Cycle the coast for road safety

THE BASS Coast Cycle Challenge (BCCC) is a charity cycling event in its thirteenth year with all proceeds going towards educating senior school students on road safety and cycling awareness.  

BCCC Founder and Director Gavin Slavin organised the education program in conjunction with the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) program. 

To fund the program so it could go into all secondary schools in the Bass Coast and South Gippsland, and in an effort to try and decrease road accidents across the region, Gavin decided to put on a cycling challenge to raise the money.

“It's pretty close to my heart, because I've lost a couple of friends in cycling, I believe educating our kids is the answer for improving our safety on our roads.”

Since 2010, BCCC has helped over 3000 local students take part in the game-changing RYDA and L2P programs that deliver practical road safety information targeting attitude and awareness of young drivers and their passengers.

The charity ride is slowly gaining pace again after a lull during COVID, and last year 500 riders turned out from Victoria, NSW and Queensland, and Gavin is hopeful of getting more numbers this November.

Another new ride has been added into the event to keep it fresh and exciting and that is a 100 kilometre (km) gravel ride. 

“Gravel bike riding is becoming very popular, and it also gets people off the roads as well,” Gavin explained. 

With four other ride options, the challenge offers something for all ages and abilities and cyclists can test themselves with hills, the coast or both, over 40km, 53km, 85km or 121km loops. 

E-bikes and other adaptive bikes are allowed so everyone who wants to participate can. 

“Cycling out through the hills and then finishing off along that coast road is definitely the highlight of the ride,” said Gavin.  

It is a combined community group effort on the day with a total of 63 volunteer traffic marshals from local groups such as the Lions Club, the Men's Shed, the church and many others helping out. 

BCCC provide funds back to these clubs to give back and support the local community. 

Refreshment stops along the loops will be provided, with water, electrolyte drinks, lollies and snacks available. 

BCCC were also recently nominated for an Excellence Award through the Bass Coast Shire Council Business Awards. 

“We're pretty proud of what we've achieved so far,” Gavin said. 

The ride will be held on Saturday November 11 from 7am, starting and finishing on Ramsay Boulevard, Inverloch outside the Beach Box Café. 

For more information go to basscoastcyclechallenge.com or contact Katie Hodge on bccyclechallenge@gmail.com.