The chair of the Bluewater International Granfondo (BIG) says over 1,000 cyclists have registered for Sunday's seventh annual event, which is the most they've ever had.
"This year, we've moved up in rankings and we are now ranked the number two granfondo in Canada and number four in North America," said BIG Chair Ken MacAlpine.
He said some participants will travel to the area from across Canada but there will also be representation from cities in the U.S. including San Diego, Texas, Florida, Ohio, and Michigan. At least one rider will be coming from as far as Uganda.
The event will also see a wide age range among cyclists. MacAlpine said the youngest rider is 12 years old and the oldest is in their mid-80s. Riders have four route options, ranging from 30 kilometres to 150km. MacAlpine said the success of this event is a testament to the volunteer committee, which is promoting physical activity and Lambton County's scenery.
"Even people who live in Sarnia, a lot of them have not been out along the shores of Lake Huron, a lot of them have never been out in Arkona before," he said. "And the people from out of town that come, when they see the start/finish line at the end of Mike Weir Park, with the sun coming up in the morning and the piper playing, it's just an awesome sight that's very hard to replicate in any other place in the world."
Medals will be awarded after the ride, at which point participants can also enjoy food and live music. Sunday's event is scheduled to run from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m.
MacAlpine said they've received many calls over the last week from people who would like to register for the event last minute. He said, unfortunately, it's too difficult to accommodate them this close to the BIG.
For next year's event, registration is expected to open in October 2023. Since its inception, BIG has raised over $350,000 to support palliative care education in Sarnia-Lambton.