So riding 1000km to Sydney isn’t your idea of a good time? Well I bet if you had asked the members of ‘Surfers 2 Sydney’ a year ago they would have agreed with you. Ask them now however, and they couldn’t tell you a better way to spend 10 days.

Starting at Griffith University’s Gold Coast Campus on the 24th of November, 20 staff and students from the School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, joined by some close friends, will embark on this epic journey with the aim of raising money for Cystic Fibrosis Australia.

This charity was chosen for a number of reasons, the foremost being in support of 2008 Bachelor of Exercise Science/ Bachelor of Physiotherapy graduate and sufferer of Cystic Fibrosis, Sommer Tuson. Sommer’s participation in the event will show fellow members of the Cystic Fibrosis community that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to, and that keeping active helps in staying healthy and improving quality of life.

Unbeknownst to most people, physiotherapy has a major role in the treatment of these patients. It is hoped that this event will aid to raise awareness of not only Cystic Fibrosis, but also the important and often overlooked role of physiotherapy in the treatment of respiratory conditions.   

Interestingly enough, the members of this event weren’t all always the avid cyclists that you may think. However, as anyone who has tried out the sport can attest to, cycling is somewhat addictive and it seems now that all are hooked (not only for the Sunday morning coffees). Instead of finding participants tucked up in bed at 6:30 on a Saturday morning, you’ll have to search the streets of the Gold Coast for this unlikely bunch. We have gone from a group with over half having never ridden a road bike or used cleats (spending a great deal of time getting acquainted with the bitumen) to a team that would rival those from Europe. Okay, so the cycling elite are not going to be challenged by us anytime soon, however we have all found the social enjoyment just as important and motivating as the physical fitness.

This 10-day adventure promises to be a great way to finish off 5 years of study with a fantastic group of people, and raise money for a good cause in the process. This journey will culminate at Westmead Children’s Hospital on December 3rd, whose Cystic Fibrosis Clinic benefits from the research undertaken by Cystic Fibrosis Australia.

Take your time to check out the website for more information about this event. We would love to see you cheering us on at any of our stops, and implore you to donate to help our cause. We further ask you to support our sponsors where you can, as they have helped make this idea a reality.

Yours in cycling,

‘Surfers 2 Sydney’ team

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