Gastown is Back
Global Relay Brings Bicycle Racing Back to Gastown for 2012 and Beyond
Gastown Technology Services Firm Commits to Multi-year Title Sponsorship of Historic Race
Vancouver, BC – January 27, 2012 — Global Relay, a Gastown-based technology services firm, today announced a multi-year commitment to bring back the Gastown Grand Prix, (formerly the Tour de Gastown) as Title Sponsor. Wednesday, July 11th, 2012 will mark the revival of this prestigious professional cycling race which ran for 28 years, beginning in 1973.
The event, now named the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix, is a Pro.1/2 Criterium cycling race where male and female riders complete 30 to 50 laps around a 1.2km circuit, reaching speeds of up to 70km/h. The Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix is proudly supported by Presenting Partner Allstream, Canada’s all-business communications provider, as well as the Gastown Business Improvement Society.
The race will attract elite teams and independent riders at the Pro-Am level from across North America and around the world. Past winners include stars of the cycling world such as the last winners of the event Andrew Pinfold, Gina Grain (2008), as well as internationally renowned riders Lance Armstrong and Alison Sydor (1991).
Race routing for the 2012 event will remain similar to that of previous years, with the course looping around Gastown and the start/finish line situated at the corner of Cambie and Water Streets. The Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix will be free for spectators and promises an exhilarating experience for cycling fans.
The Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix is a part of BC Superweek — a series of several independent events that happen annually around the second week of July in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, including the Tour de Delta, UBC Grand Prix, Giro di Burnaby and Tour de White Rock.
“The announcement of the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix is fantastic news for the cycling community and for fans of the sport as it joins the BC Superweek series,” said Mark Ernsting, Race Director. “Gastown has gone without a pro cycling event for several years due to a lack of sponsorship, and now Global Relay is stepping in to fill that gap.”
The Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix continues a rich tradition of professional cycling in Gastown. Since its inaugural year in 1973, the race has become one of Canada’s best-loved professional cycling events thanks to its challenging course, long history and historic location.
“When I was beginning to race back in the 1980’s, Gastown was THE race that all local cyclists dreamed of winning,” said Brian Walton, the 1988 Tour de Gastown winner. “Gastown gave me motivation to ride in the rain and snow, so I could one day stand on the top of the podium. It was a benchmark for greatness. It was a goal. It was the platform. It was a race that developed champions and built a community of athletes that succeeded on and off the bike. And now, it is back. What a great day and future for all! I look forward to watching now and the feeling it inspires in future athletes.”
This community event will be coordinated with the help of many talented volunteers. Those interested in getting involved can visit globalrelayggp.org/get-involved/volunteer/
With its headquarters at 220 Cambie Street, Global Relay has been a part of the Gastown community since its founding in 1999. By committing to sponsorship of this event from 2012 and beyond, the company aims to make a lasting contribution to Gastown residents and business, and to the cycling community.
The Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix is presented with the generous support of the Gastown Business Improvement Area.
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About Global Relay
Founded in 1999, Global Relay is a Gastown-based technology services company that provides the worldwide financial industry with cloud-based message archiving & compliance services.
Global Relay Archive securely captures and preserves email, instant messaging, BlackBerry®, Bloomberg®, Thomson Reuters®, social media and more for regulatory compliance. Users have easy access to messages via smartphones, tablets, Outlook or browsers. Global Relay Message, delivered via cloud computing, provides businesses with the tools to communicate and collaborate while staying compliant — anytime, anywhere.
Global Relay’s 15,000 customers in 90 countries include broker-dealers, hedge funds, investment advisors and public companies, as well as 22 of the top 25 global banks. Global Relay has offices worldwide, including Vancouver, New York, Chicago, London and Singapore.
About Allstream
Allstream is a subsidiary of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. (MTS Allstream). As one of Canada’s leading national communication solutions companies, MTS Allstream provides innovative communications for the way Canadians want to live and work today. The Company has more than 100 years of experience, with 5,500 employees across Canada dedicated to a mission of delivering true value as seen through the eyes of our customers. MTS Allstream has nearly two million total customer connections spanning business customers across Canada and residential consumers throughout the province of Manitoba. The Company’s extensive national broadband and fibre optic network spans almost 30,000 kilometres. Manitoba Telecom Services Inc.’s common shares are listed on Toronto Stock Exchange (trading symbol: MBT). Customers, stakeholders and investors who want to learn more about MTS Allstream are encouraged to visit: www.mtsallstream.com.
For More Information:
www.globalrelayggp.org
Fact Sheet
Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix
Basic Information
• Event name: Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix (formerly known as the Tour de Gastown)
• Race date: early evening of July 11th, 2012
• Location: a 1.2km loop around Gastown streets, with the start/finish line at the corner of Cambie & Water streets
• Cost: Free for spectators
• The Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix is a part of BC Superweek — a series of several independent events that happen annually around the second week of July in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, including the Tour de Delta, UBC Grand Prix, Giro di Burnaby and Tour de White Rock.
Event Type
• Level: Pro. 1/2 event, attracting local and international elite Pro-Am athletes
• Distance: 1.2km circuit. Men: 50 laps; Women: 30 laps
• Style: Criterium
Sponsorship
• Global Relay is bringing the race back for 2012 as Title Sponsor. Global Relay is a Gastown-based technology firm providing compliance messaging and archiving services to the financial world.
• Allstream, Canada’s all-business communications provider, is Presenting Partner.
• Presented with the support of the Gastown Business Improvement Society.
• Also supported by Promosapien — Promotional Gear for the Human Race.
History
• The late Roger Sumner, a well-known cyclist and Vancouver dentist, organized the very first Gastown Grand Prix in July, 1973. 5,000 spectators turned out to cheer on the competitors, most of whom where locals. As the event continued to run annually over the next twenty years, it garnered international renown and attracted cyclists, spectators and media from across Canada and around the world. Gastown’s historic location and cobblestone streets quickly made the race a darling of the North American cycling circuit.
• A lack of sponsorship funding brought a temporary end to the Gastown Grand Prix in 1993. Nine years later, the Gastown Business Improvement Association, along with a coalition of sponsors, rallied to revive the race, launching it afresh in July, 2002. Crowds of up to 45,000 lined Water, Cordova and Carroll streets annually to witness the intensity of nearly 200 cyclists from more than 25 teams speeding around the circuit.
• In 2002, the race became the centerpiece of BC Superweek — a diverse series of cycling events in Greater Vancouver including the Tour de Delta, the UBC Grand Prix, the Giro di Burnaby and the Tour de White Rock. 2008 saw the Gastown race’s induction into the USA CRITS, a prestigious series of criterium races spanning 11 cities across North America. Despite its popularity, the race fell victim to the economic downturn of 2008 and was again called off.
Global Relay, a Gastown-based technology firm, made a multi-year commitment in 2012 to bring the race back to Vancouver once again for the 2012 cycling season and beyond.
Past Winners
Andrew Pinfold, Gina Grain (2008)
Lance Armstrong, Alison Sydor (1991)
Brian Walton, Aine O’Hagen (1988)
For a complete list of past winners, see http://globalrelayggp.org/about-the-event/past-winners/
For More Information:
Media Contacts:
Kevin Woodley, Media | BC Superweek
604.828.5842
or
Matt Davis, Media | Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix
media@globalrelayggp.org