P.E.I. to host national cycling event

P.E.I.’s French-language school board and Department of Education, Early Learning and Culture are set to host a national cycling event on the Island.

June 12-15, 10 students and three teachers of the Commission scolaire de langue française (CSLF) will participate in the sixth edition of the national cycling rally La Grande Traversée (the big crossing).

Four CSLF schools will host the 50 participants, including 37 other French-speaking students and adults from across Canada who will cycle P.E.I. roads.

“The CSLF is happy to host this event because it provides our students a golden opportunity to demonstrate a healthy mind in a healthy body and to do so in French,” said CSLF chairman Emile Gallant.

Participants will sleep in the École Évangéline on June 12, Rustico’s École Saint-Augustin the following night, École La-Belle-Cloche in Rollo Bay on June 14 and Charlottetown’s École François-Buote on June 15. The national tour ends in Charlottetown on June 16.

La Grande Traversée, a cycling relay covering 2,500 km from Vancouver to Halifax over approximately 30 days, was launched in 2013 by the French-language school board of British Columbia in order to encourage its students to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

The relay also allows young francophones to experience life in French outside the classroom.

On average, each student will cycle 330 km and will be accompanied by professional athletes and celebrities.

The Island leg of the relay is coordinated by Éric Morency, distance education and innovation leader for Grades 7 to 12 in P.E.I.’s education department.