Connie Cotter has been riding unicycles for nearly five decades. Photos: Torey Van Oot/Axios
Unicon wouldn't be happening here without Connie Cotter.
The big picture: Cotter, a champion unicyclist herself, has taught and mentored several generations of local riders.
She also choreographed and plans to perform in the Twin Cities Unicycle Club's (TCUC) routine for the group freestyle competition.
How it started: Cotter says she was on the phone with a friend in 1978 when she spotted a unicycle in a Sears catalog.
Intrigued, she bought one and has never stopped riding.
Catch up fast: About two years ago, she and fellow unicyclist Kirsten Goldstein started working on bringing Unicon to the U.S. for the first time since 2002.
They targeted Bemidji, despite its distance from major airports, because they wanted to create a feeling of the global unicycle community taking over a smaller town.
The bottom line: TCUC, the largest unicycling club in Minnesota, has long been a dominant presence on the Unicon podium. But taking home world titles isn't their only aim.
"Our biggest goal as a group is to get out and have fun," Cotter said.
