Fireflies Charity Tour Calls For Riders

The Fireflies Antipodes is calling for riders for its second cycling tour, taking place from 19 to 26 February 2017. Launched two years ago by Wilf Sweetland, managing partner of The Sweet Shop Australia, the ride covers more than 1000km, over seven grueling days, around the stunning landscapes of Tasmania.

Riders are aiming to raise awareness and fundraising for The Snowdome Foundation, in aid of beating blood cancers and leukaemia. Snowdome was co-founded in 2010 by Grant Rutherford (then ECD at DDB Melbourne and now with The Monkeys), following the loss of his daughter, Chloe, to leukaemia. The call for saddles is open from today to Monday 28 November and is looking to welcoming new riders from Asia and the Antipodes. A limited number of places are available so interested parties should sign up soon at  Fireflies Antipodes or email Wilf at sweetland@thesweetshop.tv

The original Fireflies Tour was established in 2001 by ad exec Sandy Watson-Scott, (then Head of TV, M&C Saatchi) in recognition of relatives’ and friends’ battles with cancer – to date it’s raised more than £1.7m for leukaemia research and treatment. Over the last 15 years the tour has grown to hundreds of riders, who, each June, make the challenging 1000km ride, from Geneva to Cannes, across the high Alps — arriving during the Lions festival for a well-deserved bucket of rosé or two. RSA Films is the tour's main sponsor, so to get involved contact producer Laine Lindsay Law at LLL@rsafilms.co.uk or visit Fireflies Tour.

Fireflies West was started in 2007 and now attracts around 50 cyclists a year riding down the coast of California from San Francisco to Los Angeles.