A TEAM of motorcyclists from HMAS Albatross will put their bodies and bikes to the test in an nine-day odyssey across the country raising money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
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The local team will leave Nowra on April 7 and will arrive nine days and 4500 kilometres later in Margaret River in Western Australia, all part of the Defence Long Ride.
Team Albatross is being organised by Lieutenant Wayne Langworthy and Able Seaman Dave Loughman and includes defence members from the local base, representing navy, army and the public service.
“We all simply have a love of bikes and this is all part of defence’s men’s health drive and it was just such a great cause we decided to enter a team,” LEUT Langworthy said.
“We have a team of 12. Most of us will be doing the whole ride while some will travel to Port Augusta before returning.”
Also taking part in the adventure is Peter Booth, Danny Lenartowski, Major Anton Leshinskas, Brian Croker, Chief Petty Officer Nathan Minett and his wife Dawn, Petty Officer John Varmedja, CPO Tim Noble, CPO Mark McKelligot and AB Tom Carrol.
Wayne’s wife Tracey and Dave’s wife Theresa will join the team in Margaret River.
The local team has already raised $5000 and will be holding other events before they undertake the trek.
“We were aiming to raise $8000 but would like to make $10,000 if we could,” LEUT Lanworthy said.
“All the money we raise will go to the prostate foundation,” said AB Loughman.
“We are paying all our own accommodation, fuel and meals, so everything that is pledged goes directly to the foundation.”
The group has already held a number of fundraising events including having a collection tin at the Nerriga Hotel, a bucket collection at the gates of HMAS Albatross, a barbecue at Bunnings as well as various sausage sizzles throughout the units of the naval base.
“Everyone has come on board to support us and we can’t thank them enough,” LEUT Langworthy said.
“We raised more than $1000 at Bunnings and we must thank the Australian Military Bank and Coles Nowra who both backed our cause.”
More than $2600 was raised at the Albatross gate collection.
“And it wasn’t just the personnel, all the contractors who are doing the upgrading work at the base at the moment also threw their support behind the team,” LEUT Langworthy said.
CPO Nathan Minett and his wife Dawn have finalised a Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament at the Bomaderry Bowling Club on March 24. For bookings contact Dawn Minett on 0476 261 266.
The team will leave the Fleet Air Arm Museum at HMAS Albatross at 11am on April 7, travelling to Wagga on the first day.
From there they will travel to Balranald and onto Broken Hill where they will meet with other riders from NSW, Queensland and Victoria.
As a group they will then travel to Port Augusta in South Australia to meet the SA contingent.
Then it’s onto Seduna, a 490km leg to Border Village before facing their biggest day in the saddle, a 711km journey to Norseman.
Then it is onto Esperance, Albany and the group, which is expected to be more than 420 bikes strong, will be escorted by police into Margaret River on April 16.
A number of the team will also be riding back, meaning their adventure will be more than 9,000 kilometres, or as AB Loughman put it “A good way to kill a set of tyres”.
You can support the local team and their endeavours, just go to https://thelongride2016.everydayhero.com/au/team-albatross to pledge funds or contact Wayne Langworthy 0418 622801.
