An incredible journey came full circle for two local world champions Wednesday night.
Around 50 people gathered at Hardwood Ski and Bike in Oro-Medonte to congratulate and celebrate the accomplishments of Ava and Isabella Holmgren, who topped the podium at the World Cyclocross Championships earlier this month.
The 17-year-old twin sisters from Orillia, and who are students at Nouvelle-Alliance high school in Barrie, say it meant a lot to them to be honoured by their home community at Hardwood, where their journey began more than a decade ago.
Isabella, who won the gold medal, says it was an honour to see the community gather together for her and her sister.
“This is a good opportunity to thank the community for all their support,” she said. “They have played a big role in our success.”
“It means that we’ve made a little bit of a difference in the sport and the community,” said Ava, who won the silver medal at the world championship in Europe. “I really hope everyone can enjoy this moment and we can celebrate it together.”
Hardwood Ski and Bike general manager Gareth Houben says the Holmgrens have been a staple of their local mountain bike trails since they were four years old.
“I think their success shows that Hardwood is a local breeding ground for success in cycling,” he said. “We have amazing athletes and coaches and development programs.”
Houben says the community at Hardwood is proud of the Holmgren twins.
“It’s cool that they are homegrown here in Orillia and at Hardwood Ski and Bike,” he said.
Houben says the children who ride at Hardwood look up to the Holmgren sisters and hope to someday follow in their footsteps.
“They are huge role models,” he said. “For the kids to see the same girls they practise with every week, make it to this level shows that they can do it too.”
Brendan Matheson, an experience development coordinator at Tourism Simcoe County and Cycle Simcoe, says the Holmgrens recent accomplishments are “massive” for the region.
“They made history not just for Simcoe County but for Canada,” he said. “It’s a testament to all the hard work that Hardwood Ski and Bike has done over the last 20 years developing some of Canada’s best top athletes.”
Matheson says the Holmgrens are pioneers for the future of the sport locally.
“They grew up in the Hardwood Ski and Bike development program,” he said. “There are a lot of up-and-comers coming through the program, and I think the Holmgren sisters are just going to motivate the next generation.”
According to Matheson, cycling tourism brought in $1.2 million in visitor spending to Simcoe County in 2022.
“The Holmgren sisters are just one more thing that puts us on the map as a cycling destination,” he said.
Oro-Medonte Mayor Randy Greenlaw says the Holmgren sisters are what thr township will soon be known for.
“It shows that the great training facilities in the area have made them the world champions,” he said. “It shows what we have to offer.”
Greenlaw says he has no doubt the Holmgrens will inspire more locally-grown success stories in due time.
“The youth that are upcoming look at them as mentors,” he said. “They will excel as well.”
