Canada's largest dog grooming convention at Spruce Meadows
The fur will fly at Spruce Meadows this weekend as hundreds of competitors from around the world gather for Canada's largest dog grooming convention.
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Ranking the top Canadian soccer transfers of 2025, plus Cloé Lacasse interview
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Canadian 'bike weirdo' breaks 2 world records on her penny farthing
Social Sharing People who ride penny farthings are weirdos, says Lizanne Wilmot — and she's the fastest weirdo of them all. On New Year's Eve, the Canadian-born cyclist broke the world record for fastest speed on a penny farthing when she hit 41.709 kilometres per hour at the Tasmanian Christmas Carnival in Burnie, Australia, claiming the women's title and beating the men's record, too. Two days prior, at the same event, she broke the women's world record for fastest one kilometre on a penny farthing at one minute and 52.750 seconds. Both rides were hell on her hamstrings, she says, but cruising to victory on her bespoke Victorian-style bicycle was pure joy. "When you're on the penny farthing, you can't help but to smile the entire time," Wilmot told As It Happens guest host Megan Williams. Guinness World Records certified Wilmot's titles this month. A thriving penny farthing community Wilmot, a championship-winning track cyclist and spatial scientist from Brampton, Ont., has plenty of experience riding an ordinary bike. But once she took her first whirl on a penny farthing, she says she was hooked. "It's almost like I've de-evolved," she said. The old-timey bike, also known as a high-wheeler, has a massive front wheel, which the rider sits astride, putting them more than a metre above the ground. They largely fell out of favour in the 1880s with the advent of the modern bicycle. But the quaint style of cycling never disappeared entirely, and Wilmot says there's a thriving penny-farthing scene in Australia, where she's been living since she was 18. "We're bike weirdos," she said. "All you have to do is show interest and you're instantly welcomed, which that's another thing that just makes being around the penny community that much better than being around a regular bike community." A bespoke bike named Tiny The other thing that makes a penny farthing better than a standard bike, she says, is the experience of riding it out in the world. "When you're riding a regular bike, you're kind of out there, you're going fast, you're not really taking things in," she said. "But when you are on a penny, you almost have to slow down and interact with more people, and it just brings you joy." Wilmot rides a custom, 1.2-metre tall penny farthing, built by Australia's Dan Bolwell, a.k.a. "Penny Farthing Dan." She calls it Tiny because it's about 30 centimetres shorter than the average penny farthing. She was astride Tiny when she broke both world records. On Dec. 29, she rode one kilometre 30 seconds faster than the previous record holder, the U.K.'s Julie Woodward. "I was head down, butt up, like just peddling the legs as fast as I could," she said. "I knew that I was going fast, but I didn't know I was breaking the record by that much." On New Year's Eve, when she claimed the record for fastest speed on a penny farthing in the women's category, she also beat Guy Banham's men's record by 0.149 seconds, making her the fastest in the world. She said it was "blowing a gale" that day at the track near Australia's Bass Strait. "Having a bit of a tailwind, I was able to do that second run and just absolutely blow it out of the park," she said. Wilmot is already eyeing her next competitive challenge. But, in the meantime, she'll keep riding Tiny off the racetracks, fielding stares, questions and comments from curious passersby. She's so used to it, she says, that she's developed scripted responses.
Winnipeg Free Press
37 minutes ago
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Linebacker Jacob Roberts making most of chance to start with Calgary Stampeders
Preparation ensured Jacob Roberts was ready when the Calgary Stampeders needed him most. The second-year linebacker leads Calgary in total tackles (43), which also leaves him tied for third in the CFL. Not bad, considering Roberts began the season as a backup before stepping in at weakside linebacker after middle linebacker Marquel Lee (bicep) was hurt in the Stampeders 29-19 win in Toronto on June 14. The six-foot-one, 228-pound Roberts had 14 total tackles (four defensive, 10 special teams) in six games last season after signing with Calgary on Aug. 24, 2024. This year, though, he had the benefit of a full training camp with the Stamps. 'Last year I came in pretty late and was kind of behind learning the system,' he said. 'This is my first full year, it was my first training camp so I got ahead in the playbook. 'I learned as much as i could so I could go out there and be the best player I could be for this defence.' Roberts, 23, began the '25 season behind Canadian Micah Teitz at weakside linebacker. But when Lee went down, Teitz moved to middle linebacker and Roberts replaced him. Roberts had a team-high eight tackles in last week's 23-21 loss to Montreal. The Stampeders (5-2) visit the Ottawa Redblacks (1-6) on Thursday night. Montreal handed Calgary its first loss in four games. But the Stampeders have already recorded as many wins as they had in '24 (5-12-1) when they missed the CFL playoffs for the first time since 2004. Calgary's biggest off-season move was acquiring veteran quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. from the B.C. Lions. Adams has helped spearhead a Stampeders offence that entering action last week led the CFL in net yards (406.3/game) and rushing (130.5/game) and was tied for second in offensive TDs (16). But Calgary's defence has done its part, helped also by the return of defensive lineman Folarin Orimolade (trade with Toronto) and addition of defensive back Damon Webb (free agency). Heading into last week's action, the Stampeders were first in fewest offensive points allowed (17.2 per game) and offensive TDs (seven) and second overall in fewest touchdown passes allowed (seven). Last year, Calgary's defence was last overall against the run (125.6 yards/game) and eighth in both offensive points allowed (27.1) and net offensive yards (381.2). 'I think it's just preparation and trust,' Roberts said of Calgary's defensive turnaround. 'We built the trust in training camp and everyone put in a lot of effort to learn the playbook and schemes so when we got to the season from the pre-season, we gelled together. 'I just feel like it shows to the work we put in before the season started and the work we continue to put in now.' Roberts completed his collegiate career at Wake Forest in 2023, recording 83 tackles (10 for loss), six sacks and two forced fumbles while starting nine-of-12 games. He spent the previous three seasons at North Carolina A&T, posting 218 tackles (29.5 for loss), 9.5 sacks, five interceptions, a fumble recovery and six blocked kicks in 32 career contests. 'Jacob is a dynamic playmaking linebacker who is capitalizing on the opportunity to showcase his skills,' said Kenny Kim of Summit Athletes, Roberts' Florida-based agent. 'And it's resulting in a standout season so far. 'Truth be told, I firmly believe Jacob is only going to get better and develop into one of the league's best linebackers.' Roberts admits he knew little about Canada or the CFL before arriving in Calgary. And while he needed some time to get acclimated to a new city and playing a different game on a wider, longer field, Roberts feels the transition to both was seamless. 'Seeing all that motion for the first time, my thought was, 'Oh wow, I definitely have to get used to this,'' Roberts said. 'But studying film and being out there in practice going against some of the best receivers in the league allows you to adjust faster and more easily. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'I'd say I adjusted pretty well.' Although he's now playing football for a living, Roberts said his outlook on the game hasn't changed. 'I approach this the same way I did in high school,' he said. 'I take football very seriously, I always play with a chip on my shoulder and feel like every time I step on the field I have something to prove. 'My mentality has never changed. I always strive to be the best player I can be on the field no matter where I'm at.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2025.
