California–February 6, 2013
The 7th annual 50-Mile Ride for Rwanda takes place Saturday, April 27, in Orange County, California, beginning at Oakley World Headquarters in the community of Foothill Ranch.
The fundraiser which is hosted by Oakley attracted 800 riders last year and this year expects 1,000 participants. Mountain bikers will tackle challenging roads and trails while gaining a grand total of 5,100 feet in elevation. (Easier 25- and 10-mile options are also available.)
Over the first six years, the ride has raised more than $320,000 for nonprofits including Team Rwanda Cycling and World Bicycle Relief. http://50mr.com
The idea for the ride started when mountain bike pioneer Tom Ritchey first visited Rwanda in 2005. Ritchey was moved by the beauty of the country and also by the people and their stories since the Rwandan Genocide occurred in 1994.
Soon thereafter Ritchey founded Project Rwanda, a nonprofit that created and distributed cargo-bearing utility bikes to impoverished coffee growers.
In addition, Tom recruited his friend Jock Boyer to form, coach, and mentor the young men who would become Rwanda’s first National Cycling Team. The mission of Team Rwanda Cycling is to search for talent to “empower, enable and to inspire” individuals, families, communities and a nation through cycling.
One of the Rwandans who has benefitted from their help is Adrien Niyonshuti, who lost 60 members of his family in the Rwandan Genocide. Over the course of approximately 100 days over 500,000 people were killed in the political struggle, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate.
Niyonshuti who will be at the ride on April 27, started cycling in 2003. Three years later he rode a
mountain bike for the first time, and winning a local race. He joined Team Rwanda and in 2011, Niyonshuti qualified for the Olympic Games.
RIDE DETAILS
WHEN
7th Annual Rwanda Ride: Saturday April 27, 2013
50 mile option starts at 7:00am (check-in at 6:30am)* 25 mile option starts at 9:00am (check-in at 8:30am)* 10 mile option starts at 9:30am (check-in at 9:15am)*
*FastTrack check-in on Friday April 26 from 11am to 6pm at ROCK N ROAD CYCLERY in Mission Viejo. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at FastTrack as well.
WHERE
50 and 25 and 10 Mile Riders: Staging and post-ride party at OAKLEY WORLD HEADQUARTERS, One Icon, Foothill Ranch CA 92610.
ENTRY FEE SIGN UP ONLINE
25 and 50 Mile Event: $60 before April 26, 2013 ($80 on-site)
10 Mile Event: $40 before April 26, 2013 ($40 on-site)
ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 12 NOON ON THURS APRIL 25
(Late registration available at Rock N Road on Friday April 26 from 11am to 6pm, and also available at the event. Event day registration is $80.) CLICK HERE FOR PAPER REGISTRATION
Source: Adventure Cycling
