August 14, 2003 (Hamilton, ON) – The Hamilton 2003 Organizing Committee has announced a new agreement with its newest corporate partner, WestJet, for the 2003 Road World Championships. WestJet has signed on as the Official National Airline of the 2003 Road World Championships.

“We are ecstatic to have a highly visible and nationally recognized airline on board,” said Neil Lumsden, Hamilton 2003 General Manager and Chief Operating Officer. “WestJet's success is due in part to its commitment to offering Canadians high quality services for exceptional value, much like Hamilton 2003 is offering this exceptional and affordable event to cycling fans. WestJet understands the importance of giving back to the communities it services and we are proud to be associated with them.”

Bill Lamberton, WestJet's Vice President, Marketing and Sales, said today: “We are pleased to support the 2003 Road World Championships, being held in WestJet's hub city of Hamilton. WestJet is a strong supporter of community events and organizations across Canada, and we encourage Canadians to show their pride in our athletes by attending this event.”

WestJet serves the 26 Canadian cities of Victoria, Comox, Vancouver, Abbotsford/Fraser Valley, Prince George, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, London, Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto, Moncton, Halifax, Windsor, Montréal, St. John's and Gander. WestJet is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol WJA.

The Road World Cycling Championships will be staged in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada from October 6 to 12, 2003. Hamilton, a city of 500,000, is located on the western edge of Lake Ontario, roughly midway between Niagara Falls and Toronto, and approximately a one-hour drive >from Buffalo, New York. Over 800 athletes from over 50 different countries will compete in ten different races. There are two disciplines – the individual time trial and the road race with five different classifications, elite men and women, junior men and women, as well as Under 23 men. It will be only the sixth time the Road World Championships have been held outside Europe and the second time in Canada, the first occasion was 1974 in Montreal. For more information, visit the official website, www.hamilton2003.com.