By Edwin Fidelis – EMTV News, Kokopo
The 2018 6th Gogo Cola Bicycle Race in East New Britain province yesterday (June 11) was rendered a success. More than 200 cyclists from different age groups took part in the community event to commemorate the Queen’s Birthday celebration. Competitors turned up in large numbers, but only few made it across the finish line.
Riders came as early as six in the morning in preparation for the start. And they came from all over East New Britain Province to put their skills of cycling to test. Men, women and children battled in their respective categories for the top spot to win prizes. While the children and junior category took on the shortest distances, it was the senior men and women category that was the most enduring of all.
By 9am, the race began at the Kokopo’s Kalabond Oval and the riders cycled through the centre of town. Traffic came to a standstill for at least 2 hours as they made their way through the main Kokopo-Rabaul Road. By midday, the first lot of bikers arrived in Rabaul town.
The Gogo Cola Bicycle Race is not new to East New Britain Province. Over the last five years, the Rabaul’s Pacific Industries, one of PNG’s beverage manufactures, had organised the event after realising there were not any major celebrations held to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. The Pacific Industries hopes to make next year’s bicycle race a much bigger and better one.
The Gogo Cola Bicycle Race is one of the big community events in the East New Britain’s provincial events calendar that happens every year on the Queen’s birthday.
