BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (BRAIN) — Sixteen female bike mechanics received some good news this week, learning that they were recipients of the third annual Women's Bicycle Mechanic Scholarship, a program title-sponsored by QBP, SRAM, RockShox, Park Tool and the United Bicycle Institute (UBI).
The recipients will attend UBI's Professional Shop Repair and Operations Workshop in Ashland, Oregon, in late February and early March. This will be the first time that the two-week mechanics training program will have an entirely female class. The scholarship covers the winners' tuition and lodging.
The scholarship was created to keep, encourage and grow the careers of talented women working in the cycling industry and to advance specialty retailing through growth in women's cycling.
The scholarship is in its third year and has grown significantly each year since it began in 2014, when two scholarships were offered. This year more sponsors joined the cause, including Jagwire, Saris, Michelin, Surly, Liv, Ergon and Dero, allowing organizers to offer the 16 scholarships. There were more than 300 qualified applicants for the 16 spots. The winners stood out because of their personal leadership in growing women's cycling in their areas:
- Amanda Resch, Legend Bicycle, Providence, R.I.
- Ainsley Judge, Portland Gear Hub, Portland, Maine
- Anna Maria Diaz-Balart, King Kog, Brooklyn, N.Y.
- Cali Jirsa, Cherry Cycles, Minneapolis, Minn.
- Cassandra Habel, Erik's Bike, Madison, Wis.
- Kyla Forsberg, Green River Cyclery and the Busted Bike Café, Auburn, Wash.
- Magdalena Sapsis, Hello Bicycle, Seattle
- Michaela Albanese, Human Zoom Bikes and Boards, Philadelphia
- Nicole Davison, Veloville USA, Purcellville, Va.
- RaeLynn Mulley, Boulder Cycle Sport, Boulder, Colo.
- Stephanie Surch, Criterium Bicycles, Colorado Springs, Colo.
- Susan Davis, Bike Beat, Virginia Beach, Va.
- Christine Hill, Old Spokes Home, Burlington, Vt.
- Theresa Van Ackeren, Family Bicycles LLC, Kansas City, Mo.
- Tina Sujana, Go-Girl Cycling, Ft. Myers, Fla.
- Trina Walsworth, Bike Stop Cycling, Michigan City, Ind.
