RBC Has a Grand Time as Sponsor of Canada's First GranFondo

Big Bank Displays Big Heart as Executives Trade Pin Stripes for Lycra

VANCOUVER, Sept. 11 /CNW/ - The RBC GranFondo Whistler, Canada's first mass cycling event is now entered into our nation's road cycling annals. The 120-km ride along the spectacular and aerobically challenging Sea to Sky highway on BC's coast was a tremendous success, thanks in no small part to RBC, Canada's biggest bank, and the title sponsor for the event.

"There's no greater feeling than riding through breathtaking scenery with a big group of dedicated riders," said Graham MacLachlan, RBC Regional President for BC who crossed the finish line, tired but happy, along with 4,000 other registered riders. "RBC is proud to be the inaugural sponsor of what is destined to be a world-class event."

MacLachlan and approximately 100 members of RBC's training team have trained for months for the RBC GranFondo Whistler, logging 60 to 100 kilometres each weekend, coached by Vancouver's Shayla Roberts - who also completed the ride along with her charges.

"RBC is no ordinary sponsor," Roberts said after her ride, completed in an impressive 4 hours and 40 minutes. "The company is passionate about engaging its employees and some of these pin-striped bankers have become really strong riders thanks to their training for this event."

Not only has RBC sponsored the event and its training team, it has also brought its social conscience to the ride. As one of Canada's greenest employers and one of Canada's 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations, RBC saw the RBC GranFondo Whistler as a real opportunity to showcase its Blue Water Project, a 10-year global effort to promote sustainable water practices involving $50 million in charitable grants to not-for profit organizations that protect watersheds and ensure access to clean drinking water. As part of its sponsorship, the bank awarded $25,000 to a group of BC-based organizations working to protect water resources. And RBC gave everyone a chance to get involved by basing the size of the award on the number of online votes each charity received on the http://www.rbcgranfondowhistler.com/ website.

RBC Olympian Scott Frandsen, an RBC employee and Olympic rower who also rode Saturday's GranFondo, presented the $25,000 cheque to Jeff Surtees, CEO of Trout Unlimited Canada, on behalf of the 10 charities in the program. Trout Unlimited Canada received the lion's share of the votes.

"RBC's grant is very welcome, and the awareness that RBC and the GranFondo have generated through their online voting campaign has been outstanding. Thousands of new people now realize what a precious resource water has become in our world, even in the BC rain forest," said Surtees.

In addition to the Blue Water grant, RBC distributed water bottles, which could be refilled along the route using the southwest BC's tap water, which comes from mountain stream-fed lakes and is one of the best in the world.

Each bottle carried one of 10 water facts, also designed to raise awareness about water stewardship.

About RBC

RBC is recognized among the world's financial, social and environmental leaders and is listed on the 2009-2010 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the DJSI North American Index. RBC has been named one of Canada's Greenest Employers, one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers, one of Canada's 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations and one of the Best Workplaces in Canada. RBC is also listed on the Jantzi Social Index, the FTSE4Good Index, and the Canadian Carbon Disclosure Project Leadership Index. As one of Canada's largest corporate donors, RBC supports a broad range of community initiatives, through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2009, RBC contributed more than $105 million to community causes worldwide, through donations of more than $52.6 million, and an additional $52.5 million in sponsorship of community events and national organizations.

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For further information: For Media Queries, Martin Livingston, [email protected], 604-657-8234 (mobile)