BUPA CHALLENGE TOUR

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (14:38): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Tourism a question about the BUPA Challenge Tour.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: The minister has previously told the chamber about the significance of the Tour Down Under to South Australia's events calendar. Can the minister tell the chamber something about the 2013 event?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:39): Thank you, Mr President. I thank the honourable member for his most important question. The Santos Tour Down Under has grown to become a festival of cycling, with a range of associated events that add value for spectators and provide additional motivation for interstate and international visitors to attend.

The Santos Tour Down Under is the biggest cycling race in Australasia and the only UCI World Tour event staged in the Southern Hemisphere. Indeed, the Tour Down Under has become a major drawcard on the state's events calendar. For example, in 2012 the event injected about $42 million into the state's economy and had crowds of more than 760,000 people, including more than 36,000 interstate visitors.

It generated around $140 million of media coverage and around 260 hours of national and international television coverage. I am very delighted today to announce that cycling enthusiasts can now register to ride the same route as the world-class cyclists in the Bupa Challenge Tour as part of the 2013 Santos Tour Down Under.

The Bupa Challenge route was launched today. I am told that the route from Modbury to Tanunda will give cyclists an opportunity to challenge themselves just hours before the professionals take on the same course. As part of the ŠKODA Breakaway Series, the Bupa Challenge Tour will be held on Friday 25 January and will follow the same route as Bupa Stage 4 of the Santos Tour Down Under.

The Santos Tour Down Under is again teaming up with the Cancer Council of South Australia, which is the official charity partner. I am told that the 2013 event will be the first year that riders have the opportunity to gain free entry in the challenge tour if they raise $1,000 or more as part of the Cancer Council's Ride for a Reason fundraising campaign. I have been advised by Events South Australia and the Santos Tour Down Under Race Director, Mike Turtur, that next week's Bupa Challenge Tour will provide riders with three different starts and ride distances to cater for all levels and capacity of riders.

I am advised that the full route from Modbury to Tanunda is 127 kilometres, while the second start from Kersbrook is a 92 kilometre ride. The third from Mount Pleasant is another 46.5 kilometres from the finish line at Tanunda. In addition to the start and finish locations, the Bupa Challenge Tour will take in many other towns like Birdwood, Springton, Eden Valley and Angaston.

Last year more than 7,000 people participated in the Bupa Challenge Tour, which included more than 2,200 riders who travelled from interstate and overseas to take part. It included riders who travelled from across Australia and many other countries. Early-bird registrations are open from today, and I urge members to think about participating.

This is the seventh year that Bupa has sponsored the challenge tour, and I would like to place my appreciation on record. The Bupa Challenge Tour has become quite an iconic cycling event. It is an important way to promote cycling and healthy activities here in South Australia, and I am sure that members will agree that it is important to get out there, not just for fun and fitness but also to assist the Cancer Council with its fundraising.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Ridgeway has a supplementary question.