George Vitolo, 47, will take part in 12hrs of Temecula, a 100-mile endurance mountain biking race in November. His goal is to raise $20,000 for his main sponsor, Huntington Beach’s Shoreline Ambulance, which delivers “joy jars” to children’s hospitals, a program called NEGU – never ever give up.
Vitolo, who has lived in Laguna for 14 years, works in emergency medical service. Two years ago, he rode a bike for 21 hours. He described the experience as “a life changer.”
“I raised over $2,000 for the charity Wheels 4 Life,” he said, which distributes bikes in poor countries.
This year, Vitolo is riding to raise awareness and fund for the Jessie Resse Foundation NEGU. “I picked this charity because this innocent 12 year old girl was fighting the battle of her life and was choosing to help other kids instead of focusing on herself,” he said.
Vitolo varies his training daily but he tries to ride about 15 hours a week as well as working out with yoga and surfing.
The 12-hour race Nov. 9 from Temecula’s Vail Lake Resort involve a 9.04 mile course with an elevation gain of 1,122 foot per lap. The rider with the most laps in 12 hours wins the race.
Vitolo is fortunate to cover the mileage on custom-built wheels sponsored by Open Cycle and Newport Beach bike shop Pro Bike Supply.
Potential sponsors can contact Vitolo at [email protected].
