{"id":199199,"date":"2025-10-09T03:50:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T03:50:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/199199\/"},"modified":"2025-10-09T03:50:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T03:50:09","slug":"fatal-july-collision-contributes-to-end-of-okanagan-granfondo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/199199\/","title":{"rendered":"Fatal July collision contributes to end of Okanagan Granfondo"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Okanagan Granfondo will no longer take place, its organizers confirmed on Oct. 2. The decision comes months after a tragic collision during this year\u2019s event left a Vancouver woman dead and two other cyclists seriously injured.<\/a><\/p>\n

Jodi Cross, the race\u2019s executive director, told Black Press Media<\/a> that the incident \u201cput an enormous strain on many of our volunteers and staff, which pales in comparison to the impact felt by the family, friends, and fellow cyclists of those directly impacted.\u201d She admitted the tragedy \u201cplayed a role\u201d in the decision to end the race. The victim was identified as lifelong Lower Mainland volunteer Ava Choy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels like the right time to pivot and explore new opportunities,\u201d she said. Cross also cited rising operational costs as a validating factor in moving away from the traditional event.<\/p>\n

The organizers put out a statement<\/a> praising the event, highlighting how it was a tough call.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter 14 incredible years, it\u2019s time to say goodbye to the Okanagan Granfondo. Since that very first ride in 2011, more than 25,000 cyclists have joined us on the start line in Penticton, creating unforgettable moments on the roads of the South Okanagan. What started as a bold idea grew into a signature event that brought riders from across Canada and beyond to experience the challenge, camaraderie, and joy of cycling together,\u201d it read.<\/p>\n

This decision wasn\u2019t easy, but it feels like the right moment to shift gears. OG Events will be exploring new ways to bring cyclists together, including possible gravel ride and race opportunities right here in the Okanagan. As the cycling world evolves, we\u2019re excited to evolve with i<\/p>\n

OG Events, the organization behind the Granfondo, suggested it may launch a gravel cycling event in the region, aligning with trends in the sport. Cross also emphasized continuing Athina\u2019s ride, connected to the Granfondo, which has helped raise over $400,000 for the Desmoid Foundation of Canada, a cause personal to her family.<\/p>\n

The cancellation of Penticton\u2019s iconic ride follows similar safety-driven decisions in other events, including Vancouver Island\u2019s CrossFondo<\/a>, where safety measures and escalating costs also led to a shutdown. Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield praised the Granfondo\u2019s legacy, saying it \u201cetched its place into Penticton\u2019s sporting event history\u201d and that, while the chapter ends, \u201ctimes change. Gears shift. And just as events pivot, so must we.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Okanagan Granfondo will no longer take place, its organizers confirmed on Oct. 2. The decision comes months…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":199200,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[445],"tags":[49,48,635,82],"class_list":["post-199199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-cycling","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199199"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199199\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/199200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}