The Tour de Rock group made their way down Fitzwilliam St. on Sunday, Oct. 2 as they stopped in Nanaimo for the annual fundraising ride. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

tour de rock

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Oct 2, 2022 | 5:19 PM

NANAIMO — It’s been so hot, so sunny for this year’s Tour de Rock ride down Vancouver Island, participants are campaigning for a new name.

Riders for the annual Cops for Cancer fundraiser, which has raised over $27 million through its 25 year history, stopped in Nanaimo on Sunday, Oct. 2 ahead of an overnight stay in the Harbour City and tours through schools and businesses on Monday.

Tour rider and Parksville city councillor Adam Fras served as the local ambassador, in the absence of Nanaimo RCMP officer Cpl. Terry Crawford who was forced to withdraw due to injury. Fras said the traditionally soggy tour has been bone dry.

“Today we were calling it the Tour de Tan Lines, because it’s been a lot of sun. But how fortunate are we to be able to ride in this beautiful fall weather, see the trees out to Tofino, that was a road I’d always wanted to ride on.”

Drivers in Nanaimo can expect some minor delays around the group as they snake their way through town in the morning hours.

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Fras was still on cloud nine after leading the peloton into his home community late last week.

He said all the advice and preparations from past riders on what the experience would be like, severely undersold the actual day.

“As much as they describe it to you, and get you prepared for it, tell you about it, you have no idea until you get into it. It’s overwhelming the amount of energy, it’s really an emotional rollercoaster as well because you’re with such amazing people all day long, the high is just non-stop.”

Fras’ turn at the head of the pack took him through his old school, Kwalikum Secondary, as well as the elementary school of his junior rider.

“(Students at Arrowview Elementary) all had personalized name signs out there for us as we rolled in, and just absolutely incredible, they raised $8,000 for us.”

A small but passionate group met them at the Selby St. train station on Sunday.

A $69,000 donation from the Island Corridor Foundation’s recent golf tournament anchored a presentation, with more donations and community stops scheduled later Sunday night and into the morning of Monday, Oct. 3.

Fras also completed a head shave which began Thursday in Parksville and saw him lose the right half his hair, beard and moustache.

Alumni rider and Nanaimo resident Simon Douthwaite said support for the ride this year is setting new benchmarks.

He said some communities on the north Island had raised more than ever, despite challenges surrounding employment and the economy.

“To be back in full swing is just fantastic and we’re raising money, sending more kids to camp than we’ve been able to. (The absence of Tour over the last two years has) given everyone time to have a check and think about what’s important in their lives and so the level of support has been astonishing.”

Support for the group has extended well beyond financial donations.

Douthwaite said some in the group required physio attention in Port Alberni on Saturday night, with a handful of physios leaving family dinners to lend a hand.

Riders leave Nanaimo by lunch on Monday, bound for the Ladysmith/Chemainus area as the group of 20 continues heading south.

They’re due in Victoria on Friday, Oct. 7.

Funds raised at a recent Island Corridor Foundation golf tournament were donated Sunday to the Canadian Cancer Society. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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