Kensington’s Wheel Women cycling group claims Victorian Sport Award

A KENSINGTON cycling group aimed at being inclusive and empowering for women has recently been acknowledged at the Victorian Sport Awards.

Lyz Turner-Clark, Tina McCarthy and Sylvia Murphy from Wheel Women, which recently won a Victorian Sport Award. Picture: Josie Hayden

A CYCLING group aimed at empowering women on two wheels has been acknowledged at the Victorian Sport Awards.

Wheel Women is the brainchild of Kensington woman Tina McCarthy, who’s working to get more amateur women riding confidently.

Wheel Women was established five years ago when Ms McCarthy embarked on a journey to become more active.

“I started bike riding, and it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be, it wasn’t as easy as simply jumping back on the bike,” Ms McCarthy said.

“I started to learn more about how to get out and ride on the road. I’ve got all these skills now and I’m happy to show others.”

Wheel Women was recently awarded the Victorian Outdoor Active Recreation Initiative of the Year award at the Victorian Sport Awards, celebrating the achievements of community members who coach, organise, and volunteer behind the scenes across all levels of sports.

For Ms McCarthy, it’s an award tinged with sadness.

“My mum recently passed away. She was always a really active woman ... but later in her life she became really inactive,” Ms McCarthy said.

Before she passed away, her mother instructed her to “keep moving”.

Programs run by Wheel Women focus on teaching women bike handling skills and bicycle mechanics.

“When we get women cycling, we’re noticing that it becomes something that the whole family starts to do,” Ms McCarthy said.

To find out more about Wheel Women, visit wheelwomenaustralia.com