ĐÀ NẴNG — About 50 cyclists from United Kingdom organisations in Việt Nam, and teams from Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand and Việt Nam will join the ’Cycle a Difference’ ride from Quảng Nam to Đà Nẵng on September 1-3.

The race organisers said the charity ride, which covers 500km from Thạnh Mỹ commune in Quảng Nam through Đông Hà city in Quảng Trị Province and Huế city to Đà Nẵng City, aims to raise money for the Newborns Việt Nam Programme that fights newborn deaths in the City and provinces by providing specialist British training for nurses and doctors, as well as life-saving equipment.

Acting Consul General of New Zealand to Việt Nam, William Young, Dr Mariano Anderle, Scientific Attaché Italian Embassy and Claudio Dordi, Professor of International law, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy and technical assistance team leader of EU-MUTRAP project, will join the cycling on September 3 in Huế and lead the cyclists out of the City to the 145 km ride to the Đà Nẵng Pediatrics and Obstetrics Hospital.

On the south side of the Hải Vân Pass, Mrs Gill Lever, wife of the British Ambassador to Việt Nam will lead the ladies team over the Hải Vân Pass to finish the race at the hospital on September 3. 

According to the race organisers, ’Cycle a Difference rides have raised over US$700,000 and 166 cyclists from around the world have cycled over 140,000km for the last three years.

Particpants include Paul Lasenby, an English former professional mountain biker, Richard Dunnett, a British mountain biking national champion, Round the World Race finalist David Lloyd, who lives and works in Hà Nội  and completed Việt Nam’s first bicycle ’Everesting’ by cycling up Ba Vì mountain nine times in one day to record a total ascent of 8,848m – the height of Mount Everest.

Vietnam Airlines supports Newborns Vietnam’s and has donated flights to support British led post qualification training for junior doctors.

In 2015, cyclists completed the 1,500km ride from the northern province of Lào Cai to Đà Nẵng city. – VNS