Victoria Pendleton Pedals it Pink A Success!

YOU could not have picked a more amazing day for the ride in Liverpool’s Sefton Park, with a cool breeze and warm sun, and the leaves just coming into bud and awash with pink T-shirts whizzing past... It was a fantastic day on Sunday, 19 April 2009 and what made it even more fantastic was the fact over 700 women joined Olympic cycling champion and 2009 triple World Championships medal winner, Victoria Pendleton, for Breast Cancer Campaign’s first ever Pedal it Pink cycling event. The charity was so pleased with the event; they have informed us that they will be back again next year! Young and old joined in to raise valuable cash for the charity and from what we could find out, they came from all over the North West to take part. In fact the furthest anyone we talked to came from, was Nottingham... One of the organisers was so happy with the support she was lost for words at one point, just like our Editor, except he was suffering thanks to a medical problem... So sorry for the slow questions on our audio interview with Victoria Pendleton. The audio interview is on the last page of our photographic coverage.

Starting the events for the day was the 5k Family Lap. With partners and children stretching back into the centre of the park, Victoria set them off on what we were told by many, was an "extremely enjoyable ride". "It was so nice to see Victoria taking an interest in the children and also her fans, by chatting to them before the race. She is a lovely girl and a credit to the sport", a spectator Matt told us as he watched his wife and daughter whizz past on the Family Lap. Many locals, who cycled around the park, have been affected by breast cancer, including Jayne Smith from West Derby, who was diagnosed with the disease in October 2007. After finishing the 5K Family Lap with her husband, Paul, son, Sam (10) and daughter, Summer (5), she said:- "I really enjoyed it but it was hard work, I think I needed some more training. Summer did so well; she had her head down, pedalling away like mad the whole way! It was brilliant to be alongside all these women cycling for the same reason. I will definitely do it next year and be far more prepared!" Jayne’s friend, Nicola Reddington, from Knotty Ash, who won a pink and white Raleigh bike at the event launch in January, added:- "It was fab, the bike was great! I may be a bit saddle sore tomorrow but the event has inspired me to cycle more and I bought new bikes for my twins, Erin and Ellis (4) so we could all do it together."

Then came the second race, the half marathon (13.1 miles)... Again the line of ladies in pink when back as far as the eye could see... Lastly the full marathon (26.2 miles) set off, with just as long a line of cyclists, but this time headed off by Victoria and her Mum.

Glamour girl of the British cycling team, Victoria, said:- "I really enjoyed the event, it was refreshing not to ride on a road for a change. It was quite challenging in some parts, with changing surfaces, but me and my mum had lots of fun and so did the rest of the women out on the course." Comparing the park to her usual cycling habitat on the race track, she added:- "I still had to keep my wits about me, but there was more time to react today than in the Velodrome! It was so good to see so many women out there supporting such a great cause and everyone was really supportive of one another, clapping and cheering each other on. What a great way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon!"

The event raised a staggering £35,000 for breast cancer research. Catriona Wright, Events Manager at Breast Cancer Campaign, said:- "It has been a fantastic day, everyone’s been so enthusiastic and it was great to see so many people pedalling in pink while raising funds for vital breast cancer research. We hope to return next year to make Pedal it Pink even bigger and pinker!"

If you would like to help put the brakes on breast cancer, keep your eyes out for the next Pedal it Pink, which will be held in another city in October. Details can be found on the website.

Did you know?

Pendleton is an ambassador of Pedal it Pink, which is raising money to help Breast Cancer Campaign fund innovative, world-class research throughout the UK. Approximately 5,300 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the North West each year - 300 of those women are in Liverpool.

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