news archive

Introductory Tandem Cycling Clinic - 14 Jan 2007

This free clinic is designed to introduce beginners, both front riders and back riders, to tandem cycling. It will be held at George Burnett, Manning Rd Karawara from 8:30am to 11:30am on Sunday the 14th of January 2007. If you would like to attend, please contact Adriana on adge.l@bigpond.net.au or 9276 9018. Click here for more information.

Southwest Tour - 27 Nov 2006

This year our annual tour took in the Southwest of Western Australia. Four days of cycling, fun and a little bit of promotion.

Day 1 - We travelled by train to Bunbury where we met Hab and Paul with the bikes and support vehicle. Our trip to Busselton included a stop at Capel Primary School where we enjoyed their hospitality and afternoon tea and gave a presentation on tandem cycling, blindness and the path to the paralympics. True to form, Pollock, everyone's favourite guide dog stole the show. In Busselton, we caught up with our friends Josh, Duncan, Jane and Nev, having dinner and a good time at Albie's.

Day 2 - Accompanied part of the way by Nev, we travelled the back roads through dairy country to Cowaramup where we stopped for lunch then visited the primary school. At the completion of our presentation, we rode to Margaret River for our evening stop and food, drink and fun at the Settlers'.

Day 3 - Despite the heavy rain overnight, the third day had great weather for riding. After visiting the Margaret River Primary School, we travelled to Dunsborough via back roads, visiting vineyards, potteries, breweries, chocolate factories and Simmo's icecreamery. The route took us through forests and vineyards and everyone agreed that it was a top day!

Day 4 - This was our longest day in the saddle. After visiting the local primary school, we completed the 85km trip to Bunbury, arriving in plenty of time to catch the train back to Perth.

The whole tour was an outstanding success. Thanks to all members for their assistance in the presentations to the schools - this is a vital activity in our efforts to promote tandem cycling for the vision-impaired. Special thanks to Gaele, Hab and Paul for their contributions in transporting the bikes and driving the support vehicle.

City of Perth Great Bike Ride - 26 Nov 2006

The 2006 City of Perth Great Bike Ride was another great success. This is the third year that the event has been run and the third year that WATCAC members have participated. This year, six of our tandems and a single bike did the one-lap, 53km event and our friends Leon and Chris took their tandem into the two-lap event. Once again, the event was well and safely organised, with all of our members enjoying themselves. Congratulations to Tony and Kirsty for whom this was the first time in the event and more pertinently, the first time up Mosman Park Hill!

Freeway Bike Hike - 2006

The 2006 Asthma Foundation Freeway Bike Hike was another great success. This year, 15 WATCAC tandems and 4 single bikes participated, with a total of 13 vision-impaired riders. The ride to Joondalup and back is a distance of over 70km, which is the longest ride ever for some of our members, so congratulations to all who participated. Now for the City of Perth Great Bike Ride in November!

Tandem Cycling Clinic (Road) - January 2006

Learn how to ride a tandem. Our favourite coach, Janelle, will be running another free clinic from 9am to 12am on Sunday the 22nd of January at Technology Park, Bentley, near the Kent St entrace. This clinic will focus on road skills on the internal road network, then we'll cycle off to Como for a coffee. For more information, or to register, email info@watcac.org or contact Adriana Lepore on 9276 9018.

City of Perth Great Bike Ride - November 2005

We're expecting up to 16 of our members to ride in the event this year. Come back later and see the snaps.

Goldfields Tour - October 2005

The 2005 WATCAC Tour to the Goldfields was a great success, see the photos on the gallery page.

30th Anniversary Ride

Monday, 3rd October 2005, saw 11 blind and vision impaired tandem cyclists commemorate the 30th anniversary of the first recorded group tandem ride in WA. The ride re-enacted the same course from the Association for the Blind offices in Victoria Park, to the Perth City Council. The riders represented each stage in the development of tandem cycling in WA, and were welcomed at Perth City Council by the Lord Mayor.

In 1975, the Association for the Blind organised the first organised tandem ride as part of the WA week celebrations. This ride was the start of what is now a rich history of blind and vision impaired cycling in WA.

