Bicycle Network promised big changes to the iconic event this year, including a closed lane of the freeway and reduced vehicle speed limits to 60km/h, to ensure the safety of 2000 riders participating in The Classic (220km) and 300km distances.

Maintenance crews from the Department of Transport and Planning have worked overnight this week, despite weather conditions, to clear more than 30km of the three-metre emergency lane along the freeway and the southern side of the Bay, from the ferry at Sorrento to Albert Park.

Bicycle Network CEO Alison McCormack says riders will be thrilled.

“In our post-2022 ride survey, we asked for feedback and riders told us they wanted to avoid punctures and safer freeway conditions. They insisted, and we listened. This year’s event will be the best one yet.”

Other changes this year include:

• Revised rest stops on the 300km route (with additional nutrition) to ensure riders get fuel when they need it most.
• Our first Ciclovia de Bogotá-style event, the Family Ride, which will take place on a closed circuit around Albert Park Lake.

United Energy Around the Bay has been a premium event on the Melbourne calendar for three decades and is the only day of year where you can ride fully supported around Port Philip Bay.

With seven different options, including a 135km Geelong start, it’s not too late to sign up today.

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The post Princes Freeway lane sweeping commences for United Energy Around the Bay appeared first on Bicycle Network.

Farmers Pick will supply 8000 bananas to the thousands of riders participating in all distances on the iconic event.

The food sustainability organisation says single bananas are being rejected by supermarkets when they are not attached to a bunch, creating waste on farms and costing consumers.

Farmers Pick co-founder Josh Brooks-Duncan says Australian bananas were the most expensive in the world at $4.50 a kilogram last month.

“Major supermarkets, Woolworths and Coles only purchase 70 per cent of Australian bananas and the remaining 30% are rejected because they are considered the wrong size, an imperfect shape, not the right shade of yellow, or simply because they are a single banana that’s come loose from the bunch,” Brooks-Duncan says.

Bicycle Network CEO Alison McCormack says riders will use the Farmers Pick bananas to fuel themselves during the event.

“We have been running this event for more than 30 years and we absolutely love working with Farmers Pick,” says Ms McCormack. 

“Their passion for sustainability and promoting healthy eating really aligns with our bike members so it was a no-brainer to support their banana farmers during their time of need. 

“We are sure the kids and families on our rides around Albert Park Lake will demolish their share of bananas and riders on the 100km, 135km, Classic and 300km distances will need a bit of extra sustenance too. It’s an absolute win-win.”

Farmers Pick has worked with local farmers since 2020. It aims to reduce waste by rescuing “imperfect” fruit and vegetables, offering Australians cheaper access to fresh produce and changing the decision-making process of corporate supermarkets.

Entries are still open for all distances on United Energy Around the Bay. Sign up now.

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For the first time since 1993, participants of the United Energy Around the Bay will enjoy a closed lane of the Princes Freeway in a tremendous boost for rider safety and enjoyment. Freeway speeds will also be limited during the event.

This will be a game-changer for riders of ‘The Classic’ route and the challenging 300km option.

Those taking part in the Family Ride will also enjoy more peaceful pedalling, with fully closed roads around Albert Park Lake to offer riders of all abilities a separated route for traffic-free family fun.

In addition to these safety measures, Bicycle Network is delighted to bring the start line back to Geelong for the 135km route.

“These changes are the direct result of invaluable feedback provided by our members and we’re thrilled to bring them to life for the 2023 United Energy Around the Bay,” says Bicycle Network CEO Alison McCormack.

Excitement levels were high at the launch event in Albert Park this morning, where Olympian Simon Gerrans and the voice of cycling Matt Keenan recalled tales from previous Around the Bays and spoke of the event’s unique ability to bring the bike riding community together.

Former AFL footballer Brendan Fevola and AFLW footballer Deanna Berry, official ambassadors for charity partner Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision, were in attendance, sharing their excitement for the upcoming event.

Bicycle Network is thrilled to be teaming up with Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision as a charity partner for United Energy Around the Bay for the next three years.

The two health charities are aligned in their purpose of improving the health of Australians and are enthusiastic about what they can achieve together.

“Every three days, a person is diagnosed with Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome, many of them children and young people; tragically, 50% will not survive,” says Amy Coote, CEO of Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision. “This partnership will change lives, helping Maddie’s Vision fund much-needed research and support for patients and families living with these life-threatening conditions.”

