THE NATION FUN RIDE “Wheels of Fun” returned this year to a few spills and lots of thrills.
More than 500 riders started the event, which had been on hiatus for a couple of years, after the countdown by MC Mac Fingall who was on hand at Orange Mall, Warrens, St Michael, for the prompt 5:30 a.m. send-off.
The spills mostly happened on roundabouts as the roads were slick from dew, with the major one occurring at the James Tudor Roundabout, near the former Globe Cinema, involving some of the more competitive riders. However, no major injuries were reported.
The “thrills” included young men performing stunts on the highway, including one who executed a daring handstand as he rode.
There is, of course, also the thrill of winning.
The first person to cross the finish line was Simon Clarke who did the little more than 11-mile course in around half an hour to be the Male Elite winner. The first female to finish was Esther Miller-Rosemond, also in the Elite category.
The first Adult Male was Handal Davis while the first Adult Female was Crystal Springer.
The biggest winner of the day, however, was Peter Watson, who had a kangaroo balloon tied to his bicycle. He won the Most Innovative Concept and Most Unusual Costume categories as well as placing third in the Most Unusual Bike category.
The chairman of the Nation Publishing Company’s 40th anniversary committee, Wilfred Field, thanked all the participants for their support and said he looked forward to the next event, the NATION Funathalon.
“I just want to thank the people of Barbados for coming and I encourage our readers and all Barbadians to continue on the road to better health. The next thing will be the Funathalon on November 17 which is another major event. We will continue to look at creative, innovative events for the public,” he said.
Coordinator Marilyn Sealy said she was pleased with the early finish for the event as all riders were back before 8 a.m., adding the event attracted a lot of elite riders. She said the Fun Ride was the first official event for the NATION’s 40th anniversary.
