October 2008

Queensland riders smile for Smiddy

Nine cyclists from Rio Tinto in Queensland participated in this year’s Smiling for Smiddy bike ride, raising $36,000 for cancer research.

Three riders (Blair Athol Mine’s Trevor Weisse, Rio Tinto Coal Australia’s Doug Hughes and Rio Tinto Alcan’s Jacqui Doel) rode the whole 1,600 kilometres, from Brisbane to Home Hill south of Townsville, with day riders joining them along the way.

The riders stopped off at Clermont, where Blair Athol Mine provided overnight accommodation and treated them to a dinner, at which Olympian Duncan Armstrong was master of ceremonies.

Sponsored this year with $20,000 from Rio Tinto Coal Australia’s Queensland sites, the annual eight-day event is in memory of keen triathlete Adam Smiddy, who died in 2006 from aggressive cancer at age 26.

Funds raised will go to the Mater Foundation in Brisbane for cancer research and treatment.