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WESTPORT, Conn. -- The hot morning sun glistened on the bikes and helmets of a sea of over 1,100 riders, stretching across the field at the Westport Hunt Club on Saturday. The huge crowd was an impressive sight considering just seven years ago in its inaugural run, the Connecticut Challenge was a modest ride of just over 150 bikers. Now it is one of the preeminent annual fundraisers for cancer research in the state, raising more than $1 million on Saturday.
Almost 70 of the riders were cancer survivors, of which five were in active treatment. More than 40 volunteers at the event were also cancer survivors.
Bikers had plenty of options to choose from in the difficulty of their course. From ten to 100 miles, there was something for everyone. Teams and individuals, kids, parents and grandparents all mounted bikes to raise money for the hope to cure cancer.
"Cancer took something from us. For me, it took my leg when I was 12," Conn. Challenge co-founder and cancer survivor Jeff Keith said. "But cancer cannot take your heart."
The video above features highlights from the seventh annual Connecticut Challenge.
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