The seven-day Cops for Cancer Tour de North fundraiser kicks off tomorrow (Friday) in Prince George and Vanderhoof.
The cycling fundraiser is raising money for paediatric cancer research and will wrap up on September 18th in Prince Rupert.
Spokesperson, Alison Fenske told Vista Radio it should be a gruelling but rewarding journey.
“We are riding over 850 kilometres on bicycles. It’s not easy but I am looking forward to the Terrace to Prince Rupert day because it is one the most beautiful stretches of road in British Columbia.”
Fenske added everyone involved is ready to kick off the fundraiser.
“This team, this year is amazing. We have done a ton of rides and a ton of kilometres and we have ridden so many metres of elevation. I don’t think we can be more ready, we are just very excited.”
Fenske, who was part of last year’s Tour de North, which passed through the Peace Region and into the South Cariboo was a great experience and pre–cursor to what lies ahead in 2025.
“We are on these bikes for sometimes eight hours a day and some of the Prince George riders I kind of knew going in. Some of the riders I didn’t know until we got on the bikes together the first day in Dawson Creek. One thing that I wasn’t anticipating was just how close we got, how quickly we got and how much I missed them once we got off the bikes.”
The ride has a little more meaning to it this year after the death of Shane Kelly back in July after being struck by a vehicle during a training ride.
“We talk about him all the time. Everybody has a story about Shane and we have sayings where he used to say all the time, let’s go play bikes.”
“If you were lucky enough to know Shane Kelly, you would know just how amazing of a human being he was. Shane put a lot of heart and soul into everything he did and I feel extremely privileged to be on our team and that I got to call him my friend.”
The Cops for Cancer, Tour de North has raised just shy of $217,000 – well on its way to their fundraising goal of 250-grand.
A media launch event is taking place in Prince George tomorrow morning (Friday) at 9am at Heritage Elementary School on Anderson Road.
A closing media event will be held on the 18th in Prince Rupert at the Crest Hotel on 1st Avenue.
TOUR DATES
Sept 12: Prince George, Vanderhoof
Sept 13: Vanderhoof, Fort St James, Fraser Lake
Sept 14: Fraser Lake, Burns Lake
Sept 15: Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers
Sept 16: Smithers, Witset, New Hazelton
Sept 17 : New Hazeton, Gitwanga, Terrace
Sept 18: Terrace, Prince Rupert
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