Yes, the Ride for Life is back again in 2011, for the eighth consecutive year, and this year it will be once again staged on a Sunday and on the same popular circuit as the previous three years.

It's a fun day for everyone! And it's for all ages. Whether you are there to compete, cheer on the cyclists, provide support for your corporate team, join in with the fun ride, check out the latest cycling equipment with the bicycle trade show, jump on the jumping castle or just enjoy the atmosphere it is a day to mark in your calendar.
The Ride for Life course is a fast undulating 2-kilometre circuit in the centre of the Park and is only made possible due to the great support from Centennial Parklands, our sponsors and the SES.

Activities for children include the recreational family fun ride at 9:50am, some great music & entertainment and a jumping castle. There will be plenty of food available or you may like to bring a picnic hamper.

Rick Christie and his wife Vicki were both diagnosed with cancer in 2002 and underwent cancer treatment at the same time. Rick, inspired by the feats of Lance Armstrong and his world acclaimed book "It's not about the bike" not only became motivated to overcome testicular cancer, but to also emulate what Lance Armstrong had achieved in America with the "Ride for Roses" Charity Ride. He looked for a way to raise funds for cancer treatment and do something to assist other people who were diagnosed with cancer and went onto establish Ride for Life.

Rick Christie brought together an energetic and committed group of people who shared his vision including Phil Bates AM, NSW's leading cycling promoter, Professor Michael Friedlander AM (the Director of Medical Oncology at Prince of Wales Hospital), staff of Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation, and several other community volunteers (including some cancer survivors) and set up The Ride for Life committee in 2004 .They have focused on raising money to support cancer survivors and people living with cancer since then.

The Ride for Life is an established cycling event that has become a feature on the NSW Cycling calendar and has raised in excess of $300,000 for the Prince of Wales Department of Medical Oncology.

Here's where your money goes... Funds so far, have been allocated towards a number of programs including:

1. An exercise program known as "Fighting Fit for Cancer" for patients undergoing chemotherapy
2. A Fatigue Clinic which is conducting research into speeding up recovery times for cancer patients after treatment
3. Co-funding together with the Milton Stedman Foundation, the salary of Dr Kate Weber a medical oncologist who is the inaugural Fellow in Cancer Survivorship and has been working hard to establish the Cancer Survivorship program at the UNSW

Ride for Life, the UNSW Lifestyle Clinic and University of NSW have joined forces to establish the NSW Cancer Survivors Centre located at the University of New South Wales. The centre is the first of its kind in Australia and brings together cancer specialists working with children, adolescents and adult cancer survivors, to assist their full recovery after treatment. The facility is currently co- located with the Lifestyle Clinic at the UNSW and more detailed information of the centre can be downloaded here. (PDF of Prospectus).

Building on the success of the past seven years the committee is again focused on making this year's Ride for Life Day a great day of cycling.

The day will cater for all standards and skills, with all grades of cycling children's races, a corporate challenge and a fun recreational ride.

For those that want to spend the day with the family this is it!!

There will be a picnic atmosphere. Centennial Park has welcomed the staging of a festival atmosphere featuring some great music, entertainment, food stalls and a bicycle trade show.

The day will also show off some of our professional cyclists with Olympians and Games champions Steve Wooldridge OAM and Ben Kersten, both ambassadors for the event.

Entry fees are $30 for a standard entry, $40 for a late entry whilst a corporate team of five cyclists can enter in the Corporate Teams Challenge for a fee of $250. The Fun Ride is being staged as a great occasion for families to pedal along with the many celebrities and raise funds for the Department of Oncology.

The racing events and the fun ride will be staged on a closed 2-kilometre circuit - free from all traffic. It will have safety barricades and SES marshals allocated at points around the course to ensure everyone can enjoy their day. The fun ride is the ideal opportunity to join other recreational peddlers, celebrities, members of parliament, Olympic champions and cancer sufferers to raise the much-needed funds. The $10 fee for an individual or $20 for a family will certainly help with the ride due to be staged in the centre of the racing program, from 10.00am to 10.30am.

View the NSW Cancer Survivor Centre Prospectus here.

