Sports Media Report
World Champion Speedway rider, Tai Woffinden, will swap his motorcycle for a static bike on 1st February with a challenging 24 hour Zwift ride in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity).
Woffinden, known for his daredevil talent on the Speedway track, is taking his speed to an endurance challenge of 24 hours of bicycle riding. Woffinden is aiming to double his previous fundraising goal and raise £200,000 in support of the childrens’ hospital and is inviting fans to join him along the route by signing up via the Zwift online platform and donating via his JustGiving page. The entire 24 hour ride will be livestreamed on his YouTube channel with hourly post updates on his Instagram and Facebook channels. Tai will be joined by celebrities from the world of Speedway, cycling, music and entertainment throughout the 24 hour event.
Woffinden will start off at 8.30am GMT live streaming from his studio in Derbyshire and finish 24 hours later. Zwift, the world’s biggest online cycling platform, will be supporting the event by listing 12 x 2 hour events on its platform. Zwift participants will join Tai in the rides, including a few “power hour” events where celebrities in cycling and triathlon will challenge Tai with the support of corporate fundraising matches during these hours.
All funds raised will go towards the new Sight and Sound Centre supported by Premier Inn at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH); the first dedicated facility for children with sight and hearing loss in the UK. Children with these conditions are the largest group of outpatients at the hospital, and they need more specialist facilities designed to meet their needs. The centre is due to open later in 2021.
Woffinden said: “GOSH is a charity that’s really close to my heart and I can’t think of a better reason to get on my bike. As a professional Speedway racer I depend on my sight and hearing to give me a competitive edge so I can’t imagine how tough it must be for kids experiencing those conditions. I’d like to thank my friends from the Speedway circuit and other pro athletes who have already agreed to support me and I’m calling on all my supporters to donate and to join me for part of the ride and help keep my energy up as I push through the pain barrier.”
Liz Tait, Director of Fundraising for GOSH Charity added: “It’s been a tough year for fundraising in the light of the global pandemic, with many of our usual events in support of the hospital cancelled or paused due to Covid-19 restrictions. To have Tai undertake this extraordinary challenge, in extraordinary times is fantastic, and we are incredibly grateful for his support. The funds raised will be in support of an absolutely vital facility to help children from right across the UK who live with rare and complex sight and hearing conditions, and we’ll be cheering him on the whole way.”
Eric Min, Zwift CEO and Co-Founder from Zwift said: “We started Zwift over seven years ago with the aim of getting people more active more often by making indoor training fun. Since the very beginning we’ve been astounded by the achievements and creativity of our wonderful community. It’s fantastic to see that the platform is helping people stay active but also as a platform to raise money for great causes. A 24 hour marathon is no small feat and I wish Tai all the very best in his effort to raise £200,000 for GOSH. I hope the community will join me and support Tai in one (or more) of the official events to help him get to that finish line.”
