Young cycling athletes do PEI proud at the 2025 Canada Games
Prince Edward Island’s young cyclists brought determination, resilience, and heart to the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St John’s, NL, competing against some of the country’s best road and mountain bike riders across a range of challenging events.
A strong showing on the road
Representing PEI in road cycling were Calum Lea and Kyle Garro, who tackled the individual time trial, criterium, and road race.
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Lea, competing in his second Canada Games after Niagara 2022, delivered one of Team PEI’s standout results with a 13th place finish in the criterium, placing him in the top third of the national field. He also earned 20th in the road race and 36th in the time trial, building on years of experience at high-level competitions. Garro, in his first Canada Games, gained valuable experience with steady rides in each event, placing 43rd in the time trial, 35th in the criterium, and 36th in the road race.
Grit and resilience on the mountain bike trails
The second week of the Games saw PEI’s mountain bikers—Alexis McKinnon, Violeta Mena-Lozada, Leaha Ellsworth, Georges Doucet, Rowan Robblee, and Garro—take on the rocky and technically demanding course.
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Watch: Canada Games 2025 - Mountain Biking with Alexis & Kyle - Team PEI
Despite mechanical setbacks, flat tires, and crashes that plagued many riders, the Islanders fought hard through every event. McKinnon shone with a 15th place finish in the Cross-Country Olympic (XCO), making her the third-ranked Atlantic Canadian in the women’s field. She also placed 18th in the fast-paced short track race, good for fourth in the region.
On the men’s side, Doucet overcame a flat tire in the XCO to bounce back with a remarkable 17th place finish in the short track, also ranking fourth in Atlantic Canada. His determination had the PEI team and supporters cheering until they were hoarse. Robblee and Garro both battled through challenging conditions, gaining invaluable experience for future competition.
Ellsworth, balancing both mountain biking and artistic swimming, showed versatility and grit by competing in multiple disciplines during the Games.
Building for the future
While the team faced challenges—from equipment setbacks to competing with smaller rosters than larger provinces—they consistently demonstrated courage, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Their efforts underscore the importance of continued investment in PEI’s High Performance program, which supports athletes in reaching the national stage.
Cycling PEI wants to especially thank our 2025 Canada Games volunteer staff team, who worked without our athletes for many months on the road to and at the Games:
Mountain Bike Coach Peter Dewar;
Mountain Bike Team Manager Wanda Ellsworth;
Road Coach Keli Marshall;
Road Team Manager Shawn Marshall;
Road Team Mechanic Majid Pezeshkian.
With the next Canada Summer Games set for Dieppe, New Brunswick in 2029, Team PEI athletes are already looking forward to racing on terrain that will feel almost like home turf.
Pride in the Island
From steady road performances to breakthrough mountain bike results, Team PEI’s cycling athletes proved that perseverance and heart can make a small team shine on the national stage. As coaches, Games staff and supporters have reflected, these Games were not just about results but about growth, resilience, and inspiring the next generation of Island cyclists.
PEI can be proud—its young athletes went toe-to-toe with Canada’s best and showed that the Island’s cycling future is bright
See more photos of PEI athletes at the 2025 Canada Games here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/umTmYtgHbFwDaQ5M6