WATCAC is now the service that supports and develops tandem cycling for the blind. Over the past 3 decades, some of the achievements have been to facilitate and support elite cyclists to 4 Paralympic Games; conducting rural tandem tours; involvement in community bike rides and the establishment of a regular recreation tandem cycle program.

Of the 11 cyclists joining the 30th Anniversary ride, 3 of the original riders rode again, as well as riders from 1970’s, 80’s, 90’s and a number who are riding actively now. Of particular note were the 3 junior riders representing the future of blind and vision impaired cycling in WA.

Certificate of Appreciation

The certificate was received from the Association for the Blind of WA in recognition of WATCAC's efforts in providing a great day at the velodrome as part of the Association's school holiday program.

Tandem Talk - 23 May 2005

The latest edition of Tandem Talk is now available on tandem talk page. Among many articles, read all about our successful come and try day, put on in collaboration with the Association for the Blind and Cyclewest coach Rick Lee.

Freeway Bike Hike - 20 March 2005

WATCAC's team of 29 riders on 13 tandems and 3 single bikes all finished and had a great time, enjoying the novelty of riding the freeway and through the Graham Farmer tunnel. A special mention for the new members who all completed the 30km ride, for the three generations of the one family who all made it, and for new members Chris and Kurt who made it there and back. Finally, a big thankyou to Adriana and the Lepore family for managing the transportation of tandems around the city. The Asthma Foundation are planning to do it again next year and so are we!

Annual General Meeting

The combined AGM and Christmas BBQ was held at Matilda Bay. Amongst other items on the agenda, life membership was awarded to Ron Anderson and Gaele Sutherland, congratulations and thanks to both of them for their invaluable contributions over many years to tandem cycling and sport for the vision-impaired.

That was our last event for the year, a calendar for 2005 will soon be available and will include a beginner's tandem clinic in January. Have a happy and safe Christmas and New Year!

Wheatbelt Ride Report

The Wheatbelt ride was once again very successful. We received fantastic welcomes from the staff and students from the schools in Brookton, Beverly, York, Quairading and Cunderdin. Quairading deserves a special mention for the great job done by a student who organised their end of the trip as a project. See the November issue of Tandem Talk for a full report on the trip.

Great Bike Ride Report

The event went ahead as scheduled with three tandems ridden by WATCAC members riding amongst 1700 cyclists. The event was very well organised and all who participated enjoyed themselves and finished in good times. Go to the photos page to find links to some photos from Aussies in Action.

Wheatbelt Ride

Scheduled for the 10th, 11th and 12th of November, plans are well in hand. This should be a ball. Members, please contact us if you need more information.

Great Bike Ride

This is being scheduled by Rotary for the 7th of November. We're getting some tandems out there. Go to www.greatbikeride.com.au for more details.

Rotto Weekend

We rode, we swam, we ate, we saw snakes - what more is there to say?

Rotto Ride Is On!

This is set for 16/17 October and is all go. Accomodation has been booked and discount ferry fares have been negotiated. This has been a great event over the last few years so everyone is really looking forward to it. If you have any enquiries about this, contact Beau on 9381 7018.

WATCAC Party 25th June

So it wasn't actually a birthday party, but we did get to recognise the members who will be competing in the paralympics and we did get to sizzle some sausages! Overall a great success.

recreation ride 10th June

Attendees, including two new riders, were rewarded with a beautiful sunny day. Ray introduced us to the Roe Highway paths and we finished with the traditional cafe stop and gasbag.

2004 tandem upgrade program commenced

Starting in April 2004, this program will see WATCAC's tandems progressively upgraded. The first phase which involves the purchase of new equipment for and overhaul of 6 tandems has already started and should be completed in time for the tandem clinics in May. The next phase will see the same bikes fitted with new wheels. For more information, please contact a committee member.

february edition of tandem talk now available

The February edition contains more tips for cyclists and reports from our recent rides. See the tandem talk page for this and previous editions.

calendar of events finalised

The calendar of events for 2004 has been finalised. It includes Sunday recreation rides, tandem cycling clinics, a Rotto weekend and a 3 day wheatbelt tour. See the calendar page for details.