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Sports Last Updated: Feb 25, 2017 - 2:25:23 AM


Tour de Turquoise cycling event in Exuma inspires students
Feb 21, 2017 - 4:15:42 PM

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CAMERONWILLIAMS: Jeff Todd, left, Director of Communications at GIV Bahamas Inc., stands beside Cameron Williams after he finished the grueling 50km race.

A nnual cycling event in Exuma raises more than $20,000 for new Children's Shelter and donates bikes to high school

EXUMA, Bahamas - In the hot blazing sun, 15-year-old Cameron Williams peddled and peddled in his flip-flops up the spine of Exuma.

His old, rickety BMX scraped the edge of the road where pavement met ash fault. He teetered, but never fell. Older boys in the back of a support vehicle shouted and encouraged the younger boy. Cameron hit another edge, and one of his shoes fell off.

The support vehicle car stopped. But he kept going. One of the boys picked the shoe up off the road, throwing it in the back of the truck.

Cameron was the last to finish the Tour de Turquoise, but finish he did, despite the loss of a shoe.

The event last weekend, now in its third year, featured dozens of cyclists of all skill levels and abilities, with more than $20,000 going towards a Children's Shelter for the island. Last year, Tour de Turquoise raised a similar amount and purchased a new hospital bus.

Howard Chang, the event's founder, credits the people of Exuma for embracing Tour de Turquoise and helping to make it such a success.

"I have been a homeowner on Exuma now for several years, and one of the reasons we chose Exuma is because of the people," Chang said, who owns an advertising firm in Toronto and helped bring a large group of philanthropists to the island. " The most rewarding part has been the enthusiasm we've received from the community, particularly the students."

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TrainingWheels: Tour de Turquoise attracted cyclists young and old, professional and novice, in an event that brought together the entire community.

With a special focus on youth, Tour de Turquoise, using a portion of its sponsorship funds, has been introducing bikes onto the island of Exuma. Students are given access to the bikes through a newly established club at L N Coakley High School.

This year, eight students got the chance to use the new bikes in last Saturday's race, while others, like Cameron, were also encouraged to participate in the event. The goal, Chang said, is to gradually introduce more bikes onto the island and allow students to use them in a monitored and safe environment.

"Bikes capture the imagination and we were overwhelmed by the support we've received from the high school," Chang added.

Tour de Turquoise features three events: a community ride involving a few laps of George Town, a 50km ride to Turquoise Cay and back, and the main ride, over 70km, taking riders to Santana's Restaurant and back.

In addition to a crop of highly skilled cyclists, all of whom made substantial donations to the cause, there were two VIPs in the mix.

Christian Van Velde, the US cycling star, is best known for his many wins on the professional circuit, including a 4th place finish at the Tour de France. Curt Harnett, a Canadian, has won multiple medals at the Olympics and held the world record for the 200 metre time trial for 11 years.

Overall, Tour de Turquoise was a community effort, with a long term vision to give back to the island. Among many others, Chang was assisted by John Nixon, the Airport Manager on Exuma, the Exuma Foundation of Canada, the Exuma Foundation (US), and GIV Bahamas Inc., one of the leading developers and philanthropic organizations on Exuma.

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CYCLINGSTARS: Cycling stars Christian Van Velde, left, and Curt Harnett, right, led the philanthropists through the stunning Exuma landscape last weekend to raise funds for a Children's Shelter.

Tour de Turquoise was sponsored by Grand Isle Resort, Dilly Crab Ranch, Sun-Fun Tours and GIV Bahamas Inc. In addition to the cycling, the philanthropists enjoyed a boat excursion up the Exuma Cays, courtesy of Sun-Fun Tours, and visited the areas many attractions, including the now world famous swimming pigs.

"Giving back to the island is a huge part of what we do," said Tyrone Munroe, Director and Head of Operations at GIV Bahamas Inc. "We thank Howard for his continuous efforts to give back to the island. I think this event in particular has tremendous potential for the future."

If the determination of Cameron Williams is any window into the future, the youth of Exuma seem to agree wholeheartedly.

For more information on the event, you can visit its website at www.rideforexuma.com


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