“United Energy Around the Bay is an iconic event that’s enjoyed by thousands and it’s great to be part of it,” says United Energy’s General Manger of Network Services James Walker. “At United Energy, we are pleased to be able to support the events that are important to the communities we serve. We are part of the community and every day we have teams working across the region supporting reliable power.”

Tickets for the 2023 United Energy Around the Bay are now on sale.

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Bicycle Network has secured the Department of Transport and Planning’s support for the event on Sunday 8 October, which will also see freeway speeds reduced during the morning.

The road closure will be welcomed by riders of ‘The Classic’ (220km) route, those tackling the 300km distance and their proud friends and supporters, says Bicycle Network CEO Alison McCormack.

“Safety is key to the success of all of our events, and we are delighted to offer riders such significant changes to the United Energy Around the Bay event this year,” says McCormack.

“We know this is an absolute game changer for the 10,000 riders who are planning to participate in the 2023 United Energy Around the Bay. Riders who have done this event for many years will be delighted by the change and we hope it will encourage more bike riders to join in.”

In another new safety measure, riders of the Family Ride (18km) will get to ride on a separated, closed circuit around Albert Park Lake.

“We are bringing back the Geelong start for the 135km route,” says McCormack. “Our changes are the result of great feedback provided by our members, and we are thrilled to be able to announce them today.”

Bicycle Network is also delighted to announce Maddie Reiwoldt’s Vision as the new United Energy Around the Bay charity partner.

“Our mission as a not-for-profit with a strong health focus aligns with so much of the work that Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision undertakes, and we are proud to have entered a three-year partnership with this wonderful organisation

Register your interest here to be amongst the first to find out all the details when early bird tickets open on 27 April.

The 2023 United Energy Around the Bay will be held on Sunday October 8.

For more information visit aroundthebay.com.au

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However, this year it’s a little bit different. Not just because it’s not yet time to think about next football season, but also because we can’t ride United Energy Around the Bay the same way that we’re used to.

This Sunday morning would usually see up to 10,000 of us with bikes by our side ready to roll away from the start line at Albert Park and take on Port Phillip Bay.

Whether getting ready to sit in the saddle for 300kms, or go on the first big bike ride with mum and dad, there would be a feeling of nervous excitement in the air. While we can’t experience all of that together, it doesn’t mean we can’t still get out on our bikes and celebrate everything that’s great about riding.

#AroundTheBlock

Instead of riding United Energy Around the Bay, this weekend we’re going to ride #AroundTheBlock! We’d love to see as many people as possible heading out for a ride in their local area.

If you’re in Melbourne, see how far you can ride in under two hours and close to home and share it on social media with us. 

You can get creative with your ride – maybe you can ride a route that spells out ATB on a map? Or if you can’t ride the 210km ride, perhaps you can knock off 21kms? If you’re lucky enough to live within 5kms of Albert Park you could still set off from the start line.

If you live in regional Victoria there are even more things you can do – perhaps you could even map out your own 210km loop ride?

Get your jerseys out

To fully celebrate the day, we’d also love to see you in your United Energy Around the Bay jerseys from years gone by. When you get out and ride you could wear the jersey from your most memorable year.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The look may have changed, but the feeling stays the same. Enter United Energy #AroundtheBay before 26 July to get this year’s jersey and make it part of the collection.

A post shared by Bicycle Network (@bicycle_network) on Jul 16, 2019 at 11:25pm PDT

If you’ve got a t-shirt from the early days of Around the Bay in a Day, a famous (or infamous) jersey from earlier in the 2000s or a confetti jersey from our 25th year ride, we’d love to see it!

Tell us your tales

If you’ve got any special stories about United Energy Around the Bay that you’d like to tell you can send us a message and we’ll publish it on our website. You can contact us here, or get in touch on any of our social media channels.

It could be a story about your first big ride, how you handled a headwind or the fastest time you’ve ridden. Maybe someone could even tell us the one about the rider who lobbed their pedals off the ferry into the bay!

While it’s sad that we can’t ride United Energy Around the Bay during this tough year, if there’s one thing we’ve remembered during 2020, it’s that bikes are still something that give us freedom and fun. And that’s what United Energy Around the Bay is all about, the joy of riding. We’ll still get to experience that this weekend.

Share your #AroundTheBlock ride with @Bicycle_Network on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. 

