The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ONE of the most nationally renowned annual flagship fundraising events on the local sporting calendar, the 2015 Ride For Hope Bahamas will have an infusion of top international cycling talent from the United States.

This year’s event, scheduled for 7am Sunday (February 8), will feature the Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team which boasts a roster which includes national champions and some of America’s elite junior talent in the sport.

Emma White, the current under-16 time trial national champion, said it was a welcome change in scenery from her native East Coast weather in New York.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “This is kind of the beginning of the season so we’re just getting back on the bikes. It’s just nice to be in the warm weather.”

She has been on the National Championship podium 14 times in the last eight years for both road and cyclocross.

Jonny Brown, the 2014 under-18 road race national champion, is a three-time Tennessee state time trial champion and winner of multiple European road races.

“The first year I competed in this was great and this year is going to be excellent as well riding through the streets of Nassau,” he said.

Bahamian cyclist Liam Holowesko is also a member of the Hot Tubes team. After just two years on the local scene, he won the Bahamas Cycling Federation’s 2014 National Time Trials at just 13.

Toby Stanton, director of Hot Tubes, called the event one of the highlights of the season for his team because of the opportunity to give back and to compete in an amicable climate.

“This is one of the highlights of our season coming from the cold weather to someplace where it’s always sunny and nice. My team is made up of six cyclists, and they travel all over the world competing with the US national team. The team is from all over the US, and they are the best junior riders in the US,” he said.

“I love doing this event, it’s a really good cause and it’s a good opportunity for the young guys to learn what it’s like to give back. When they get to the top of the sport I want it to be familiar to them, to give back and this is a good place to learn. You always know what you’re going to get here - nice warm weather and nice breezes. Even the bad weather here is really good for us.”

According to its website http://www.hottubescycling.com/ the mission is to develop a complete athlete.

“We at Hot Tubes believe in developing all aspects of the cyclist. Being a great teammate, being a great leader in the world on and off the bike, these are the hallmarks of Hot Tubes riders. We believe that the experiences gained as part of our cycling programme prepare each athlete for national and international cycling competitions. 

“We also see the critical life lessons learned and shared, as they meld and transform into a team, working selflessly, seamlessly for each other and the common good of the whole.”

Ride For Hope will be staged in New Providence for the first time after eight years in Eleuthera, during which time the number of riders has grown to over 600.

In 2006, Ride For Hope started with 98 riders in Eleuthera and, over the years, has been hailed as one of the most efficient, organised and successful charity events in the Bahamas. A combined 2,900 riders have pedalled over 50,000 miles and raised over $2.3 million since 2006.

Participants can register as an individual, as a family or as a team. Registration is online at www.rideforhopebahamas.com or at Cycles Unlimited on Mackey Street.