Two major world-class events converge on Greater Geelong and the Surf Coast this weekend, with more than 100,000 visitors expected.
The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and Festival of Sails will inject millions into the local economy with the 2020 events pumping in a combined $21.5 million.
Mayor Trent Sullivan said the City of Greater Geelong was thrilled to welcome back the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and Festival of Sails.
“There’s excitement in the air ahead of our incredible schedule of sporting festivities, where the community can get up close to some of the world’s best sailors and cyclists, including local legend Cadel Evans,” he said.
“With no better place to be than Geelong this week, I encourage community members to enjoy everything the festivities have to offer.”
The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race returns after a two-year COVID hiatus with a new-look course featuring more of the Bellarine Peninsula.
Rolling and fixed road closures will be in place across Saturday, January 28 and Sunday, January 29.
Delays of 15 to 20 minutes are expected on the SurfCoast- Bellarine Loop when the race passes by once each day and there will be local access only on the Geelong Circuit.
Drivers are also encouraged to be extra careful during the recreational TAC People’s Ride on Saturday as thousands of riders will take to the road, predominantly under normal traffic conditions.
The Festival of Sails returns to a full event following COVID-19 disruptions and is set to attract up to 100,000 visitors to the Royal Geelong Yacht Club and the Geelong Waterfront until Sunday, January 29.
In addition to the world-class sailing on Corio Bay, the community can also view or participate in a range of sports across the weekend through ‘come and try’ sessions.
At Eastern Beach, the city will double the number of rubbish bins, provide eight skips, 10 portable toilets, extra contracted waste collections, increased cleaning of toilets and park areas, and expanded lifeguard coverage.
Traffic management crews will oversee the Ritchie Boulevard car park, while increased Local Laws patrols will monitor for potential issues such as open fires and illegal camping, and live monitoring of CCTV will continue.
Details: cadelevansgreatoceanroadrace.com.au and festivalofsails.com.au
