The Can-Am Challenge is an award earned by finishing a Canadian and a US 1200km-or-longer Randonneurs Mondiaux sanctioned Grand Randonnée in a single calendar year. If you are planning to ride the 2012 Rocky Mountain 1200 as well as one or more USA 1200km brevets this year, read on for more information on how to earn this pin.

History – The award started as a cooperative initiative between Réal Préfontaine (vice president of Randonneurs Mondiaux at the time) and Jennifer Wise, event director of Boston-Montréal-Boston and RM president, as a way to promote 1200k’s in North America, build a sense of community, and give an added challenge to “overachieving” randonneurs.

The inspiration for the award came in 1997, when Dr. Préfontaine succeeded in finishing both the Rocky Mountain 1200 and Boston Montreal Boston, his personal Can-Am challenge, as he described it in a 2006 article in American Randonneur: http://www.rusa.org/newsletter/03-01-06.html.

At that time, there were only two 1200k’s in North America: BMB, begun in 1988, and the Rocky Mountain 1200, begun in 1996.  Riding more than one 1200k in a year seemed exceptional to say the least.  Now, of course, there are multiple Canadian and US 1200k’s, and multiple riders who succeed at two or more 1200k’s in a single year.  So the Can-Am Challenge can be seen as a harbinger both of increased event organizer and rider aspirations in the ensuing years.

by John Lee Ellis

 

 

 

Original Pin – awarded 1997 to 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Pin –  to be awarded  beginning in 2012

 

 

 

 

How to Apply

If you plan to ride a 1200km+ brevet in both Canada and the USA in 2012 and will complete your USA ultra brevet before completing the 2012 Rocky Mountain 1200km, please advise the organizers of the Rocky Mountain of your intentions via email at the address on the Contact Us page.

Can-Am pins will be awarded at the Wrap Party to all riders completing the Rocky Mountain in 2012 who have already completed the Shenandoah 1200km (2012/06/07), the Cascade 1200km (2012/06/23) or the Colorado High Country (2012/07/09).

If you plan to ride the Taste of Carolina 1200k (2012/08/29) or the Colorado Last Chance (2012/9/12) brevet after completing the 2012 Rocky Mountain 1200, please notify the organizer of the brevet that you have already completed the 2012 Rocky Mountain and your Can-Am pin will be awarded at the finish of the USA brevet.

List of Past Recipients (by year in alphabetical order)