Pedalling fun for OCBC Cycle

SINGAPORE — A slew of activities, including a cafe bike crawl, sports injury prevention workshops and photography classes, will be rolled out from March as part of the build-up to the inaugural OCBC Cycle 2015, Singapore’s newest mass cycling event, taking place in August.

And the event’s organisers have not ruled out the possibility of the race going through Orchard Road.

If that happens, it could be the first time that the popular shopping belt — which has hosted the annual Standard Chartered Marathon, and activities such as street tennis and yoga on Pedestrian Night on every first Saturday night of each month — stages a mass cycling event.

“The route depends on what is logical,” said Koh Ching Ching, OCBC Bank’s head of group corporate communications, at the launch of the event’s Corporate Rides at Shimano Cycling World at the Sports Hub yesterday. “We are starting from the Sports Hub, it’s whether we can cycle from here to Orchard Road. If we can, why not?

However, she added: “But it’s not for us to decide or confirm, we have to work with the authorities to decide what is a suitable, (safe and practical)route for all participants ... but also the motorists and residents. There are many factors to consider before we finalise the route.”

To be held from Aug 29 to 30, the OCBC Cycle 2015 is expected to feature about 9,000 participants. It will flag off and end at the Sports Hub in Kallang.

Yesterday’s event also saw the launch of two corporate ride packages — The Business Times Cycle of Hope Corporate Bike Ride and The Corporate Bike Ride — with only 1,000 places available across the two packages.

More than half of the registration fees will be donated to charity, and the company whose participants clock the most mileage will win the inaugural OCBC Cycle 2015 Longest Distance Award.

Seventeen Friends of OCBC Cycle 2015 were also unveiled at the launch. This will see companies such as Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore and NETS as well as the National University Hospital Sports Centre offering hotel stays and dining offers, and sports health screening packages, from the race’s official launch on March 9, to those who sign up.

Participants can also enjoy a series of activities and workshops. For a fee of S$5 per activity, they can take part in a Canon photography outing, cafe bike crawl and Singapore Sports Institute’s healthy cooking workshop.

Koh said the activities are to help give the OCBC Cycle 2015 a unique flavour and appeal.

“It’s really an event by the business community for the community,” she said. “We definitely want to (launch) this year’s event with a big bang. Singapore has so many sports events; how can we encourage and incentivise someone to choose us?”

OCBC Bank and Spectrum Worldwide previously worked together on OCBC Cycle Singapore, but ended their partnership mutually after last year’s race, with Spectrum organising Cycle Asia Singapore from April 10 to 12 at the F1 Pit Building.

Safety remains a key concern for both cycling event organisers, particularly after last year’s OCBC Cycle Singapore was hit by tragedy after the death of national serviceman Chia Wee Kiak, who died after falling off his bicycle during the 59km Super Challenge.

To improve safety protocols, the Singapore Cycling Federation (SCF) said yesterday that all cycling events must submit their risk assessment plans to the association for approval.

“Previously, we expected the organisations to have their own (risk assessment plans), but now the federation wants to have it because of what happened last year,” explained SCF president Suhaimi Haji Said.

“They will engage a third-party risk assessment manager and submit it to us. We will advise them. The risk assessment (report) will be shared among us, the Traffic Police and the LTA (Land Transport Authority).”

For registration details of the OCBC Cycle 2015, visit www.ocbccycle.com