BOTH the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) Dr Frank Anthony and his counterpart from the Ministry of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy have envisioned a massive ‘Ride for Life 4’ which pedal off next Thursday and covers a distance of 226 miles across Guyana.
At a simple press briefing held in the boardroom of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) yesterday afternoon, an elated Dr Anthony expressed his happiness at being associated with the Ministry of Health for this year’s event.
“The MCYS is very pleased to be associated with both the Ministry of Health as well as the NAPS in promoting this year’s ‘Ride for Life 4’ which promises to be a massive event and a prominent one on the calendar of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF).
Over the past three years, this event was used to sensitize the public on HIV/AIDS Awareness and this year, we are looking at sensitizing the public on a healthy lifestyle which is a worthy situation for all parties involved” stated Dr Anthony.
He said the quality of the event has improved over the years and that was possible because the respective parties involved met and looked back at the previous years to see where they went wrong and what can be done to ensure the same mistake is not repeated.
“Added to the fact that we have looked back at the previous years, what we have noticed is that a number of international participants competing in this race, as our aim is to promote a healthy lifestyle across Guyana through this race.”
According to Dr Ramsammy, the privilege to work along with the MCYS is a delight which realized the ambition to make this year’s event a true international event and at the same time ensuring it remains a premier event not only on the GCF’s calendar, but the Caribbean at large.
“We have outgrown our method of spreading the message on HIV/AIDS, so now we are looking at spreading the message on a ‘Healthy Lifestyle’, with cycling being one of the mediums we chose to do so and with this race being guaranteed until 2015, what better way than to start with it.
Added to that, I would love to see other National AIDS programmes throughout the Caribbean emulate Guyana and spread their AIDS Awareness campaign in the form of a cycle meet such as this one” stated Dr Ramsammy.
Meanwhile, president of the GCF Hector Edwards said his one wish is to see this year’s event be a more competitive one in comparison to previous years, especially with the present form of the local cyclists.
“I wish to see this year’s race be a more competitive one in comparison to previous years and taking into consideration the present form of our cyclists who have recently competed in the Central American and Caribbean and Commonwealth Games respectively.
Added to that, many of our cyclists refused to compete in the Caribbean Cycling Championships, just to be here for this event and I think it speaks volumes on the quality of this race and the importance and priority the cyclists themselves give to it.”
Kaieteur Cycle Club’s Geron Williams who along with inaugural champion Alonso Greaves and Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams represented Guyana in cycling at the recently held Commonwealth Games in India.
Geron clocked a time of 10h: 30m: 51s to take last year’s event, which was eight minutes faster than the previous year’s time of 10h: 38m: 13s done by Junior Niles, while Greaves completed the inaugural journey in a time of 11h: 04m: 28s two years ago.
The race, which has an attractive first place prize of $200,000, will pedal off at 0700h one week from today from the Corriverton Police Station and proceed to New Amsterdam for the finish with the cyclists being back on their  saddle at 1400h where they will journey from Rosignol to Carifesta Avenue Georgetown.
The following morning, those who remain in the race will travel from Wales to Parika with the cyclists being sent on their way at 0900h, following which the entourage will travel to Supenaam for the Essequibo County leg.
This will be competed on the morning of the 6th November from Supenaam to Charity and turn back to head to Suddie for the finish, with the 226 miles journey culminating next Sunday morning (6th November) with the 62 miles journey from Kara Kara to Homestretch Avenue.