“The Ride For Roy” to honour the life of Arab triathlon champion, Roy Nasr, who was killed by a drunk driver whilst riding his bike near Safa Park last year, will take place on March 7th with as many as 1,000 cyclists expected to take part.
Organised by TriDubai, a triathlon club co-founded by Nasr not long before his accident, the 65 kilometre ride will start and finish at Atlantis, The Palm. It will follow the route of some of Nasr’s favourite bike rides, crossing the bridge over Sheikh Zayed Road where the accident happened. Full details of the ride and the route can be found at www.tridubai.org/ride-for-roy.
“‘The Ride For Roy’ is a bike ride and not a race,” commented Ian Le Pelley, who co-founded TriDubai with Nasr and is leading the team organising the ride. “It is intended to honour Roy’s memory and to raise funds to help pay for the education costs of his two children. Registration is already open and we encourage people to register as soon as possible.”
Registration can be done online at www.premieronline.com/event/Ride_for_Roy or by visiting Wolfi’s Bike Shop on Sheikh Zayed Road. It costs 300 AED to register for the ride with 100% of the registration fee going to the education fund. Every participant will receive a Castelli, special edition “Remember Roy Nasr” TriDubai cycling top, with a retail value of 350 AED, which they will wear for the ride.
The cycling tops are being provided by gold sponsors: Emirates Flight Catering; DP World; Choueiri Group; Jumeirah; and Gulf Finance together with silver sponsors: Adventure HQ; Abela; Amana; Executive Expatriate Relocations; The National Investor; Dubai Physiotherapy Clinic; Jebel Ali Resorts & Hotels; Newton Running; SPADAMCO Holdings; and McCone Properties.
Nasr was an enormously talented triathlete who represented his native country, Lebanon, in races all over the world including the 2006 Asian Games and the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Florida, 2010. He regularly found himself on the podium at races, claiming a bronze medal at the World Age Group Championships in China in 2011.
When not training or racing, Nasr often visited schools and colleges in Dubai to promote a healthy lifestyle and to encourage children of all ages and nationalities to set themselves goals in life and to work hard to achieve their dreams, whatever they might be.
“Roy’s sporting achievements, as good as they were, don’t compare to the impact that he had on so many of the people who came into contact with him,” added Le Pelley. “It’s impossible to sum him up in words, but he was a huge physical and emotional force, whose love for sport and positive attitude to life was infectious. A fierce competitor when racing, he always had time for everyone – no matter their station in life – and this ride provides a perfect opportunity for people to honour his life.”
