MIO Teams Up with GranFondo Canada

August 21, 2013 Vancouver, BC: MIO, a pioneer in performance heart rate monitoring, has been announced as an official sponsor of the RBC GranFondo Whistler. Participants will be able to learn first hand about the MIO Alpha, which has recently been introduced as the world’s first heart rate sport watch without a chest strap.

The Alpha is a key milestone in MIO’s mission to make heart rate monitoring accessible for athletes of all levels. In less than six months on the market, the MIO Alpha has been embraced by consumers and retailers world-wide and is now available in 15 countries throughout North America, Europe, Asia and South America. The MIO Alpha is the only fitness device that can provide continuous accurate heart rate readings in a sleek and comfortable sport watch without a chest strap.

“We are very excited to welcome MIO Global as a sponsor”, says Kevin Thomson, President of GranFondo Canada. “MIO has a drive for innovation that breaks conventional thinking. That excites us and we know that the MIO Alpha sport watch will be of particular interest to the athletes training for the RBC GranFondo Whistler.”

The 2013 RBC GranFondo Whistler will take place on Saturday, September 7 with 5,000 participants expected from around the world. They will ride the 122 km timed course from Vancouver to Whistler Resort on the renowned Sea to Sky Highway.

 “Our goal has always been to bring fitness enthusiasts and athletes precision data that they can use to achieve their health and performance goals”, Liz Dickinson Founder and CEO of MIO Global said, “We look forward to providing this solution to the large base of cyclists training for and participating in the RBC GranFondo Whistler.” 

The 2012 male first place finisher Marvin Gomez and female first place finisher Leah Guloien will both be wearing the MIO Alpha in this year’s event.

Participants will have a chance to win a MIO Alpha heart rate sport watch during the event. A MIO Alpha watch, which retails for approximately $199.00, will be awarded to the fastest male and female through a timed hill climb section on the course. Every participant will be timed up the 1.5 KM climb up Furry Creek Hill to determine the King and Queen of the mountain. 

The MIO Alpha will be demonstrated at VeloSpoke, the Bike and Leisure Expo that takes place in conjunction with this year’s Rider Package Pickup. VeloSpoke takes place at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Friday, September 6th from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm.

To see the MIO Alpha in action and learn more, visit mioglobal.com/alpha

Media Contacts

Lindsay Carswell, Director of Marketing, GranFondo Canada, 604-990-2510 ext 340 or lindsay@granfondocanada.com

Jenn Fox, Channel Marketing Manager, MIO Global, 604-224-9184 ext. 233 or jenn.fox@mioglobal.com

GranFondo Canada

Founded in 2007, GranFondo Canada is an event management company committed to providing world-class cycling events in world renowned locations. GranFondo Canada events have mass appeal as they are timed and provide a dedicated lane width for all participants that is free of motor vehicles from start to finish. 2013 events include the second annual RBC GranFondo Banff on August 24th, the fourth annual RBC GranFondo Whistler on September 7th and the inaugural GranFondo Niagara Falls on September 14th. For more information, please visit: www.granfondocanada.com.

About MIO

MIO Alpha is the first and only sport watch to provide continuous, accurate heart rate monitoring at performance levels – without a chest strap. Its launch generated buzz and industry recognition, including the CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Award. MIO Alpha’s ability to connect via Bluetooth® Smart to apps and devices opens the door to a wealth of personal and social training tools. 

For more information, visit mioglobal.com/alpha and www.mioglobal.com. 

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