The Award-Winning Tour de Pier Outdoor Cycling Charity Event Returns to Manhattan Beach Pier

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. - March 25, 2015 - PRLog -- The award-winning 3^rd Annual Tour de Pier pedals its way back to Southern California’s beautiful South Bay shores on Sunday, May 17 at the Manhattan Beach Pier from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  The stationary cycling event benefits three cancer charities: the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research; the Cancer Support Community and the Uncle Kory Foundation.

The Tour de Pier brings one of the hottest indoor fitness activities – stationary cycling – to the gorgeous outdoors. More than 1,000 cyclists will be overlooking the Manhattan Beach Pier and riding in place while taking in a Southern California iconic ocean view. The South Bay’s best instructors and celebrity guests will spin riders through a four-hour session with energizing music and loads of excitement.  The Tour de Pier will also host more than 50 vendors showcasing the latest products and offering tasty food and drinks.

“From early indication, we expect more success at this year’s Tour de Pier,” said Heath Gregory, co-founder, Tour de Pier. “Although the first two years exceeded our wildest expectations, we are confident that this year’s event will surpass the fundraising efforts of previous years.” In 2014, the award-winning Tour de Pier raised more than $500,000.  This year, the cycling charity event anticipates raising $750,000 for cancer charities.

In addition to cycling, the Tour de Pier will feature a Health & Fitness Expo, Spectrum’s Cardio Kid Zone with games and activities as well as entertainment.

HOW IT WORKS: Participants register to ride a bike for a four-hour session. They can either share the bike with team members or ride individually. Registration fee per rider is $125. Each bike team must raise a minimum of $500. Registration fees will count towards the $500. Online registration closes on Sunday, May 3 at midnight or as space permits.  For more information and to register, please visit www.tourdepier.com.

ABOUT THE CHARITIES:

Founded in 1997, the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing pancreatic cancer research, and providing information, resources, and support to pancreatic cancer patients and their families. In February 2015, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA introduced the UCLA Agi Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Cancer Diseases made possible by the generous $10 million in gifts to UCLA from Hirshberg. For more information, visit www.pancreatic.org.

For nearly 26 years, the Cancer Support Community Redondo Beach has been offering a free program for cancer patients, their families and loved-ones. Their goal is to help as many cancer patients as possible recover from the physical and emotional effects of cancer to the greatest extent possible. Their psychological support and educational programs are designed to address the loss of control, hopelessness and social isolation that cancer patients and their families often experience. For more information, visit www.cancersupportredondobeach.org.

The Uncle Kory Foundation is a nonprofit organization inspired by the life of Kory Lewis Hunter. Their mission is to advance innovative and collaborative brain cancer research. For more information, visit www.unclekory.org.

ABOUT THE TOUR DE PIER:

Jon Hirshberg, who started the first LA Cancer Challenge after the loss of his father Ron in 1997, came across the idea of doing a spin bike fundraiser after learning about an event that raised over $3 million in one day at cycling studios across the country. He approached his friend and long-time cycling enthusiast, Heath Gregory, about the idea of putting on a one-day event in their hometown of Manhattan Beach, CA. Coincidentally, Gregory had participated in a similar event produced by Livestrong in Barcelona during the 2009 Tour de France and vividly remembered hundreds of riders moving in unison all for a common cause. With the Hirshberg Foundation on board to produce the event and a team of board members eager to participate, planning for the Tour de Pier began.

After months of preparation, the inaugural Tour de Pier was held in May 2013 at the iconic Manhattan Beach Pier and raised more than $339,000 for local charities. With the unprecedented projected success of the Tour de Pier, the City of Manhattan Beach granted approval for the following year within three days of the event.

In March 2014, the City of Manhattan Beach Parks & Recreation Department won a prestigious award for Outstanding Special Event for the Tour De Pier, presented by the State of California Association of Parks and Recreation Commissioners. Competing against other cities throughout California, Tour de Pier was recognized as an event that significantly contributes to the overall betterment of the community. For more information, please visit www.tourdepier.com (http://www.tourdepier.com/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=108...).