Cairns to Karumba (C2K) is a cycling charity event that has been held in Australia for over 30 years. Participants cycle 780 kilometers over the course of a week, camping along the way. The event has successfully raised approximately 10 million yen in donations for children’s hospitals and schools, and sometimes attracts over 300 participants and staff. Most importantly, the participants experience great joy through this challenge.
In the spirit of C2K, the SHIKAHACHI event is an 800-kilometer bicycle ride from Kashima Shrine in Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, to Kabushima Shrine in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, with the goal of creating a similar event in Japan. Participants will ride together as one to rebuild the area after the earthquake and keep the memory of the disaster alive.
In the future, Shika Hachi would like to work with C2K to create an environment where participants can easily participate in each other’s events. Through the exchange of the two events, we hope to strengthen the bonds of the international cycling community and bring the memory of the disaster and the message of recovery to as many people as possible.