TO CLOSE

AIDS LifeCycle participants stopped in Ventura County during a fundraiser between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Juan Carlo, VC Star

Thousands of cyclists came to San Buenaventura State Beach on Friday to camp during AIDS LifeCycle, an annual bike ride that is named the world's largest fundraiser against HIV / AIDS.

This year, $ 16,755,967 was raised, a record, for research, treatment and education on AIDS. The funds benefit Los Angeles LGBT Centers and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, which provide services ranging from comprehensive HIV care to mental health counseling.

During a week, the ride follows a 90 km route between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Ventura is the penultimate stop.

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Approximately 2,300 cyclists and 650 volunteers participated in the AIDS Lifecycle program this year, each contributing at least $ 3,000 through peer-to-peer fundraising.

Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy has become the largest fundraiser in the history of AIDS LifeCycle this year when he joined the race, raising a total of $ 238,404.42 on Friday. After seeing friends take part in the 2018 race, Kenworthy has signed up to participate.

"I felt that I had a very big platform and I wanted to use it to do good," he said.

Kenworthy said that he used his numerous social media readers to reach a record. He also leveraged several branded partnerships and sponsored appearances by asking for donations to the cause instead of being paid.

Although he knows more about a pair of skis than a bike, Kenworthy has found the ride as challenging as rewarding.

AIDS LifeCycle participants head to the bike path near La Conchita along Highway 101 on Friday. Fundraising for cycling brings in money for AIDS research and treatment. After one night in Ventura, the last leg of the race was to end in Los Angeles.

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Volunteer Sean Smith welcomes runners to a resort near Faria Beach for the AIDS lifecycle. The rest station had a DJ and a photo booth to allow runners to stop and enjoy the beach. Fundraising for cycling brings in money for AIDS research and treatment. The runners spent the night at San Buenaventura State Beach.

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Peter Bertelsen, an Ojai resident, is preparing to leave the RodeMon Crew at a rest station near Faria Beach for the AIDS LifeCycle program. It was the fourth time that Bertelsen had gone up and he had raised more than $ 7,000. The rest station had a DJ and a photo booth to allow runners to stop and enjoy the beach. The cycling event aims to raise funds for AIDS research and treatment and runners spent the night at San Buenaventura State Beach.

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Spencer Scott, left, and his partner, Nick Schwanz, of San Francisco, celebrate the event by dancing in a rest station near Faria Beach during the AIDS LifeCycle event. The rest station had a DJ and a photo booth to allow runners to stop and enjoy the beach. Participants raised funds for AIDS research and treatment, and cyclists spent the night at San Buenaventura State Beach.

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A large group of cyclists participating in AIDS LifeCycle celebrate this event by dancing in a rest station near Faria Beach. The participants stopped at Ventura before finishing the last leg of the hike.

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Simon Gardiner, left, and his wife, Olena Kernasovska, celebrate in front of a rest station near Faria Beach for the AIDS LifeCycle program. The riders stopped at Ventura before completing the last leg of the race.

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Cyclists take pictures at the RodeMon Crew photo booth at an AIDS LifeCycle rest station near Faria Beach on Friday. Participants spent the night in Ventura before finishing the final leg in Los Angeles.

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Volunteer Sean Smith, part of the RodeMon team, welcomes AIDS LifeCycle participants to a rest station near Faria Beach on Friday. The cycling event raises funds for AIDS research and treatment.

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Peter Bertelsen, resident of Ojai, leaves Friday the RodeMon team at an AIDS LifeCycle rest station near Faria Beach. After a stop in Ventura, the last leg of the race was to end in Los Angeles.

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The RodeMon crew welcomes AIDS LifeCycle cyclists to a rest station near Faria Beach on Friday. After a stop in Ventura, the last leg of the race was to end in Los Angeles.

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"I was not very prepared, although it was easy enough to transfer the endurance aspect. My arms, my legs and my buttocks are all painful, "said Kenworthy. "But I'm pretty proud of what we did."

The arena attracts a wide variety of men and women, young and old, LGBT and heterosexual riders from all over the United States and several countries around the world.

Seth Hammac, 39, of Orinda, decided to ride for the first time this year in honor of his father, who died of AIDS in 2004. As a married father of two, Hammac said he wanted that his daughters can meet their grandfather, and he does everything in his power to perpetuate the memory of his father.

"I think tonight will be the most moving night, as they held a candlelight vigil on the beach in memory of AIDS victims. It will be for me personally a great success to ride in the honor of my father and my family. Said Hammac.

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Michael Beckman, 70, of Los Angeles, has been in the race since his first iteration as California AIDS Ride in the 1990s. After several health problems caused by complications related to his diagnosis of AIDS, he joined the hike this year as a volunteer roadie.

"I did what I had to do to improve and, out of gratitude, I'm back," Beckman said. "I hope that someday we will have more to ride."

After the pit stop at Ventura, the final leg of the race was to continue in Los Angeles and end at Fairfax High School the same weekend as Los Angeles Pride.

How to help

Those wishing to donate to AIDS LifeCycle can do so by visiting http://aidslifecycle.org. Anyone wishing to register as a cyclist for next year can do so at the address http://aidslifecycle.org/register.

Jeremy Childs is a news reporter and a public safety reporter who covers the Ventura County Star night team. You can reach him by calling 805-437-0208 or by email at [email protected].

Read or share this story: https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/communities/ventura/2019/06/07/aids-lifecycle-passes-through-ventura-fund-hiv-research-services/ 1319282001 /