NEWS

 

Outlined against a blue-gray December sky, the four-member Tricycle Teams rode again.

On Saturday afternoon, immediately after the North Mecklenburg Holiday Parade, 11 teams met on Main Street for the Third Annual Tricycle Race. The rules of the race are simple. The race is a relay with a slalom section and a speed section. As with any relay race, the handoff between members is critical, and the race can be lost by a clumsy exchange. Speed matters, but maintaining control over the tiny pedals may be more important.

Karen Toney, manager of Ben & Jerry’s on Main Street, had the idea for the race and Town’s Economic Development Director Kim Fleming agreed that it should be added to the list of Christmas in Davidson events. Ben & Jerry’s team, the “Brothers from Another Udder” has won both of the previous races, and there was some concern that a 3rd victory for the ice-cream-fueled team might suggest some unfair advantage.

The teams competing in this year’s Tricycle Race were:

• 5/3 Bank (The Fractionators)
• Ben & Jerry’s (Brother from Another Udder)
• Bungalow Market (Elves)
• Copeland Richards, PLLC (Santa Laws)
• Davidson Field Hockey (Winnie The Pooh Characters: Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger)
• Davidson Intervarsity (Rise Up)
• Forbes Law, PLLC (We “WILL” Beat You)
• Good Drip Coffee (Chasing Rudolph)
• Imagine Music Group (Magic Highlighters)
• KF Studios – Handmade Marketplace (Artsy Fartsies)
• The Pickled Peach (Pickled Peddlers)

The teams were decked out in matching outfits, geared to their names. The Fractionators were dressed like respectable bankers. Santa Laws wore judicial robes. Ben & Jerry’s team wore traditional tye-dye shirts and neon tutus. Chasing Rudolph’s four member team consisted of three camo-clad hunters and a tall red-bearded Rudolph.

The tournament was grueling, lasting over an hour. Teams competed in double elimination heats. After multiple rounds of increasing aerobic intensity, quad exhaustion became a factor. Ben & Jerry’s competed valiantly but was denied a three-peat by Davidson Field Hockey. The final two races saw Artsy Fartsies eliminate Davidson Field Hockey, setting up a final race between Pickled Peddlers and Artsy Fartsies.

In the final round, Pickled Peddlers had a lead in the slalom section, but a tipped over trike cost them valuable time. After that, the race was neck and neck. Ultimately, the intensity and youth of the novice Artsy Fartsies prevailed.

KF Studios, located between Ben & Jerry’s and The Pickled Peach, is owned by Davidson’s Kristen Feighery. KF Studios features handmade art and gifts, with 90 percent produced locally. The marketplace offers paintings, pottery, jewelry, textiles, cutting boards, hand-turned bowls, woven baskets, fine art, folk art, and custom items.

This year’s winners, Artsy Fartsies, are a young and athletic group consisting of Charlotte Duggan, Graham Butcher, Layton Simoes, and Oliver Morris. All four are connected in various ways to KF Studios owner Kristen Feighery. Charlotte Duggan is an employee; she and Graham are friends. Layton Simoes is a long-time friend of the Feighery family, and Oliver Morris is dating one of Kristen’s daughters.

When asked about their success, the team said that they had not practiced their tricycle skills and had to “wing it” on the day of the race. Even though the team was a new competitor, their confidence showed. The team’s lightning-fast anchor, Oliver Morris, said the key to winning was to “keep your head down and don’t lose the pedals.”

After the race, back at Ben & Jerry’s, the stoic former champions were already behind the counter, serving ice cream and discussing the race. Karen Toney assured News of Davidson that despite a slip-up or two on the course, none of the employees would face adverse consequences.