Charity rides dig deep to reach finish line

The last Tour de Gracetown was the last iteration of the iconic event in the state’s charity cycling events calendar after 20 years.

in conversation with Business NewsEvent founder John Sofield said the ride could not compete with rising operational costs, an increase in the number of events (leading to difficulties gaining sponsorship) and ever-changing council restrictions.

“When we first started, we would ride every year in March and November and would attract 200 riders per tour and raise $50,000,” Mr. Sofield said.

“This lasted until 2010 when councils and traffic management came into play.

“Our operating costs went from zero to $15,000 per trip.”

He estimates the event has raised more than $750,000 for a number of different causes since Mr. Sofield’s first trip, when his friends biked the 130-kilometer return route from his beach house in Gracetown.

This week’s final ride of up to 100km, starting and finishing at the Fraser Gallop Estate, will raise money for Margaret River charity River Angels, which supports families affected by cancer.

The Tour de Gracetown is one of many fundraising trips that have come to the end of the road in recent years despite efforts to overcome cost challenges.

In 2016, the ECU Highway Bike Walk for Asthma held its last ride after eight years due to a decline in participant numbers and rising costs.

Many other cycling events, including the Margaret River Tour, will move to gravel roads from 2026 to avoid high traffic management costs.

tattoo the roads

The Perth Integrated Activities Team has been organizing trips for the last 26 years.

PIET, along with many other event management organizations, has been struggling with increased expenses required for municipal permits, traffic management and insurance since the pandemic.

Their new events are a rare road ride in the South West (Cowaramup Tour) and the Perth Coast Cycle Tour is in its second year.

The coastal ride north of Perth separates registration and fundraising activities, giving cyclists the option to donate to a selection of four charities.

Ian Wee founded PIET as a charitable arm of his multidisciplinary clinic Perth Integrated Health.

he said Business News Participants’ expectations for the quality of the events were well above what was realistically possible.

“The average attendee of non-cycling events also seems to want much more than can be provided by costs,” Mr Wee said.

“When trying to keep costs low, the cost-benefit ratio often comes into question, causing many people to decide to terminate their events.”

pedal power

Despite the roadblocks, some of the state’s longest-running charity rides are on track and shifting their focus to the rider experience.

Life Cycle for the Canteen WA’s OnRoad rides, which started in 1998, are the state’s longest-running charity rides, followed by the Hawaiian Ride for Youth, which was first held in 2003.

The event, which raises funds for mental health service provider Youth Focus, estimates raise an average of $46,753 per rider each year. Business News.

Over the past two decades, Youth Focus chief executive Derry Simpson has experienced generational change as the journey has become a family tradition of sorts.

“I think that’s what makes Ride for Youth unique in terms of longevity,” Ms. Simpson said.

“Getting young drivers involved… that keeps it going, keeps it fresh.

“That’s his power.”

He said the appeal of the event, a 700-kilometre journey from Albany to Perth, was due to community involvement.

“Instead of checking in and seeing who was there when they came to do a little charity drive, [Ride for Youth participants] spend six months of their lives together [training]he said.

Although the drive raised a total of $36 million, Ms Simpson said insurance costs, the complexities of driver safety on regional roads with increased traffic flows and charity fatigue remained a challenge.

Youth Focus is now considering solutions such as additional virtual trips or shorter events.

Second in most funds raised annually per passenger was Ronald McDonald House Charities’ WA’s Ride for Sick Kids campaign, with an average of $13,000, while the MACA Cancer 200 averaged $3,710.

tailwind

In terms of funds raised, Cancer 200 leads all charity campaigns nationwide.

Earlier this year the event was named the fourth largest fundraising event in Australia and New Zealand by Donor Republic.

The 200km round trip from Perth to Mandurah has generated a total of $84 million for the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research over its history.

“We have never shied away from the fact that it is the driver experience that matters, and we will ensure that the driver has the most incredible, life-changing experience throughout the weekend,” said Paige Gibbs, chief engagement officer at the Perkins Institute.

“They actually sign up and go [to the next ride].”

In its 14th round this month, the Cancer 200 raised $8.3 million with the participation of 1,660 riders.

Ms Gibbs said bringing the ride in-house in 2018 was a key factor in its success.

“Before this, it was outsourced to a for-profit event company, and we just saw the experience of cyclists going downhill,” he said.

“At Perkins… we are very committed to the cause.

“This makes us very agile, so if something needs to happen, we don’t need to go through many layers to make it happen.

“If something isn’t working, we can turn around and go another direction and… also, we don’t rinse and repeat. Never.”