The doubled prize purse of $50,000 over last year attracted faster riders to this year’s Whistler GranFondo.
While the number of riders has plateaued, a total of 3,612 riders clicked their feet into pedals for the Sept. 12 race, the draw of a bigger purse meant the Vancouver-to-Whistler road race attracted top international riders, according to Vanessa Carrington, film and event manager for the District of Squamish.
“They are fast,” she said in her presentation to council’s committee of the whole Tuesday afternoon.
The riders at the front of the pack came through Squamish 15 minutes earlier than anticipated, Carrington said.
Instead of the riders whizzing through Squamish at 8:25 a.m., they came through at about 8:05 a.m. All the road closures were in place, but organizers had anticipated keeping traffic moving for a bit longer in the morning, she said.
Carrington said the 2015 race ran very smoothly in terms of organization.
“The most successful so far,” she said.
“Squamish was noted as being the favourite section of the entire ride.”
The race started in 2010 with 4,000 participants and the pack swelled to 7,000 in 2011 and 2012.
The event is a one-off for many, Carrington said, noting for some, “it is on their bucket list.”
A large percentage of women put rubber to the road for this year’s GranFondo Medio course from Vancouver to Squamish, noted Carrington.
A total of 136 riders took part in the 67-kilometre course, which was revised this year to end in Squamish for the first time. Fifty-eight per cent of Medio riders were women, according to GranFondo Canada, while for the overall race, 24 per cent were female.
Carrington said the goal is to increase the number of riders in the Medio next year.
“We see this as a fantastic opportunity to get more involved, more schools to get involved, more youth groups, beginning rider groups,” she said. “I think this would help create more support for the event overall.”
Traffic management needs further work, Carrington said, noting that other events, such as the Brackendale Fall Fair, are held on the same day.
For next year’s race, district staff would like to see better traffic management at the intersections of Garibaldi and Mamquam roads at Highway 99 and on Government Road on the west side of the highway between Garibaldi and Mamquam. “This section of road in particular was very congested this year,” she said, adding next year, the closure of Garibaldi on the west side of the highway will be considered.
Registration is open for the 7th annual RBC GranFondo Whistler, which will roll through Squamish on Saturday, Sept. 10.
