Be In Downtown Port Coquitlam July 15th for PoCo Grand Prix

Posted by cityofpoco on

Sports fans, families and festival-lovers will want to be in downtown Port Coquitlam on Friday, July 15 for a day of professional cycling, live entertainment, free family activities and more.

In less than a month, the streets of downtown Port Coquitlam will be transformed into a professional cycling track and pedestrian zone as the city hosts the first PoCo Grand Prix, presented by Dominion Lending Centres. The event is part of BC Superweek, Canada’s largest professional road cycling series.

“It’s been wonderful to see how our residents and businesses have embraced this new event,” Mayor Greg Moore said. “The PoCo Grand Prix will be a great showcase for our city, and we’re looking forward to welcoming both visitors and residents to downtown Port Coquitlam.”

Thousands of people are expected to gather in Port Coquitlam July 15 from noon to 11 p.m. to watch top international cyclists race through the streets, and enjoy:

  • Professional and amateur cycling races and awards from 12:20-9 p.m.
  • Live entertainment from 1-11 p.m. at the Leigh Square Stage sponsored by Phoenix Truck and Crane
  • The Kids’ Zone from 1-5:30 p.m. sponsored by Norco Bicycles
  • Kids performers from 1-5 p.m. including Will Stroet, sponsored by Phoenix Truck and Crane
  • PoCo Grand Prix Expo trade show from 1-8:30 p.m., sponsored by the Port Coquitlam Business
  • Improvement Association
  • Beer garden from 3-10 p.m.
  • VIP Experience from 3-9 p.m. for sponsors, featuring prime viewing, complimentary food and beverages, seating, viewing screens and more. Sponsored by Mahoney and Sons.

The criterium-style race will feature a mass start on a 1.3-kilometre circuit that cyclists will navigate for 40-65 laps. Approximately 200 male and female professional cyclists will whiz by about every minute, making for an exhilarating spectator experience.

Excitement will also be generated by “primes” – intermediate sprints that take place during a pause in a race and offer the cyclists either extra points or a cash prize. Primes (pronounced preems) are sponsored by businesses or by crowd fundraising.

“Speaking with the athletes, they all are looking forward to this exciting new event,” said BC Superweek Race Director Mark Ernsting. “We will be hosting riders from around the world and expect that over 10 different nationalities will be attending.”

The track will also be used by the Norco Kids’ Race for children ages 5-12 (free to sign up), a youth race, and the TELUS Corporate Challenge for business teams.

Volunteers will play a key role in the event. Close to 200 volunteers have already signed up to help with a variety of tasks, and more roles are still available for those ages 16 and up. For information, visit www.pocograndprix.ca/volunteer.

Please note: Schedules may change – check www.pocograndprix.ca closer to race day.

Race schedule:

12:20 p.m.: Women’s category 3-4
1:10 p.m.: Men’s category 3-4
2:05 p.m.: Awards
2:15 p.m.: Corporate Challenge
4:15 p.m.: Kids’ Race
4:45 p.m.: Youth Race
5:15 p.m.: Opening remarks
6 p.m.: Women’s category 1-2
7:30 p.m.: Men’s pro race
8:40 p.m.: Awards

Phoenix Entertainment Stage: 1-11 p.m.

1-2 p.m.: Locarno (Latin, folk, pop and funk)
2:30-3:30 p.m.: Bird & Lion (Unique renditions of cover songs)
4-5 p.m.: Aché Brasil (Brazilian music, dance and acrobatics)
5:30-7 p.m.: Sean Parker Trio (guitar-driven rock & roll)
7:30-11 p.m.: Groove & Tonic (high-energy R&B, disco, funk, rock and pop)

Norco Kids’ Zone: 1 to 5:30 p.m.

Activities will include:

  • Beshano Bike Trials Show at 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. (followed by autographs)
  • Norco bike demonstrations
  • McDonalds mascot
  • Corycatures Cartoon artist Cory Van Leperen
  • Photo booth – Take a pic with the winning jersey
  • Books, button-making and more with Terry Fox Library
  • Mini Grand Prix Race Track by Norco
  • Poco Building Supplies wooden ramps
  • Little Sprockets Bike Camp Obstacle Course

Kids Entertainment presented by Phoenix Truck and Crane: 1 to 5 p.m.

1-1:30 p.m.: Will Stroet – City Hall Garden Stage
1:30-2:30 p.m.: One Women Circus / Interactive Circus Session – City Hall Garden
2:30-3 p.m.: Circus West Unicycle Team – City Hall Garden
2:30-3:30 p.m.: Will Stroet – City Hall Garden Stage
3:30-4 p.m.: One-Woman Circus / Interactive Circus Session – City Hall Garden
4-4:30 p.m.: Will Stroet / Circus West Unicycle Team – City Hall Garden
4:30-5 p.m.: One Women Circus – City Hall Garden

Parking and Road Closures:

Parking and vehicle access will be limited in downtown Port Coquitlam on July 15. Event-goers are encouraged to take transit, walk or cycle to the venue. There will be a free bike valet, sponsored by Cap’s Westwood Cycle.

Detailed parking and road closure information will be posted at www.pocograndprix.ca before July 1.

Sponsorship, volunteering and other event information is available at www.pocograndprix.ca.

PoCo Grand Prix sponsors

Presenting Sponsor: Dominion Lending Centres
Dominion Lending Centres is Canada’s number one national mortgage company with more than 2,400 mortgage professionals spanning the country. Launched in January 2006, DLC quickly grew to fund more than $17 billion in mortgage volume in 2014 – the largest origination volume of any Canadian brokerage. DLC continues to be recognized by PROFIT Magazine as one of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies – making the PROFIT HOT 50 list of Emerging Growth Companies (2009 and 2010), PROFIT 200 (2012) and PROFIT 500 (2013 and 2014). DLC and its agents are recognized annually at the CMP Canadian Mortgage Awards – the Oscars of the Canadian mortgage brokering landscape.

Gold Sponsors:
· Cap’s Westwood Cycle
· Mahoney and Sons
· Norco Bicycles
· Phoenix Truck & Crane
· TELUS

Silver Sponsors:
· Tri-City News

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