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Olympian Rebecca (Becky) Wardell will describe her year-long cycling odyssey when she makes a whistle-stop visit to the Sawmill Brewery in Matakana on March 6.
She will be on the final leg of her journey, which started in Switzerland last April and will finish in her hometown of Hawea on April 19.
Initially she was travelling with two other New Zealanders – Sarah van Ballekom and Olympic rower, Emma Twigg – with whom she had been working at the International Olympic Committee. Emma left in Istanbul and Sarah continued to China.
Via email, Becky said a friend joined her for her ride through China, as did her parents for a few weeks.
“But I’ve been on my own through Thailand and Malaysia, and will continue to NZ solo,” she said.
Becky christened the ride A Long Way Home and is using it to raise money for the Forward Foundation, which supports young female athletes.
“Emma, Sarah and I all benefited from the support we received to encourage us to play sport as teenagers. We wanted to give back in that space and the Forward Foundation aims to support and encourage high school girls in New Zealand to play sport and be leaders in their communities.”
The journey has not been without its challenges.
“While in Iran, we were cycling in a row when suddenly Sarah slipped and came down, and then I crashed into her. We both ended up in hospital, me with four stitches in my knee. We spent a week in and out of hospital and physio recovering. We were so well looked after by the Iranian people.
“Then, in western China, we were looking for somewhere to stay the night. The only hotel in town told us to ask at the police station. The police said “no” and made us load our bikes into the back of a truck.
They then drove us 30km out of town and dropped us on the side of the highway, in the desert, and left.
“We slept the night in a drain under the highway (as we did for many other nights in western China!)”
Becky’s sporting achievements include competing in the women’s heptathlon at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
She will speak at a special function at the Sawmill Brewery on March 6, starting at 6pm. Patrons will be asked to make a $10 donation to Forward Foundation. To follow Becky’s journey, go to thelongwayhome.co.nz
