PANAJI
A record 500 men, women and children participated in 75-km and 30-km Fun Freedom Cycling rides on August 15, organized by Margaao-based cycling club Xaxti Riders, to celebrate the spirit of freedom and unity.
Headquarters Goa Naval Area (GNA) and Verna Industries Association (VIA) partnered with the club to mark the beginning of the Platinum Jubilee Year of Indian Independence. The event was also supported by Goa Olympic Association.
“This unprecedented participation has fulfilled our dream to inspire both young and old to take to cycling for fun and fitness,” Sameer Nadkarni, president, Xaxti Riders, said in a press release.
“We are extremely happy and privileged to be associated with Xaxti Riders for this impressive cycling event,” said chief guest, Rear Admiral Philipose G Pynumootil, Flag Officer Commanding Goa Naval Area, after flagging off the 75-km ride from Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. “We would most certainly and wholeheartedly participate in such sporting events in future too.”
A 30-km cycling ride was flagged off jointly by guests of honour, former Indian cricketer Mohinder Amarnath and founder of VIA, Nitin Kunkoleinker, from Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.
Pradip da Costa, the VIA president, was equally supportive. “This is the silver jubilee year of Verna Industries Association,” he revealed. “We felt that one of the ideal ways celebrating it was to collaborate with Xaxti Riders and promote environmentally-friendly and health-promoting cycling activity.”
For the first time ever, nearly one of every four riders was a woman or a child. “It was seven to seventy-nine,” Nadkarni said. “Our youngest rider was Rylan D’costa (7) and the oldest, Retd Wing Commander, Ajit Guglani (79). In addition, the 77-years-old Admiral Arun Prakash, former Chief of the Naval Staff and a veteran of the 1971 Indo-Pak War, also completed the 30-km ride,” Nadkarni informed.
The rides were conducted in strict adherence to Covid safety protocols, whereby the riders were flagged off in batches of less than 100. Moreover, wearing a face mask and producing a vaccination certificate was mandatory for every rider. All the participating cyclists were awarded a finisher's medal.
