There's plenty of action now that there's less than a year to go before the 2003 World Road Cycling Championships are staged in Hamilton, Ont., next October.

A 15-person Canadian contingent attended this year's Road Worlds in Zolder, Belgium in early October. At that event, organizers of the 2003 race made a presentation to a crowd of approximately 300, which included Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) officials, representatives from various national cycling federations, as well as the media.

“It introduced the 2003 Championships to the group over there,” said Dana Cunningham, the event manager for the Hamilton Road Worlds 2003. A couple of weeks later, organizers welcomed seven UCI officials to Canada. “We showed them everything that will take place from a technical, marketing, and communications standpoint,” Cunningham said. “We had two days of meetings and showed them where the press centre will be, where the accreditation will be done, [and] the doping control and the start/finish line area[s]. We also showed them our grandstand and ticketing plans, they reviewed the course again, and we took them to our host hotel, which will be the Sheraton Hotel, as well as [to] other hotels in the area.”

Organizers also received some of their promised funding from the provincial and federal governments. So far, Hamilton Road Worlds 2003 officials have accepted a $2.25-million grant from the Ontario government. And they have also welcomed a portion of the $8.2 million that the federal government has committed to the event. “That money will come in on an on-need basis,” Cunningham said of the funds from the Canadian government. Organizers also announced that the CBC has signed on to be the event's host broadcaster. CBC will devote 15 broadcast hours, including seven live hours, to the event.

In other news, event organizers have set up a website at www.hamilton2003.com. Those who provide an email address at that site will be notified when additions are made to the website.

Organizers also want to establish a database for the 2,000 to 3,000 volunteers who will be required for the event. Those interested in volunteering can send their contact information to info@hamilton2003.com.