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The annual event was originally scheduled for Sunday 11 October 2020, marking the 28th edition of the ride that first began in 1993.

It will be the first time in nearly three decades that 10,000 bike riders of all ages and abilities won’t come together and ride around Port Phillip Bay as part of Melbourne’s diverse mass-participation event calendar.

Bicycle Network’s General Manager of Events Rebecca Lane said that while fingers were crossed the event could run as planned, public health and wellbeing must take a higher priority.

“Making the call to cancel this year’s United Energy Around the Bay was a decision we were hoping we wouldn’t have to make,” Ms Lane said.

“But in light of the current circumstances in Victoria, we believe cancelling the ride this year is the only responsible decision we could make, one which respects the work that our government and front-line health care workers are doing to navigate us through this crisis.”

Bicycle Network had originally hoped to host United Energy Around the Bay as a celebration to bring Melbourne back together as COVID-19 restrictions eased.

“We understand that this news will be disappointing for many people, especially when we’re all looking for something positive to look forward to,” added Ms Lane.

“From our 10 legends who have ridden every Around the Bay, families set to participate in their first event, our tireless team of 500 volunteers, suppliers and partners United Energy, The Smith Family and Winners and the wider bike riding community – this is a tough time.”

“But we know if we all do the right thing—cover up, keep it local and keep our distance—we’ll be back together riding soon.”

Plans are already being made for United Energy Around the Bay to return in October 2021 and for tickets to go on sale in April.

Tickets did not go on sale for the 2020 event, due the threat that COVID-19 posed in April and May when tickets traditionally would have gone on sale.

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His riding journey began in his early years, as shown in this photo when he was three years old in a tin car. He eventually graduated to two wheels thanks to the girl next door who gifted him her old Malvern Star, and he’s never looked back.

A young John Fuller riding in his tin car.

In these recent hard times, John has continued to keep fit and active by riding his bike and keeping up his training for Around the Bay.

John has been doing Around the Bay for nearly 20 years and really looks forward to the challenge that each year throws at him. Despite headwinds, flat tyres, bugs in the face and injuries, he always comes through with sheer determination – he loves a physical challenge.

John is a quiet achiever, when he sets himself a goal, he achieves it. With one of those goals, to become the oldest person to ride Around the Bay.

This year John has to celebrate his 70th birthday in isolation, but he will never let that get in the way of a good ride to beat the iso blues.

Happy 70th birthday dad and poppy, we hope you can enjoy bike riding for many more years to come.

John Fuller riding United Energy Around the Bay 2019.

John celebrates his 70th birthday in July 2020. This story was written by his son, John Fuller.

Do you have a bike story that you’d like to tell? Contact us and make a submission.

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10 riders, the United Energy Around the Bay Legends, have ridden every single year since 1993.

In 2015 Pirates Sporting Club took on the 210km ride on Melbourne’s blue RACV bikes, and because that wasn’t hard enough, they also rowed surf boats from Queenscliff to Sorrento instead of catching the ferry.

Last year, James Sheppard completed the 20km ride months after receiving a heart transplant.

With 10,000 riders gearing up to take on United Energy Around the Bay on Sunday 6 October, we’re sure there are more unique and inspiring stories out there and we want to hear them.

Do you know of someone riding United Energy Around the Bay this year with a special story to tell?

It doesn’t matter what ride distance they’re doing, if it’s their first or fifth time at the event, or are one of the hundreds-strong team of volunteers, we want to hear inspiring stories about the people who make the event what it is.

If you have a story to tell please visit our contact us page and let us know. If you’d like to write the story yourself please feel free to send it in and we can publish it on our website!

Haven’t entered United Energy Around the Bay? It’s not too late!

If you are still yet to enter United Energy Around the Bay, don’t worry, you still have time!

There are still spots available at the start line for the family-friendly 20km and 50km rides where children ride for free, as well as longer distance rides.

If you’re up for the ultimate challenge, there are also a handful of positions available in the 300km ride, but it is capped at 500 entries!

To see all the ride options available visit aroundthebay.com.au or click the button below to enter.

Once entered you can also get started on fundraising for charity partner The Smith Family – this year we’re aiming to raise $600,000 to help children in need with their education to break the cycle of disadvantage.

You can share your ride on social media to encourage friends and family to donate, and also set a special fundraising goal, such as $250 which will buy a child a literacy pack.

United Energy Around the Bay 2018

What to expect? Watch the highlights

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