CAF and Strava Team Up for a Two-Week Cycling Challenge to Help Athletes with Physical Disabilities Gain Access to Sports

September 23, 2020

Top cycling prizes offered from Canyon, 100% Sunglasses, Nike and more

SAN DIEGO, CA – (September 23, 2020) – Starting on October 4, cyclists across the United States will have the opportunity to join the Ride for Challenged Athletes Foundation Strava Challenge, a two-week, 100-mile challenge, for a chance to win incredible prizes and support athletes with physical disabilities. From October 4 -18, Strava athletes can turn their pedals, raise funds and create awareness for inclusion in sports. The two-week challenge is part of larger and final push for fundraising of a $2 million goal for the multi-week 2020 CAF Community Challenge presented by Vega.

This will be the second ever Strava Challenge for CAF with the first one in 2014, prior to the app’s inclusion of the handcycle and racing wheelchair functionality that it has today. These advancements came in part by several CAF athletes providing insights to Strava including hand-cyclist, Rob Balucas.  In 2015, Rob was on a training ride, when he lost control of his bicycle and crashed and sustained a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Within 10 days, Rob had recovered enough to begin increasing his activity levels in a wheelchair. He was back to training, but this time as a para-triathlete on a handcycle. He used the Strava app to track his rehab and then worked closely with the engineers to include a handcycle mode for accurate routes and times.

All participants in The Ride for Challenged Athletes Foundation Strava Challenge who complete 100 miles of cycling and donate $10 or more are rewarded with the chance to enter an impressive prize-laden sweepstakes. CAF brand partners, Canyon Bikes and 100% Sunglasses are offering the top prizes to include; a Canyon Ultimate CF SLX Disc 8.0 bike (valued at $5,000); 100% Peter Sagan ultra-limited 24 karat gold Speedtrap® glasses (2 of the only 50 pairs made); NormaTech recovery boots; Hypervolt massage gun; Vega product and CAF gear.  All finishers will receive an exclusive CAF Challenge digital badge and discount code of 25% to shop at the CAF store.

Participants are encourage to join the Team CAF Strava Club and become engaged with CAF stories and achievements of challenged athletes like Gabrielle  “Gabby” Platt from Tulsa Oklahoma who will be featured during the challenge.  At the age of 24-years old, Gabby was randomly shot three times at a gas station and told that she would never walk again.  Now at 33, this single mom is part of the first ever CAF’s Women’s Handcycle Team and currently training to qualify for the U.S. Paralympic Cycling Team.  Gabby and many other CAF athletes will be joining the cycling community in this Strava challenge. Join here – www.challengedathletes.org/stravachallenge

About the Challenged Athletes Foundation

The Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF) is a world leader in helping people with physical challenges lead active, healthy lifestyles. CAF believes that participation in physical activity at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence and enhances quality of life.  Since 1994, more than $112 million has been raised and over 26,000 funding requests from people with physical challenges in all 50 states and dozens of countries have been satisfied. Additionally, CAF’s outreach efforts impact another 60,000 individuals each year. Whether it’s a $2,500 grant for a handcycle, helping underwrite a carbon fiber running foot not covered by insurance, or arranging enthusiastic encouragement from a mentor who has triumphed over a similar challenge, CAF’s mission is clear: give opportunities and support to those with the desire to live active, athletic lifestyles. To learn more, visit challengedathletes.org or call 858-866-0959.

About Strava

Strava is the leading platform for athletes and the biggest sports community in the world, with over 66 million athletes in 195 countries. If you sweat you’re an athlete, and Strava’s mobile apps and website connect millions of active people every day. Strava gives athletes simple, fun ways to stay motivated and compete against themselves and others without having to be in the same place at the same time. All athletes belong on Strava no matter where they live, which sport they love or what device they use. Join the community and make the most of your sport with a Strava subscription. 

Our favorite stats:

• More than four billion activities have been shared on Strava
• Athletes in every country on earth
• More than 2 million new athletes join per month
• Over 19 million Segments
• 190 employees, most in San Francisco with more in Denver, CO, Hanover, NH and Bristol, UK
• 1,100+ professional athletes are on Strava
• 9 billion Kudos given between athletes last year
• Over 4 million photos shared per week
• 300+ communities making commuting better with Strava Metro

About 100%®

100%, based in San Diego, California, is an independent premium sports brand with a focus in performance eyewear, technical apparel and sports protection. 100% empowers today’s most demanding athletes with the performance technologies and gear they need to compete at the top of a wide variety of sports.

100% is inspiring a new generation of athletes and asking them: “How much effort do you give?” The 100% brand boasts an impressive roster of athletes include seven-time Tour de France green jersey winner and three-time road cycling world champ Peter Sagan, reigning AMA Supercross champion Cooper Webb, three-time downhill mountain biking world champion Sam Hill, UCI cross-country mountain bike world and European champ Jolanda Neff, Brazilian ultra-running phenom Fernanda Maciel, four-time and reigning UCI downhill world champ Loïc Bruni, 2013 Ironman world champion Frederik Van Lierde, 2019 MLB rookie of the year Pete Alonso and San Diego Padres star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

www.100percent.com

About Canyon Bicycles

Canyon USA is based in Carlsbad, California, with a logistics facility in nearby Chino. What started life in founder Roman Arnold’s garage as Radsport Arnold has evolved into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of road, mountain, triathlon, fitness, urban and kids’ bikes as well as modern e-bikes. Officially renamed in 2002, Canyon works hand-in-hand with the best athletes on the planet to produce an array of award-winning bikes that embody a pure passion for riding. With a strong reputation for true innovation, implementing leading technologies, clean and clear design as well as the highest standards in quality and service, Canyon continues to expand worldwide, selling more bikes outside of its native Germany than within since 2008. As a pioneering direct sales brand, Canyon products are exclusively available online at www.canyon.com

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