Will Arnold said that taking part in this year’s Tour de Rock has been the most uplifting experience in his life.
Arnold, who is a Community Rider in the 2025 Tour de Rock, was at the front of the pack of the 18 cyclists who are participating this year when they made a quick visit to his shop, Experience Cycling, in downtown Duncan on the the morning of Sept. 30 to meet cheering supporters who were waiting for them.
He said the approximately 850 kilometres the riders had travelled so far from Port Alice at the top of Vancouver Island to reach the Cowichan Valley had been “amazing” as they met hundreds of people along the way who handed over cheques and cash to help kids with cancer.
“There’s just no words to describe the experience and I encourage everyone to do it if they can,” Arnold said while posing for photos with supporters and the other riders.
“It’s been very emotional for me. I started training in March to get in shape for this. I had lost some weight while training, but I think I’ve gained it all back after eating all the great food provided for us along the way. I’ve raised $35,000 so far and I hope to raise more before this year’s Tour de Rock ends in Victoria, (which is scheduled for Oct. 3).”
Most of the participants in the annual Tour de Rock are police officers and first responders who are pedalling their hearts out to support those with pediatric cancer.
First set in motion in 1997, Tour de Rock typically raises $1 million each year, and has already raised $56 million to date.
Each participant is encouraged to raise a minimum of $5,000 which both supports and sends children with cancer to Camp Goodtimes in Maple Ridge during the month of July.
Also taking part this year is RCMP Const. Kyle Hicks, who was born and raised in Duncan and is a member of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment.
He said he has never had so much fun.
“It’s been an incredible experience so far and it feels like we’re all one big family,” he said.
“I’ve found the riding fairly easy, but it’s been emotionally hard for me meeting with so many kids and families that are impacted by cancer. It’s true that cancer affects everybody and it feels good to be able to bring some joy to them through Tour de Rock.”
Hicks said he found it touching that so many people are willing to open up their wallets and do anything that they can to help with the cause.
“We’ve spent eight months training for this three to five days a week,” he said.
“In my opinion, the true hero is my wife Kate who looked after our two young children by herself when I was gone practicing and now taking part in the Tour de Rock.”
Jenn Carter, a paramedic from Cowichan, is also riding in this year's Tour.
Simon Douthwaite, who cycled in the Tour de Rock in 2019 and has a 14-year-old daughter who is a leukemia survivor, was the Tour’s master of ceremonies during the visit to the Cowichan Valley.
He said the riders had breakfast on Sept. 30, which is Truth and Reconciliation Day, with First Nations members and the Lake Cowichan fire department in Lake Cowichan before riding to Duncan.
“Our aim is to raise $1 million and we’re about halfway there, and we have a lot more stops before we end this year’s Tour de Rock in Victoria on Friday, so I expect we’ll reach our financial goal,” Douthwaite said.
