Annual ‘Zwiftathon’ aims to raise £160,000 for World Bicycle Relief

Last year Zwift challenged its users to ride 100,000 miles in 24 hours for World Bicycle Relief (WBR) with Trek donating $40,000 when the target was hit. This year’s ‘Zwiftathon’ will take place on Saturday December 3 with $45,000 from Trek unlocked at a 250,000 mile target.

Founded in 2005 in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, WBR provide bicycles to those in need. Partnering with aid organisations in Sri Lanka, it distributed more than 24,000 bikes to displaced tsunami survivors, providing access to education, healthcare and livelihoods

Since then, it has helped provide specially designed, locally assembled Buffalo Bikes for students, healthcare workers and entrepreneurs across Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. Last year alone, it deployed 64,500 bikes.

WBR hopes to raise $200,000 through this year’s Zwiftathon, mostly through participants. However, everyone who rides on Zwift during the 24-hour window will be included in the mileage total, even if they haven’t registered with WBR.

Registration is free however – you can sign up here.

Everyone involved will be seen riding a Buffalo Bike within the Zwift world while the challenge is in progress. This will include a number of well-known riders, including Jens Voigt and Laurens ten Dam.

The top fundraiser on the day will win a Trek Madone Project One equipped with SRAM Etap and Zipp Wheels, plus a CycleOps Hammer Direct Drive Trainer (which is not yet available to the public).

In addition to this, every participant who manages to raise enough for two bikes (US$294) will receive a special Team World Bicycle Relief T-shirt, while everyone who takes part will receive World Bicycle Relief virtual kit.