New Record at Dana Point Grand Prix

Downtown Dana Point was packed Sunday for the Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling and the city's Cinco De Mayo celebration. 

Charon Smith made Dana Point cycling history, winning his division at 14:17:03 minutes.

Smith, a Surf City Cyclery and Sterling BMW team member won a $1,000 purse and a new record, making this year’s highlight race.

Shane Kline in the Pro 1NCC category took home first with a victory in front of Justin Williams. Kline clocked in at 1:30:36 and took home a $15,000 Prize Purse with his team SmartStop, but they weren’t the only winners that day.

The free kids' race gave young riders an opportunity to show off their talents. Racers Gavin and Chase Colcord, five year-old twin brothers, competed in the race earlier that morning. All kid racers won a cycling metal and a chance to ride on a grand prix course.

“There were a lot of fast racers,” Gavin said with a hot dog in hand. Both he and his brother were on bikes since they were three years old, and woke at 7 a.m. just to make it to Sunday’s event.

“It was fun,” Chase added while wearing a blue monster helmet, “I met new friends.”

Though Chase and Gavin can’t decide on who finished first, both intend on showing off their medals in class Friday at South Shore Christian Preschool and Kindergarten.

Downtown Dana Point was filled with families, vendors, food tents, and live music at Heritage Park and Deer Garden in Cinco De Mayo festivities, along with the all-day cycling event. All along Del Prado Avenue, the straightaway allowed viewers to get close to racers and help cheer them on, listening to the gear changes and tire hums around tight corners.

Before Youssef Azzazy, a 25 year-old Ph.D. student at UCLA and local Dana Hills High graduate, started his race, he gave his mother Amparo Azzazy a good luck kiss.

“We are so proud of him,” Azzazy’s mother said, “he’s a cautious racer but he loves the challenge.”

Despite the gloomy weather the crowds came out to support the racers.

“It’s been another successful event hosted by the community benefiting the local charities,” Russell Ames, Executive Director of the Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation, said. “The turnout was a home run and everything turned out better than we expected –even the weather held out for us.”