Locals to pedal Around The Bay

MORE than 10,000 cyclists will journey around Port Phillip Bay and through Geelong this Sunday as Around The Bay takes place for a milestone 30th year.

Local cycling club Cycling Geelong will have eight of its own taking part in this year’s ride, heading off from Geelong’s Cunningham Pier at 7am sharp on the 135km course.

Club vice president, Grovedale resident, and team member Keith Primus said the group had been training hard over the past year to prepare for the ride, often conducting several practice rides a week leading up to Sunday’s event.

“Our biggest challenge right now is just trying to relax, we’re all so excited at the moment.

“It’s a fantastic feeling on the day – this is my second Around The Bay ride, and it was great to be a part of last year.

“Everyone is in the same high spirits, everyone has the same goal, to get to that finish line. We can’t wait.”

This year’s ride will also be the first time since 1993 cyclists can enjoy a closed lane of the Princes Highway – the closure will only apply to the “Classic” (220km) and 300km routes.

Around The Bay has raised funds for charities since 1994 after it entered a partnership with The Smith Family charity.

This year, Bicycle Network – Around The Bay’s organising body – announced it would partner with Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision as a charity partner for the next three years.

Cycling Geelong team member, Rippleside resident and first-time Around The Bay participant Heather Kelly has a personal connect to Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision, which aims to create a brighter future for patients living with Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes.

Ms Kelly, a mother of two, lost her husband Rob to leukaemia, a bone marrow failure disease, two years ago.

“A lot of funding for Maddie’s Vision will go towards stem-cell research, which is obviously close to my heart,” Ms Kelly said.

“With more research and more funding to support it, the care and quality for people living with bone marrow disorders can be greatly increased.

“I think it’s terrific, there’s a lot of fundraising happening as a result, and I think the charity is expecting a terrific result at the conclusion of this year’s campaign.”

For more information on this year’s Around The Bay ride, head to bicyclenetwork.com.au/rides-and-events/around-the-bay

To donate to Ms Kelly’s fundraiser in honour of her late husband Rob, head to at fundraising.mrv.org.au/fundraisers/heatherkelly/around-the-bay