Cycling legends Cadel Evans and Phil Anderson are backing VicHealth’s H30 Challenge to encourage Victorians to switch sugary drinks for water.
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A new partnership announced today will see VicHealth’s H30 Challenge become the Official Hydration Partner of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, with Phil Anderson taking up the reins as H30 Event Ambassador. The inaugural race, which takes place from 31 January– 1 February is Australia’s very first UCI sanctioned One-Day Classic and also comprises the Momentum Energy People’s Ride and Elite Women’s Road Race.
The H30 Challenge encourages Victorians to make a 30-day pledge to replace every sugary drink they would normally consume with water. Drinking one 600ml bottle of soft drink every day can amount to consuming over 23kg of sugar in a year – 3.5 times the minimum weight limit for competitive race bikes.
Sugar-sweetened beverages are the largest source of sugars in the Australian diet and high intake of these sugary drinks are associated with poorer health outcomes, such as increased risk of weight gain and increased risk of tooth decay.
Phil Anderson, the first non-European to wear the famous yellow jersey of the Tour de France, said he was delighted to be lending his support to the campaign as event ambassador. “As we all know, it’s vital to stay hydrated, especially when being active, but a lot of people are unaware of the amount of sugar they’re consuming in their sugary drinks and the associated health risks” he said.
“I’m encouraging Victorians to kick-start a healthy new year by signing up to VicHealth’s H30 Challenge and swap sugary drinks for water.”
Cadel Evans says Phil is the perfect person to champion the H30 message, “Phil famously only drank water throughout his amazing career and to this day is a great ambassador for a healthy and active lifestyle. He has been a great inspiration to me and most Australian cyclists, and I’m so happy to see him take part in the event.”
VicHealth CEO Jerril Rechter congratulated Cadel Evans and Phil Anderson for taking a leading role in addressing the high intake of sugary drinks in the Australian diet, saying their leadership would inspire cycling fans across the state to make the switch to water.
“VicHealth is committed to tackling the tough issues – in particular the rising obesity levels in Victoria. The H30 Challenge is essential to reducing Victorians’ intake of excess kilojoules through sugary drinks, while our Walk to School campaign is a great initiative to get children moving and our free TeamUp app connects adults and groups to a wide range of physical activities within their local community.
“The H30 Challenge encourages people to make a 30-day pledge to replace every sugary drink they would normally drink, with water. Sugary drinks include sugar-sweetened soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks, ready-to-drink iced tea, flavoured water and cordial. We’re excited to be the Official Hydration Partner for this new exciting racing event and look forward to seeing more Victorians embark on a healthy route to good health.”
As part of the partnership, all race participants will hydrate at H30 Challenge water stations and free reusable bottles will be provided to spectators to encourage them to drink water instead of sugary drinks.
How to do the H30 Challenge:
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Sign up at www.h30challenge.com.au
- Choose a start date that is convenient for you
- Switch sugary drinks for water for 30 days and reap the rewards
- You’ll receive regular emails to keep you motivated along the way!
