Record Number of Participants Enjoy Anthem Moonlight Ride

More than 3,300 cyclists, an event record, came to Sports Backers Stadium decked out in bright lights to participate in the seventh-annual Anthem Moonlight Ride on Saturday, August 22.

The ride featured a “Full Moon” (15 miles) and a “Half Moon” (8 miles) route through Lakeside, Bryan Park, and the near West End. Then, participants were invited to stick around for the Agee’s Post-Ride Party with pizza, ice cream, soda, Sierra Nevada beer, and a live concert by local artists the Silver Bullets.

75 riders entered the Virginia Credit Union Costume & Tacky Light contest, and prizes were awarded for the Best Costume and Tackiest Lights, as well as Best Costume: Stars and Stripes, a new category for this year’s event to help celebrate the UCI Road World Championships coming in September. First place for best costume was awarded to Justin Koca (pictured at left), while first place in the Stars and Stripes category went to Abigail and Adam Spanberger (below, right).

Other awards were given to the top three best costumes in the group category and the kid’s category as well as the top three tackiest lights in the group and individual categories.

The Bike Walk RVA advocacy program was the official event charity of the Anthem Moonlight Ride. The program is committed to making the Richmond area more bike and pedestrian friendly by encouraging the construction of more paved multi-use trails, sidewalks, and bike lanes in the Richmond region and working to improve and expand the off-road trail systems as well.

Next year’s Anthem Moonlight Ride will be held on a to-be-determined date in August 2016. More information can be found at www.sportsbackers.org.

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