Sport
11 April, 2025
Ready to ride
CAMPERDOWN’S Bentley Currell will next week begin his long ride home from Mildura to raise funds for the Brain Cancer Foundation.
Supported by his proud parents Brooke and Gus (who will ride alongside him), the inspirational 11 year-old will spend his school holidays cycling around 520 kilometres in about 10 days.
As of earlier this week, the Camperdown College student had raised almost $12,000 for the foundation (and was aiming for $15,000 before arriving home).
“This ride will take us on a journey of approximately 520 kilometres and was all Bentley’s idea,” Gus told the Chronicle late last year.
“We’re really proud of him; he truly does have a big heart and is always thinking of others.”
The pair have been in training for the ride and are planning to cover at least 50 kilometres a day on their bikes, aiming to complete the journey in about 10 days.
While for some, pedalling such a long distance in a relatively short timeframe may seem daunting, for Bentley it is a challenge he is confident he will conquer.
“Bentley isn’t daunted by the distance, we’re really enjoying riding together and training and this won’t be the first time he has done a charity ride – this one will just be a little longer than the first,” Gus said.
As reported in the Camperdown Chronicle last year, Bentley’s first charity ride/walk saw him raise just over $1500 in a month for the Epilepsy Foundation.
Not long after, he approached his dad with his “new idea”.
“Just a few weeks after the Epilepsy fundraiser Bentley came to me with the idea of a second charity ride, from Mildura to Camperdown, to raise money for brain cancer awareness and I accepted the challenge,” Gus said.
“Bentley told me the reason he chose this foundation was became the disease had impacted a staff member at his school (Camperdown College) and he wanted to do his bit to help find a cure.”
Speaking from Mildura on Wednesday, mum Brooke said the family was enjoying a holiday in Mildura before starting the journey home next Monday.
“We’re aiming for Bentley to arrive in Camperdown at the clocktower around 2pm on Thursday, April 24,” she said.
“He had a training ride this morning (Wednesday) in Mildura and will have a few rides over the next few days and then have a rest over the weekend.”
In between training sessions on the bike, Bentley and Gus have been working hard to gain sponsorship and support for their ride.
Anyone who is yet to make a donation but would like to can email bgcurrell@bigpond.com
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