The unicycling world championships are coming to Minnesota
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Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
The world's top unicyclists roll into the northern Minnesota city of Bemidji on Sunday.
The big picture: The International Unicycling Federation World Championship and Convention, known as Unicon, is returning to the United States for the first time in 22 years.
By the numbers: An estimated 1,200 unicyclists hailing from places as distant as Australia and Japan will spend the next 12 days competing across six disciplines for world titles and records.
Zoom in: Events include freestyle with music, costumes and props; team sports like hockey and basketball; X Games-style tricks and jumps; road racing; track sprints; and mountain unicycling (MUni) through obstacle-laden courses.
- The "Loop the Lake" race on July 22 tests endurance over a 34-mile course around Lake Bemidji.
Plus: The full schedule of events includes beginner lessons, advanced-skills workshops, comedy circus performances, a parade and even a unicycle movie night.
Zoom out: Like the Olympics, the host location for the biennial convention and competition traverses the globe.
- The last three were in Spain, South Korea and France.
What they're saying: Local boosters say that makes Unicon's location within a few hours of the Twin Cities an even bigger deal. It will open doors for existing members and attract new ones, they believe.
- "It's an opportunity that won't come again until some of these kids have their kids," Connie Cotter, a Twin Cities unicycling mainstay who is co-director of this year's event, told Axios. "It's so close, how can they not go?"
If you go: All competitions are open to the public. Finals for top events happen in the evenings. Many are free to watch, but some tickets cost up to $15.
- Top events will also be livestreamed.