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Cycling history will be made this weekend

VIPYRS hosting inaugural B.C. Provincial Youth Road Cycling Championships
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PARTS OF DOWNTOWN Courtenay will be closed to traffic Sunday for the criterium portion of the championship races.

Cycling history will be made this weekend in the Comox Valley.

It is appropriate that a region of B.C. known for its mild climate, roads winding through picturesque rural countryside, and enthusiastic cycling community would be chosen for the first-ever B.C. Provincial Youth Road Cycling Championship.

Recognizing the need for young road cyclists from age 10-18 across B.C. to have their own championship race, the local Vancouver Island Performance Youth Racing Squad (VIPYRS) proposed the idea to Cycling BC (the governing body for cycling in B.C.) and they supported the idea.

Many months of hard work later by volunteer parents and this weekend the idea turns into a reality, with most of the best young road cyclists in the province vying for coveted provincial championship honours.

The weekend consists of three provincial championship races. Saturday between 9 and noon, the road race runs along a circuit course starting at the Burns Road/Condensory Road  intersection, turns right at the Piercy Road/Condensory Road four-way stop intersection, merges onto the Inland Island Highway shoulder for 3 km. and turns right onto Dove Creek Road. The number of circuits vary according to rider age and gender.

Later in the afternoon, the young athletes climb back on their bikes for the gruelling climb up Mount Washington along the Mt. Washington Parkway from the Anderson chain-up area to the overflow Alpine Lodge parking lot – 10 km. and 600 m. of elevation! Finally, on Sunday morning, the streets in downtown Courtenay will close to traffic for the running of the criterium. There is a parking ban in effect from 7 a.m. to noon. The exciting course route is shown on the attached diagram.

"The VIPYRS would be very grateful if motor vehicle drivers would take special care and exercise caution when they come across these young athletes on Comox Valley roads this weekend," a club spokesperson said.

The VIPYRS also invite everyone in the community to come out and see the racing and cheer on our local athletes.

This event has been made possible because the entire community has come together and supported our initiative. Furthermore, Hosting BC grant funding was received from the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, and administered by viaSport British Columbia.  "Our thanks go out to all of our sponsors," the spokesperson said.

For more information on the race go to www.vipyrsracing.com.

– Vancouver Island Performance Youth Racing Squad