The Cycle Messenger World Championships (CMWC) is an annual urban cycling event gathering both professional bike messengers and cycling enthusiasts from around the globe. The participants compete in a variety of events which test riders’ skills, stamina and determination. The culminating point of the event is the Main Race, which mimics the everyday tasks faced by cycle messengers. It is a weekend of racing, partying and a celebration of global messenger culture.
The idea for the Cycle Messenger World Championships, or Cycle Messenger Championships (CMCs) as it was initially called, was first conceived in 1992 by Achim Beier and his assistant, Stefan Klessman. Both worked for messenger Berlin, a Berlin-based messenger service, and were inspired to have a gathering of the world’s bicycle messengers after talking with co-worker and ex-Washington D.C. bicycle messenger Michael “Ozone” Odom. Beier then took a trip to New York City where he visited Washington Square Park and talked with local bicycle messengers including James “The General” Moore about the proposed idea. The idea was received well by the local messengers and thus Beier and Klessman began planning the logistics of the first Cycle Messenger Championships.
The CMWC is overseen by the International Federation of Bike Messengers Association (IFBMA). The IFBMA fosters a spirit of cooperation among bicycle messengers worldwide, promotes the use of pedal power for commercial purposes and ensures the successful realisation of an annual Cycle Messenger World Championships, which so far took place in the following cities:
1993 Berlin, DE
1994 London, UK
1995 Toronto, CA
1996 San Francisco, US
1997 Barcelona, ES
1998 Washington D.C., US
1999 Zurich, CH
2000 Philadelphia, US
2001 Budapest, HU
2002 Copenhagen, DK
2003 Seattle, US
2004 Edmonton, CA
2005 New York City, US
2006 Sydney, AU
2007 Dublin, IE
2008 Toronto, CA
2009 Tokyo, JP
2010 Panajachel, GT
2011 Warzaw, PL
2012 Chicago, US
2013 Lausanne, CH
2014 Mexico City, MX
2015 Melbourne, AU
2016 Paris, FR
2017 Montreal, CA
2018 Riga, LV
2019 Jakarta, ID
2020 –
2021 –
2022 New York City, US
2023 Yokohama, JP
2024 Zürich, CH