Unicon 21 brings Bemidji High School graduate Dane Jorento back to town for two weeks of fun

BEMIDJI — While Unicon is an international event that brings together people from all over the world, it was a special homecoming for one of this year’s participants.

Dane Jorento graduated from Bemidji High School in 1979 and felt nostalgic when he returned to Bemidji for the two-week unicycle championship. He became a self-taught unicyclist at age 12 and has recently started again after a 40-year hiatus.

“I don’t even know why I got back into it, but I’m glad I did,” Jorento said with a smile. “It was so much fun and it’s so inspiring to see all these talented people at Unicon.”

Jorento grew up in Solway before moving to St. Paul to attend the University of Minnesota and later become a mental health counselor. Even after all these years, the Bemidji area still holds a special place in his heart, so he was excited when he heard the news that Bemidji would be hosting Unicon 21.

Charley Gilbert / Bemidji Pioneer

“It’s such a great city,” Jorento noted. “Everyone is so friendly. I miss it and it’s nostalgic to be here.”

He spoke about how much he appreciated the scenery of Lake Bemidji when he participated in Unicon’s Loop the Lake event earlier this week.

“Biking around the lake, it was so picturesque,” ​​Jorento said. “It’s so much fun. Unicycling is such a fun exercise. Biking is not that hard, so when you’re on your unicycle in a place like this, it just feels like freedom.”

As two weeks of unicycling fun came to a close on Friday, Jorento and other competitors took part in a criterium event in the Sanford Center parking lot, racing multiple laps on a circuit road, negotiating the many twists and turns. This was followed by the street finals later in the day.

For Jorento, a highlight of the championship, and of unicycling in general, is that it not only unites people from all over the world, but also creates an attractive place for people of all ages.

The age gap in Friday’s criterium was quite large, with 6-year-old Piper Augenstein as the youngest competitor and 72-year-old Bill Gilbertson as the oldest.

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“When I saw them together, I knew I had to take a picture,” Jorento said after the race. “Unicycling is really for everyone.”

As BSU graduate and Unicon co-director Kirsten Goldstein reflected on the two-week event, she said she and her fellow unicyclists felt the same exciting energy as on opening day.

“The amount of positive feedback from competitors, participants and local Bemidjians has been amazing,” Goldstein said. “I think the energy of the opening ceremony really hit home and everyone has said what a great time it was.”

Charley Gilbert / Bemidji Pioneer

Goldstein played a key role in bringing Unicon 21 to Bemidji. She is impressed with how the community has not only embraced the event, but also how she has contributed to its success on all fronts.

“You know with an event of this magnitude, you’re always going to have some hiccups,” Goldstein noted. “We ran out of volunteer shirts on day three. That doesn’t happen very often with Unicon. We sold out because of the unprecedented and really unexpected amount of Bemidji locals who volunteered. So if you’re going to have a problem, this is it.”

Charley Gilbert / Bemidji Pioneer

She noticed that at events like the opening ceremony and the flaming puck hockey event, there were more Bemidji residents in attendance than unicyclists. She was amazed and proud.

“So many people have told me, ‘The people here are so nice!'” Goldstein added. “Everyone was really surprised by the people who wanted to get to know them in the city and in the restaurants here. The Unicon attendees loved it — we really gave them a good Minnesotan experience.”

She concluded by expressing her appreciation to the many Unicon participants who had traveled from far and wide to take part in the biennial event.

“With a small town, our presence is really heavy and bold, and Bemidji embraced us with open arms,” she said. “I hope we leave all of our participants with a lot of good memories.”

Charley Gilbert / Bemidji Pioneer