The REV brings together adaptive and non-adaptive cyclists in a fabulous, fun event that raises about $200K to support all BORP’s programs. This year’s ride will be held on Saturday, September 21 at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Rosa. Riders can choose between four rides in beautiful Wine Country:

• A family-friendly ride along a scenic paved bike path (riders can go up to 10 miles, but less if they wish along this out-and-back route).

• A 30-mile, relatively flat but lovely ride past vineyards and orchards.

• A 45-mile ride that includes almost 3,000 feet of elevation gain.

• A 70-mile ride that includes vineyards, redwoods, ocean views, and challenging climbs. 

The Festival following the rides takes place in a lovely garden at the Hyatt Regency. There’ll be music, delicious food, wine & beer, and free professional massages for riders.

Riders are required to raise $400. But don’t worry, we make that easy with lots of wonderful tips and tools.

Use the code EARLYBIRD and register by June 30 to get 50% off your registration fee!

REGISTER NOW.

For more information, email elaine@borp.org

On April 24, BORP and the Cesar Chavez California Children’s Services Therapy Unit hosted a Sports Day at the Cesar Chavez campus. The event brought in 14 Oakland students with a variety of physical disabilities to try wheelchair basketball, adaptive cycling, and to learn about BORP and the programs we offer to Bay Area youth.

Generally, these kids are never around other kids like themselves, and never get to simply get out and play. These events offer them an opportunity to play sports with other kids who have similar disabilities.

Eleven new kids tried wheelchair basketball for the first time. Three current BORP athletes, Kevin, Joseph, and Eyan, helped run drills and answer questions.It was an incredible day on the court and we hope to be hosting several more of these events in the near future!

Talia Geliebter is a member of the BORP Shockers, Athlete #34

On Friday, April 5, 2019, my power soccer team, the BORP Shockers, drove down to Carpinteria, which is near Santa Barbara to play in three power soccer games. Ten teams competed with each other in this tournament.

    On Saturday, April 6, we didn’t have games until later in the afternoon and in the evening, so we rolled to the boardwalk and across it a couple of times. The weather was very beautiful and sunny. The games were running an hour ahead of schedule, so I had to get to the gym and get into my soccer chair.  After the speed test, both teams faced each other and chatted. It was fun getting to know the opposing team. The first game was against the Sacramento Valley Flames team and we beat them 2-0. My teammate Ian and I scored goals in that game. We had a 2-3 hour break in between games, so I went to the boardwalk again with my parents while the rest of my teammates were watching the other games at the gym. As I was rolling back and forth on the boardwalk, I practiced my visualization and breathing as I was preparing myself for the second game of the day

The second game began a little after 6 p.m. I had to quickly head back to the gym and get back into my soccer chair. After we speed tested, we headed over to meet the team that we were playing against. That team was the Central Valley Ghostriders and they weren’t very friendly. At least we were able to grab a photo opportunity with them before the game started! We ended up losing 0-4 because they were very good and very quick at setting up! After that very tough game, the BORP Shockers went out for dinner and dessert.

On Sunday, April 7, we had our final game against the Glendale Rough Riders. Again we chatted with them after the speed test. It was fun getting to know the Rough Riders and where they came from. It was a pretty close game, but we ended up winning 3-2. Ruby, my teammate, mainly scored in that game. After the game, we said goodbye to the hosts, loaded the soccer chair into the van, and headed home. I had tons of fun over the weekend. Winning two games was a joy as well.  

This year, the BORP Annual Hall of Fame and Awards Celebration will honor the women of BORP. It’s no surprise, of course, that women athletes and leaders have made important contributions to BORP, but many people may not realize that BORP was started in 1976 by two young female CAL students, Susan Sygall and Diane Schechter. Given that BORP started as a sports program at a time when there was little equity and visibility for women in sports, having women in these and many other leadership roles at BORP was remarkable. Today, women and girls continue to contribute immensely to BORP, making up the majority of staff, playing key volunteer roles, and participating as dedicated and outstanding athletes.

On June 19, we will celebrate the achievements and contributions of the following women and girls:

Susie Grimes
Kristi Hruzewicz
Ella Rodriguez
The Women of Quadzilla (Bonnie Lewkowicz, Sun Chan, Val Brown, Susie Grimes, Megan Schirle, Ann Cupolo-Freeman & Lori McLeod)

We will also honor The Clif Bar Family Foundation for their longstanding and generous support of BORP.

Lindsay Gottlieb, Head Coach of the Women’s Basketball team at UC, Berkeley will keynote the event.

All proceeds from the event will benefit BORP.

Please join us!

YES! I want to celebrate the outstanding women and girls of BORP!

On Tuesday April 9, an amazing group of volunteers helped clean up BORP’s Cycling Center and get all the bikes ready for new cycling season. Recruited by Steve Graham, the volunteers included his co-workers at SAP as well as their friends and guests. This busy crew did a stellar job of getting all the bikes, trikes and tandems in tip-top shape. Here at BORP we are deeply grateful for their hard work. Come to the Cycling Center and take one of these lovingly cleaned and lubricated machines for a spin! 

All photos by Steve Graham. 

Come enjoy a day of fun at Sportsfest on Sunday, July 21! An all-day event (9am to 5pm), Sportsfest provides the opportunity for participants to try out some of BORP’s adaptive sports and recreation activities. This year, we’re featuring cycling, kayaking, an outdoor seated Tai Chi class, and rock climbing. There’ll be plenty of information about BORP’s other programs. A free lunch will be served.

Location: BORP Adaptive Cycling Center, Aquatic Park-80 Boliver Drive Berkeley.

Cost: Free for registered participants with disabilities and includes lunch. Family and friends are welcome but MUST also register and indicate the number of extra lunches needed. Cost is $5 per lunch and will be collected at the event.

Volunteers: If you and your family members are active BORP participants, we encourage you to not only participate, but to volunteer. There is plenty of opportunity to do both and it’s a great way to give back to our awesome BORP community!

Sports Fest is funded by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation.

Participants and volunteers: Click here to register now.

Thanks to a grant from the California Coastal Commission BORP Cyclists have been exploring stretches of the California Coastal Trail and SF Bay Trail. In the last few months, we’ve provided opportunities to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, on old Highway 1 at Devil’s Slide, and on a brand new stretch of Coastal Trail in Half Moon Bay.  With the same grant, we were able to provide transportation for our Youth Riding Club to pedal the SF Bay Trail in along the San Leandro Shoreline. BORP regular Drew McPherson joined us on the Half Moon Bay trail and had this to say, “Getting out on a bike by the ocean was nothing short of blissful. Riding at BORP is great, but it’s still an urban experience. This trip was one my best back in nature experiences since I had a spinal cord injury over 5 years ago. I can’t wait to do more adventure rides with BORP.”