Elite Caribbean Cycling Championships on

All systems are go for the staging of the National Lotteries Authority Eighth Elite Caribbean Cycling Championships next week Sunday and Monday.{{more}}

The various committees were over the last week getting the bolts and nuts in place for what is expected to be a major regional sporting event.

The local organizing committee last Saturday held a retreat at the Red Cross Headquarters in Kingstown.

President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cycling Union and the Caribbean Cycling Federation, Trevor Bailey, said that the event must be looked upon as an occasion to boost sports tourism and that it will be an opportunity to put St. Vincent and the Grenadines on show.

Bailey revealed that twenty-four countries have confirmed participation, along with the host.

He said that about 80 cyclists, as well as their accompanying officials, will be part of the championships.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be represented by Dominic Ollivierre, Orano Andrews, Dwight Sargeant and Albert Quammie.

And the big wigs in the cycling world are expected to be here for the championships. Among them will be the President of the International Cycling Union, Pat Mc Quaid, along with the President of the Pan American Cycling Federation, Hose Pelez, a delegation from the United States Cycling Federation and Canoc President, Steve Stoute.

Sunday, October 26, will see the Female Time Trial from San Souci to Rabacca Dry River return, a distance of 12 miles. Also on that will be Male Time trial also from San Souci to Rabacca Dry River return, but they will cover 24 miles.

The following day Monday, October 27, Independence Day, the females will travel the same route, three times, cycling 37 miles, while the males will traverse the route six times, covering a distance of 75 miles.

The championships will be used as a qualifier for the Pan Am Games.(RT)