The Hon Marie Ficarra, MLC, will host a luncheon at Parliament House Sydney to launch the 2011 Ride for Life.

This year's "Poly's Plate" (in honour of the late Andrew Polivis) is expected to be a sellout. Andrew's wife Nicole, a great supporter and such an enthusiastic worker of this day, heads the team and is a way to express appreciation for the great care that Andrew received from Professor Friedlander and the staff at Prince of Wales Oncology during his illness.

Last year's special guest Alan Jones AO, a cancer survivor himself was very motivating and was assisted greatly by Glenn Wheeler, a multi media star as the emcee. Along with many leading businessmen and dignitaries, guests will be entertained in the Stranger's Dining Room by Deborah Thomas, the Editor in Chief of Women's Weekly, other guests along with several Olympic champions who will be in attendance.

Tickets are $120 each and tables of ten are available - lunch is from 12 noon to 3pm. Download the booking form here.

The 2-kilometre undulating course in Centennial Parklands provides the scope for competitive and enjoyable cycling - depending on the event.

It is a fast and exciting course for grade riders, whilst also providing a safe race circuit with barricades to close off traffic and pedestrians.

Another safety feature for all riders is the assistance given by SES and the Rural Fire Brigade and qualified first aid attendants.

With 10 cycling events scheduled throughout the day there will be action aplenty and lots of entertainment and fun activities as well for the whole family.

The Trade Show last year unfortunately clashed with the Melbourne trade show. This year we have avoided this and which many of the trade exhibitors are returning to our trade exhibition. It will provide the opportunity for everyone to enjoy their FREE entry to check out the latest in bikes, cycle clothing and accessories.

Many will have a chance to pick up some great information as well the opportunity to take advantage of some special prices on what will be on show.
Best of all you will be able to see what will be coming out in 2012.

Scattered around the Trade Show area will be some food, drink and craft stalls, and there will be various children activities and non-stop entertainment.

Info on the trade show can be downloaded here and an application form to be part of the Trade Show can be downloaded here.

A printable PDF download of the program of events can be downloaded here. Please note all riders will need to be registered and ready to start at least 30 minutes before their event. Inter Club Events

All entries for age events and graded events will need to be lodged with Cycling NSW. These events are open to registered racing cyclists and entries should be made via website www.nsw.cycling.org.au

To participate in the Corporate 24k challenge, staged at 11am, there are two options:
1.As a team of five competitors. Much focus will be directed to the Corporate Teams award, with the winner declared from the best four performed riders from each team. Their times will be added together and the least accumulated time will be declared the winner of the Corporate Teams Challenge. NB. Members of the team will be eligible for individual prizes as well 2.As an individual. Individual prizes will be awarded to the first three place getters. Entry Forms for the Corporate Challenge event can be downloaded here: Team Entry form | Individual Entry form.

The recreational family fun ride will commence at 9:50am and be staged on the same closed circuit as the racing. This is the ideal event to get with your family and friends, register to take part and even gain support for the pedal by being sponsored as an "everyday hero".
You can pedal a leisurely few laps or the maximum number in the half an hour allotted for the ride. Entry forms for the ride can be downloaded here: Individual Fun Ride Entry Form | Family Fun Ride Entry Form

A Sydney Institute TAFE relay challenge event, organized by Randwick TAFE, will commence at noon and has been included again this year following the success of the last three years.
2011 will be an 8-lap (16 kms) race where each member will race one lap(2 kms). TAFE teams from throughout the Sydney Metropolitan area contest this keenly sought after trophy.
All cyclists will be pleased to have Randwick TAFE NSW back again actively supporting the ride this year with their able bodied masseurs providing FREE massages for those who may need one after their ride.
Please remember that this is a generous donation of volunteer time for all to share and if there are many who would like a massage you may need to wait your turn ... so bring something warm to wear and something to drink.

The Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation event commences at 12:50pm and is a relay challenge for organisations associated with the Prince of Wales Hospital.
This event is a team relay race comprising of four competitors where each member will ride their 1-lap (2 kilometres) to race other teams. Teams will need to wear their own designed T Shirt and register their team colour when completing the Foundation Cup.