WA charity Youth Futures is calling on cyclists to unite in the fight against youth homelessness by signing up for their charity mountain bike ride, the Pipeline Challenge.
Over five days, riders make their way from the red dirt of Kalgoorlie to the Mundaring Weir, tracing the golden pipeline which has been delivering water to the Goldfields for over a century.
“The Pipeline Challenge is a unique way test your limits, enjoy the great Aussie outdoors and spend some quality time with mates, all while helping to raise funds for Youth Futures, one of the oldest youth charities in the state,” said Youth Futures CEO Mark Waite.
Richard Lucas, conquered the epic mountain bike ride last year and is encouraging others to give it a go.
“The Pipeline Challenge was a great experience and helped raised money for a really good cause,” he said.
“I grew up in Cunderdin so it was nice to ride through some Wheatbelt towns I hadn’t visited in a while.
“I’m hoping to come back for more this year.”
Most Pipeliners participate as part of a relay-style team, taking turns to pedal it out in the name of supporting WA’s homeless youth.
But some participants like Richard want to go that bit further and tackle the whole distance, over 600 km, solo.
“The Pipeline Challenge is more about camaraderie and highlighting the issue of youth homelessness than completing the ride in the quickest time possible,” said event organiser Erica Balney.
“While we do have many mountain bike enthusiasts pushing their limits, the course has been designed so that it is still achievable for novices, so long as they do their training.”
Youth Futures empowers thousands of young people each year through accommodation, education and support programs.
Nearly 1,000 young people were turned away from the charity’s six homelessness services last financial year, as they were operating at capacity and could not meet the demand.
The Pipeline Challenge was established in 2015 to help Youth Futures support as many young people as possible.
