanied the event.

Upcoming Events

GSA-USA President Attending G-ForSE Alicante, Spain
What does G-ForSE stand for? In short, Global Forum for Sports and the Environment, a partnership between Global Sports Alliance, the United Nations Environment Programme and the Olympics’ Sports and Environment Commission. It’s the largest database on environmental action in sports. GSA-USA President Jane Poynter will speak at the bi-annual conference this fall in Alicante, Spain, announcing an exciting new GSA-USA program. GSA Executive Director Tatsuo Okada will also speak, along with UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner.

New York Triathlon
The ecoflag will fly in Philipstown, New York at the Hudson Highlands Greenway Triathlon on September 28th. Plans for the event include recyclable goodie bags and solar generators powering the timing equipment.  Philipstown Greenway Committee Chair, Mike McKee, said, “We intend to leave as small a 'footprint' as possible."

Exemplary Trail Organization Recognized
On October 4th GSA-New York will honor the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference at an event commemorating the 85th anniversary of the first completed section of the Appalachian Trail in New York.  The Conference will be presented with an Ecoflag in recognition of their extraordinary volunteer-directed public service developing, building and maintaining hiking trails. 

Navigator Spotlight

Greg Hockensmith
Greg Hockensmith is a quintessential Navigator – a leading sports figure who embodies and promotes GSA’s philosophy. He’s a world champion and paralympic handcyclist, has a foundation that buys handcycles for disables kids, and incorporates environmental stewardship in his motivational speeches. “When the defining moment comes, either the moment defines you or you define the moment” are the words he lives by. After recovering from a paralyzing car wreck Greg transformed himself into a world-class athlete. In a 2007 GSA-sponsored trip he became the second (and fastest) man to handcycle up Mt. Fuji. We are honored to have Greg as our Navigator.

Sports Eco-tip

½ Bike + ½ Car = One Good Ride
With current gas prices, it doesn‘t take a NASA engineer to figure out the advantages of commuting by bicycle. But the disadvantages are pretty clear too: riding a bike to work is work. If you’re frustrated with oil dependence yet unwilling to brave the bike every morning, then let us suggest a compromise: Mixed-Mode Commuting. The notion is simple, drive the long commute and use the bike for local commuting throughout the day to get a cup of coffee, lunch, and a little exercise!