Countdown begins for cyclists who are visually impaired
DUBAI: The countdown has begun for a unique challenge in the UAE as a team of sighted and visually impaired cyclists prepare to ride over 200 km coast to coast on Friday, February 16th, 2007.
The Cycle foreSight team will start their journey from Le Meridien Mina Siyahi, Dubai at 6.30 am and follow a specially planned route to Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach, Fujeirah, where there will be an awards presentation ceremony.
The UAE team is made up of experienced and novice cyclists. The team members who are visually impaired will ride on tandems as the "stoker" (in the rear position) with a sighted person as the "captain" (at the front). Emirates Bank is supporting this event enabling the tandems to be brought specially to the UAE and raising funds for Foresight, to help find a cure for hereditary eye disease. The initiative will enable local people who are partially sighted and blind to participate in a new sport.
The tandem riders will complete the course in relays and each 20 km leg of the ride will be a physical challenge. The team aims to complete the journey between 7 and 9 hours meaning the pace of cycling will be very swift. Training has already begun in earnest involving members of the Emirates Association of the Blind, Foresight and Tamkeen and cycling enthusiasts from Dubai who have generously given their time, support and expertise.
Catherine Wallwork from Foresight was a "captain" at the first training session. "It was an inspirational moment when the team members who are visually impaired were introduced to the tandems for the first time," she said. "Several had ridden bikes as children before they lost their sight, but no-one had ever ridden a tandem or been on the road for years. Within 15 minutes they were cycling confidently. It was a terrific experience."
Sulaiman Hamid Al Mazroui, Chief Manager - Group Affairs, Emirates Bank, expressed support of this unique community activity supported by his organisation. "We applaud the determination and commitment of all the Cycle foreSight team members, both sighted and partially sighted in taking on this physical challenge." Emirates Bank has generously donated funds to cover the purchase of the tandems and to Foresight for research into finding a cure for hereditary eye diseases, such as Retinitis Pigmentosa, that make people go blind.
"Le Meridien Al Aqah have always been committed to its social responsibilities, and we are honoured to participate in this good cause event .We are looking forward for this event, and we are going to exert our maximum efforts to facilitate the UAE tandem team ride" said Patrick Antaki, General manager, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort.
Cycle foreSight is under the honoured patronage of HH Sheik Marwan Mohammed Hasher Al Maktoum who will participate in the ride using his own tandem. The event has been organised by non-profit organisation Foresight, whose Chairwoman Katy Newitt, will be one of the visually impaired stokers. Huge support has been provided by Wolfgang Hohmann, owner of Wolfi's Bike Shop. "We couldn't have planned the event without him", said Katy, "and I thank him for his immense generosity, expertise and contact with the local cycling community." Hertz Car Rental has also played a major role in providing transport for the cyclists and the tandems.
Katy pointed out that fundraising is just part of this unique initiative. "There is now the opportunity for people who have lost their sight to be able to cycle." The tandems will have a permanent home at the Emirates Association for the Blind in Sharjah giving long term access to the pleasure of cycling. "I thoroughly enjoyed my first ride on the tandem," said Adel Al-Zamar, Vice President of the Association, "and it has given my fitness training a real focus. It is great to be part of this team event."
-Ends-
About Foresight
Until recently untreatable, new progress in research means that cures for hereditary retinal diseases will be found. Our aim is to accelerate finding cures for retinal diseases such as Retinitis Pigmentosa. For some forms of retinal disease a cure could be found within 10 years. We offer support and information to people losing their sight through these diseases.
We also lobby to improve the lives of people who are visually impaired and blind in the U.A.E.
Foresight is a U.A.E-based non-profit making organisation and a branch of Tamkeen and an associate member of Retina International (which coordinates major retinal research internationally).
Tamkeen (the Arabic word for enabling) is a non-profit organisation, initiated by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for the training of visually impaired citizens of working age. This unique training centre provides professional training courses that aren't found anywhere else in the U.A.E. All courses including transport are free of charge.
