TWO-time Olympic cycling silver medallist Michelle Ferris is best known for thundering around a velodrome at a seemingly impossible speed.
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Now days her riding is done at a more leisurely pace and yesterday Ferris was back home in Warrnambool as ambassador for the Powercor Tour de Depot, a community ride raising money for Warrnambool and District Foodshare.
The event raised $50,000 for Foodshare, which executive officer Dedy Friebe said would provide the charity with a strong future.
More than 350 people signed up for the 10-kilometre ride, which started and finished at Lake Pertobe before heading up Banyan Street and around Albert Park before returning for a community celebration.
“This is more my pace now,” Ferris said before the community ride yesterday.
“It’s good to be home and to have a casual ride around the town. I still do a lot of riding now, but just socially.
“Occasionally I miss the competitive side of cycling, it was a huge part of my life, but I’m happy to just get out and go for a casual ride.”
Ferris won silver at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 2000 Sydney Olympics and now calls the harbour city home.
She said she tries to get home to Warrnambool as often as she can.
“The guys from Powercor called and asked if I was interested in being an ambassador for the event which was an offer too good to refuse,” she said.
“It’s wonderful to see so many people down here supporting such a worthy cause like Foodshare. They do incredible work in the community.
“I was shocked to hear they feed about 6000 people a year, so it’s great to be able to support them with this ride.”
Warrnambool and District Foodshare executive officer Dedy Friebe said the event was the perfect way to a wider fund-raising campaign.
“We need to raise about half a million dollars over the next three years to set up a permanent base for Foodshare,” he said.
“To do that we need the community to come on board and that’s what has been happening and today is just amazing. I’ve just been saying ‘wow’ all day.
“Powercor wanted to set up an event that gave something back to the community and we were so fortunate they chose us as the group they would support. It’s just been incredible and the money raised will provide us with a good base to start our campaign.”
