Neil Lumsden, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer for the Hamilton 2003 Cycling Championships today announced the appointment of three new staff members to the Organizing Committee. The three individuals are:

– Ed Arzouian, Competition Coordinator
– Janis Cookson, Volunteer Manager
– Laura Zamprogna, Event Operations Manager

Arzouian has been involved in cycling since 1975 as a competitor, organizer and writer. As Hamilton 2003 Competition Coordinator he will work closely with Technical Director Pierre Hutsebaut. Arzouian was a member of the Quebec Provincial Team from 1984 to 1987, won a bronze medal at the Canadian TTT Road Championships in 1986 and a member of the United States Olympic Development Team from 1985 to 1987. From 1988 to 1993, he was owner and manager for what at the time was Canada's only professional cycling team, Evian and Reynolds/Volkswagen, and Manager of the Shaklee Men's Professional Road Team. Ed was the Director of the Women's World Cup in Montreal and was also involved with the Tour Trans Canada.

Cookson joins the Hamilton 2003 Organizing Committee after serving as Games Director with the 2003 Ontario Winter Games in London, Ontario. She will coordinate the volunteer base, estimated to be between 2,000 and 3,000 people for the Tim Horton Road Nationals Championship and the Road World Cycling Championships. Janis brings to the Cycling Championships nineteen years of experience in event management and sport.

Zamprogna will work closely with Director of Operations Dana Cunningham and Technical Director Pierre Hutsebaut to coordinate many of the logistical details for the event including but not limited to grandstands, tenting and transportation. Laura joins Hamilton 2003 after working in events for the past 10 years with organizations and events such as Skate Canada, 2000 Sydney Olympics, 1996 Atlanta Olympics, 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games and the Toronto Raptors.

The Road World Cycling Championships will be staged in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada from October 6 to 12, 2003. 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. Preceding the Road World Championships will be the Tim Hortons Road National Championships from June 27 to 29, 2003. For more information, visit the official website, www.hamilton2003.com.

For More Information please contact: Norm Miller, Hamilton 2003 – (905) 529-2003, norm.miller@hamilton2003.com