Mishall RehmanAfter two successful bike ride campaigns that have raised over $800,000, Wounded Warriors Canada officially announced Battlefield Bike Ride 2016. The Italian Campaign will be held June 2016 from the 10th to the 18th on the Adriatic Coast of Italy.
“Following the success of our ride this summer that saw us ride from Vimy Ridge to Groesbeek Cemetery in Nijmegen, BBR16 will build on the experiences of the past two years and promises an awe-inspiring cycling journey. Together, our group will cycle close to 600 k.m. to celebrate and reflect upon Canada’s considerable contributions to the Italian Campaign in WW2 (World War 2) while raising funds to support those living with operational stress injuries likes PTSD,” said Scott Maxwell, Executive Director Wounded Warriors Canada.
BBR 2016 will take bicyclists along Italy’s Adriatic Coast, through destinations key to the Canadian campaign in Italy during the Second World War. Participants will get a chance to stop at these destinations and sample the local cuisine.
Attendees will arrive in the historic city of Bologna, just northwest of the BBR starting point in Ravenna. Riding along the path, the first stop will be in Rimini. Rimini was the Northern Allied objective in 1943 and the site of the Gothic Line.
Next cyclists will arrive in Ortona. Described as the “Courtyard of Hell,” Ortona was the site of heavy and vicious fighting in December of 1943.
The participants will have a chance here to honour the fallen at the Moro River Canadian War Cemetery.
On the final stretch towards Cassino, the riders will visit other sites such as the Moro and Lirir Valleys.
A typical day for an attendee starts bright and early at 6:30 a.m. After breakfast and a morning brief, cyclists hit the road by 9 a.m. riding towards the next destination until noon. At noon, the participants get a chance to tour a place of interest during their lunch break. After lunch, the pack continues to cycle until they reach their hotel destination.
Then, cyclists have the evening to relax, dine and maybe take in some site-seeing.
Before participants can get started on their journey through Italy, they must raise $4,000 as the fundraising requirement. Participants are responsible for their transportation to Bologna and back to Canada.
Accommodations will be provided from June 10 to 17.
The 2015 BBR took its participants on a memorable ride from the Vimy Ridge Memorial crossing into Belgium and in to the Netherlands. The last two bike rides have raised over $800,000. The funds have been used to enhance programing that assists ill and injured soldiers, veterans, first responders and their families.
“This ride is open to all Canadians, and we hope they will join us on a life-changing cycling journey as we carry forward the mission and guiding ethos of Wounded Warriors Canada: Honour the Fallen, Help the Living,” said Maxwell.
Registration is now open for BBR 2016. Visit www.bbr16.ca.