Tamkeen's objective is to empower vision impaired U.A.E nationals and residents with practical, vocational skills to enable them to enter the modern workplace to become economic and socially independent citizens.
About Emirates Association for the Blind
The aim of EAB is to increase public awareness of the issues facing blind people; To strive towards providing them with training programs and services; Communicating with governmental officials and institutions for the purpose of providing laws and legislation that protect the rights of blind people as citizens entitled to job opportunities and training services provided by the government and national organisations; To improve the level of educational and vocational qualifications of blind people and those that work with them; To contribute to the efforts in conducting research about the problems and the needs of blind people, methods of providing care for them, the reasons for loss of vision, and prevention methods and their effectiveness; To contribute to the efforts for providing services and social benefits to blind individuals and groups who are not able to benefit completely from government services.
About Emirates Bank
Emirates Bank Group is a leading regional financial services conglomerate based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The Group services include Wholesale Banking through its Corporate Banking Units, Retail Banking through meBANKING distribution channels and Al Shaheen priority banking centers, as well as Treasury Services.
Emirates Bank Group also offers Islamic Banking through Emirates Islamic Bank, Investment Banking through Emirates Financial Services, Property Development through Union Properties, Insurance through National General Insurance, Card Processing through Network International, Brokerage Services through Emirates International Securities and Executive Training through Global Training Centre.
Emirates Bank Group was the first bank in the UAE to open a branch in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Group owns 10% stake in Bank of Beirut and is a strategic shareholder in Al Baraka Banking Group. The Group also has a branch in London and representative offices in India, Iran and Singapore.
Emirates Bank Group enjoys a solid financial position and ranks among the top UAE banks in terms of total assets and profitability. The Group has an excellent rating by International Rating Agencies. It also has firm footing in the UAE community through its corporate social responsibility programs, particularly Al Tomooh scheme for supporting and financing small national enterprises.
For more information kindly contact Mr. Ibrahim Sowaidan, Group Marketing Manager, Emirates Bank Group, on Tel: 04-2092916 or mobile: 050-6538937.
About Wolfi's Bike Shop
Wolfi opened his first cycling shop in Germany in 1987. In 2002 he set up his second in Dubai. With 15 years of cycling retail experience behind him (and having been a enthusiastic cyclist since a young age,) within a very short period of time WBS Dubai established itself as the place to go for everybody who wants to know about bikes from children to adults.
Today Wolfi's is known as the place to go if you want to drop-in for a chat; gain some tips to improve your cycling; or get initial help and advice if buying a first bike for your child, an off road bike, a racing bike or a bike for recreational use.
WBS staff do all they can to meet the needs of both first time visitors as well as regular and loyal customers from Dubai and the rest of the UAE and GCC. WBS-Dubai prides itself on keeping up-to-date with the latest technology and news from the world of cycling and triathlon.
About Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort
Le Mridien Hotels & Resorts, with its portfolio of more than 130 luxury and upscale hotels in 53 countries worldwide, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. The majority of Le Mridien properties are located in the world's top cities and resorts throughout Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. In the 2005 Luxury Brand Status Index survey Le Mridien was recognised as one of the top 15 luxury hotel brands. For more information, please visit www.lemeridien.com.
About Starwood
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W, Le Mridien and the recently announced aloftSM and ELEMENTSM Hotels. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
** Please contact Starwood's new, toll-free media hotline at (866) 4-STAR-PR
(866-478-2777) for photography or additional information**
Thank you also to Hertz and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi
To contact Foresight:
Tel: +9714 3911443
E-mail: info@foresightrp.com
Website: www.foresightrp.com
To contact Emirates Association for the Blind
Tel: +9716 5247700
E-mail: alzamar@emirates.net.ae
To contact Tamkeen:
Tel: +9714 3911444
E-mail: info@tamkeen.ae
Website: www.tamkeen.ae
To contact Wolfi's Bike Shop
Tel: +9714 3394453
E-mail: info@wbs.ae
Media Contacts:
For media information for Foresight contact:
Sally Prosser 050 5740271
E-mail: sally.prosser@foresightrp.com
© Press Release 2007
