Cyclist rides 3,666 miles across Canada in 20 days



Bianca Hayes raised more than $22,000 for ovarian cancer research with a 3,666-mile bicycle ride across Canada. Photo by Free-Photos/Pixabay.com

July 7 (UPI) -- A cyclist who departed from Vancouver, British Columbia, biked across Canada and arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 20 days later.

Bianca Hayes said her 3,666-mile ride across Canada set a new record for female cyclists, although her 20-day ride fell short of her original goal of finishing in under 15 days to beat the male record

"I am the fastest woman to cycle across Canada, so I still have some sort of a record," Hayes told CTV News.

Hayes' ride raised more than $22,000 for ovarian cancer research. She said the cause is personal to her, after her sister, Katrina, died after a battle with the disease in 2018.

"Survival rates haven't changed in 50 years and there haven't been any major breakthroughs," Hayes said.

"It doesn't get as much funding as some other cancers and it was something that really ignited me and made me want to make sure that I put all my efforts ... and every bit of energy into raising more money and awareness for the cause," she said.

Hayes, who estimated she changed 15 to 20 flat bike tires during her journey, said she has not ruled out making a second attempt at a cross-Canada ride.

"We're hoping in a couple years we can attack this again and, now that we know what we're up against, maybe we can anticipate some more things and be a little bit more prepared for those," she said.

"It was obviously a massive physical undertaking, but it was well worth it for what we've been able to do."