It feels like only yesterday our training efforts were paying off as we collectively celebrated crossing that Whistler finish line together in September.

As the year comes to a close, let's reflect on some of the best bits of the 15th anniversary event, as well as preview what 2025 holds in store...

An amazing 5099 of you signed up for the 15 year festivities, and so to celebrate your ongoing commitment we've launched the event's first ever Loyalty Reward program alongside Ride Club, your permanent hall of achievement at RBC GranFondo Whistler.

Every one of your registrations (both physical or virtual) since 2023 count towards your loyalty reward.

Once you've unlocked a tier, your code gets emailed to you and does not expire. It's our way of giving back and saying thanks.

On the RBC GranFondo Ride Club Page you'll find a comprehensive record of your past rides.

Download certificates, collect milestone badges and see who else is in and around you.

▼How to use Ride Club

1. Navigate to Ride Club (also in the top Community menu of our website).

2. Use the "What ride club am I in?" lookup to discover your years ridden.

3. Then, in the dropdown menu, select the Ride Club indicated. In the example above, Desirae would select 12.

4. Search for your name again. Your list of rides will appear and you can click on your name to see detailed results, badges, certificates and more.

As you know, in mid-2024 we set a goal to see at least 30% female participation at RBC GranFondo Whistler by 2030. Here's what's happened so far:

Having completed the Canadian Women and Sport Same Game Program, we were delighted to make a $1000 donation towards a change-maker in the community.

Chosen was Yasamin Rafipour who is passionate about creating more spaces in cycling for women of all abilities and skill levels.

Yasamin says: "I’m excited to continue to launch initiatives that will make real difference - whether it’s through community events or providing resources to get more women on bikes. My goal is to inspire and support as many women as possible to join us on the ride."

Across social media we collaborated with some of the amazing women in the community to share their stories.

From nutrition tips, bike prep, pre-race feels, training guidance and much more, check out some of the inspirational goings on via our channels now.

As with any goal, we look to measure progress. Here's what we saw in 2024:

1. This year's event saw more women participate than 9 of past 15 years

2. Participation was up 0.5% vs last year to 21.3%, the first increase since 2015

3. In the Fondo Clinics, 52% of riders were female. This was up from 50% in 2023.

4. In XFondo, our all-terrain mud fest, more women participated than men (52%).

5. Free sanitary products were made available at all our events, in addition to already-existing women's only portapotties.

6. We launched Save My Spot, an initiative designed to reduce the up-front cost of entry for the benefit of everyone.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of what 30by30 seeks to achieve and there is much more to do. We'll continue working hard to achieve the project's goals and welcome your feedback and involvement suggestions at any time.

In need of an antidote for the icey Northern Hemisphere, the GranFondo Riviera Nayarit crew headed out last week on a warm-weather ride to scout the course!

From rewarding hills to lush foliage and serene surroundings, the team had a blast looking forward to the main event taking place on April 5, 2025.

Say goodbye to arctic outflows and hello to your new favourite warm weather escape on the stunning Mexican coastal town of Riviera Nayarit.

In true RBC GranFondo Whistler style, we'll be throwing a carnival style party off the bike. Don't miss out - flights and hotels are looking particularly favourable right now!

The exchange rate right now between US and Canadian dollars is extremely favourable right now for those living in the States and travelling up here. It's as if Canada is on sale!

Take a look at this chart:

The Canadian dollar has only been this weak against its US counterpart 2 other times since 2016.

The upshot? It's less easy for Canadians to travel to the States, but going the other way for Americans is a great experience with everything north of the border basically becoming cheaper.

So, if you're an American, there's rarely been this good a time to register for RBC GranFondo Whistler and travel to Canada!

It's our most ambitious video project, ever.

Coming January 1st - it's the story of "1 Year for 1 Day"

You'll see the journey of riders and the event team as both prepare for the day of North America's largest Gran Fondo. Keep your eyes on your inbox this New Years!

The 2025 edition of the Fondo Clinics opens for registration on Jan 1st, and we've expanded the program to be bigger and more social than ever!

As the new year rolls around and you're setting your goals, the Fondo Clinics offer the perfect training 12 week environment to support those ambitions of riding to Whistler.

Plus, this year we're adding:

• No obligation info night where you can meet the coaches and ask questions

• A weekend social ride and meetup every other weekend for all clinic members

• New extra sessions such as hill climbing 101 and 102, plus bike maintenance workshops

More info will be released at the start of 2025. Until then, know the clinics will keep you supported every step of the way.

We acknowledge the land on which we work and ride is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.