This fundraising project is an investment in the future of Australian Para Cycling. As a cycling club, St Kilda have a large number of Para Cyclists and would love to help grow that number. Our goal of $500,000 per year for the next 8 years will help not only the elite athletes we already have in Australia but also those who are at a grassroots level and looking for assistance with not only equipment but travel to competition.

Presently Para Cyclists who make the national team are funded by AusCycling to go to some World Cups and World Championships but are not funded for other races around the world and at times not all World Cups. With numbers of riders small in Australia these athletes would benefit from racing in Europe and/or North America where the number of riders is far greater.

There is also hardship for those interested in getting into Para Cycling with the cost of specialised bikes for each of the categories. Some 2 wheel bikes need modifications to meet the needs of the athletes disability, with hand cycles, trikes and tandems costing thousands of dollars due to the fact that they must be custom built to actually fit the person. These costs can be up to $20,000. This is a huge barrier to participation levels. We would like to help change this!

The Australian Para Cycling team has been extremely successful in the past but the success on the road is dwindling due to the fact that the riders haven't been able to attend races overseas (due to insufficient funds) and also because some of our more experienced athletes are retiring and we just don't have the numbers coming through from grassroots due to the cost of the bikes.

Carol Cooke AM PLY a club member who is driving this fundraising is passionate about Para Cycling and believes that we can be the number one nation in the world. But in order to be the best we need the numbers and be able to give the riders the opportunities to race the best in the world outside of the World Cups and Championships.

We would love to see people who are living with a disability take up the sport of cycling on whatever type of bike they need and we would love your help to make this dream a reality.

We believe it can be done with your help!!