After three days of competition, hours and hours of work accumulate for the organizers of the Ski-Doo Grand Prix of Valcourt. As soon as the site has been emptied and handed over to BRP after the races, we are already starting to work on the next edition!
“In the days following the Grand Prix, we take stock: what worked well, what needs to be improved, etc. Valcourt is the benchmark for winter motor sports events. For many athletes, this is the place to compete. We therefore want to always do better, to continue to surprise, to differentiate ourselves. That’s why we’re always looking for new ideas,” explains Dave Paryzo. A way of doing things that works, the Ski-Doo Grand Prix of Valcourt always attracts more drivers and spectators!
A small, well-rounded team
Along with Guillaume Richard, general director, and Marie-Claude Laverdière, events coordinator, the marketing and media coordinator is one of three permanent members of the Grand Prix team. “We work year-round. Even during our summer vacations, we stay on the lookout for what’s happening at the festivals and events we visit; we thus draw inspiration from the best event practices,” emphasizes Dave who, as soon as the winter racing season gets underway, travels from one competition site to another, with the Grand Prix truck, to publicize the event for pilots and the general public. “I have no problem getting on the mic and promoting the Grand Prix! As much as possible, we try to be wherever we can reach people interested in our event.”
The permanent team is supported by the board of directors, all volunteers, which meets every month from September to June. For the 2025 edition, it was made up of Martin Simard, responsible for the bars; Marie-Lou Dussault, ticketing manager; Kim Bouthillette, responsible for accreditation; Pier-Olivier Trudel, responsible for racing surfaces; Frédéric Cotton, security manager; Pierre-Olivier Cabana, racing director; Christian Roy, procurement manager; and Stéphane Bombardier, safety manager – track center. During the event, some 350 volunteers come to lend a hand.
The organization counts on some 350 volunteers, in various positions, for the smooth running of the event. (Gaétan Tremblay)
A colossal job
“As the site belongs to BRP and is used, among other things, to test new products, access to it is very restricted outside of the four weeks when it is loaned to us. When we go there to carry out various preparation work, we must therefore clearly specify who will be there, what we will do there, for how long, etc. It requires careful planning of the layout of the site,” explains Dave.
BRP therefore hands over the “keys” to the site at the Grand Prix three weeks before the event, and collects it one week after the races. “We must not forget that we are building the site from A to Z: there is nothing when we arrive, no slopes, no toilets, no marquee, no fences, etc.” Six people work full time on the layout of the premises. The design of competition tracks alone represents a solid challenge, as you will see when reading this text (link to the interview with Pierre-Olivier Trudel).
“Organizing such a big event means a lot of small tasks to complete. There are plenty of details that help make the experience enjoyable. For example, this year, we made small improvements to make ticketing more fluid. From the color of the bracelets – to avoid them being the same as the previous year – to the choice of clothes that we will offer in store – which follow the trend, in the right quantity, but not too much – there are 1001 decisions that are taken regularly. As we listen to people, it’s not just copying and pasting from one edition to another, we’re always looking at what we could do better or differently.”
(Gaétan Tremblay)
And there are always a few surprises, such as championship belts that got lost somewhere in the world… “We had to find a plan B quickly, because it’s too late to have new belts, but we don’t just want to give a small, ordinary trophy, we want something that is prestigious for our winners.”
Temperature is also an element that organizers of an outdoor event must deal with. “Last year, it rained so much that the parking lot became a field of mud. It was necessary to help vehicles out and then level the surface for the next day. In the paddocks, to ensure the safe movement of the motorcycles, we had to urgently buy sheets of plywood and make a wooden path to the track, and all this, in the middle of the night!”
In addition to the upheavals of Mother Nature, there are breakdowns that can occur – in 2024, it was on the timing system – and make the organizers’ task more complicated. “We must react quickly! We don’t want to harm the show, but we also want to guarantee safe and optimal conditions for the pilots.”
Ever higher costs
Inflation does not spare the events sector. “Whether it’s the equipment and accessories that we rent, the cost of obtaining racing sanctions, the purses themselves, everything is more expensive. We also look at what is being done elsewhere, in this type of event, to remain competitive in terms of entry prices. We therefore have to juggle a limited budget while meeting high expectations.”
(Gaétan Tremblay)
The search for sponsors and partners is an ongoing effort. “We approach businesses all year round to seek their support. We feel that they too are suffering the repercussions of inflation; money is harder to get.”
Fortunately, the organization of the Grand Prix does not lack ingenuity. “For advertising, we try to develop as many exchange partnerships as possible to reduce costs while having maximum visibility. New this year, to boost ticket sales, we have set up an Athlete Program, a formula that we see a lot in the United States, but which is new here. Pilots are invited to approach their loved ones and networks to purchase tickets, each of which has its own QR code. When people buy tickets with this code, 10% of the ticket price is paid to the athlete, which reduces their participation costs. It’s a plus for our competitors, who at the same time become ambassadors for the Ski-Doo Valcourt Grand Prix.”
