Second annual event includes all day community festival
The biggest challenge in putting on a successful inaugural event is meeting and raising the bar in the years following. And that’s exactly the goal for the 2017 PoCo Grand Prix presented by Dominion Lending Centres.
The second edition of the event hopes to build upon a first year that saw crowds of more than 5,000 turn up in the downtown core of Port Coquitlam last July.
“The PoCo Grand Prix is all about promoting healthy lifestyles and it offers a unique professional sports experience for our community,” said Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore. “If you were here in 2016, you know what an incredible experience it was. This year we’ve built on those successes to make year two even better.”
All of the activities are free to attend and sure to be fun for all ages. True to that point is that PoCo Grand Prix organizers decided to expand the Kids’ Race due to popular demand. This year, the event is already sold out and over 300 kids between five and 12 years old will race the same 1.3 kilometre loop as the professionals.
“We’re proud to be involved with such an exciting event,” said Dominion Lending Centres President and CEO Gary Mauris. “Bring your family and friends out to the Poco Grand Prix and get ready to cheer on the best racers in the world.”
The PoCo Grand Prix is also part of the BC Premier Road Series again this year. The BC Premier Series gives local racers the opportunity to accumulate points at races throughout the race season, chasing the opportunity to ultimately be crowned the BC Premier Series winner.
The PoCo Grand Prix Corporate Challenge returns this year, featuring Competitive and Recreational divisions. It starts at 3:15 pm on race day. The Corporate Challenge builds upon the strong link between sport and business. Always fun to watch, it allows a business person to show the same commitment to the workplace that an athlete does to their cycling.
The schedule also includes a day filled with local and international live music sponsored by The Giggle Dam Dinner Theatre along with a kids’ area that includes interactive stations, Playzone Mini Race Track, Circus West and Little Sprocket bike ramps – and of course, men’s and women’s pro cycling races – the ante has truly been upped for this year’s edition of the PoCo Grand Prix.
“The Giggle Dam is excited to share our music and ‘Happy Vibe’ to welcome everyone that joins us at the Main Entertainment Stage at Leigh Square for the 2017 Poco Grand Prix,” said The Giggle Dam Director of Marketing and Media Brad Lovell. “This year will prove to be bigger and better than last as the city comes together to host participants and spectators from far and wide. Port Coquitlam is a perfect setting for an event such as this and The Giggle Dam is proud to be a contributing sponsor to what will no doubt be a premier event in the city for years to come. We are pumped up higher than the tires on a racing bike for July 14th!”
For event details or to sign up to volunteer, visit pocograndprix.ca
BC Superweek is Canada’s biggest professional road cycling series and features more than $140,000 in prize money with nine races over ten days. BC Superweek runs from July 7 – 16 this summer and is made up of the Tour de Delta (July 7 – 9), New West Grand Prix (July 11), Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix (July 12), Giro di Burnaby presented by Appia Development (July 13), PoCo Grand Prix presented by Dominion Lending Centres (July 14), and Steve Nash Fitness World presents Tour de White Rock (July 15 – 16).