Motitech’s Road Worlds for Seniors is a unique championship. It allows older people and people with dementia to take part in a global sporting event - even though they might live in a long term care facility. The championship makes the cyclists become a part of something bigger; A global movement focusing on physical activity and reminiscence for people that are normally not able to part in such initiatives.
For our cyclists, the Road Worlds for Seniors is all about having that feeling of friendly competition and being part of a community, between residents, care facilities and across national borders. We want to encourage older people to compete, have fun and get active at the same time. We want to focus on the abilities instead of disabilities, and we are proud to be working with communities of like-minded people, on local, governmental, national and international levels, who share a common goal in this.
We know that the appetite is there, at any age, to remain active, but have still been blown away by how so many care home residents have embraced the Road Worlds for Seniors. Activity programmes like this go a long way in showing that cycling is for everyone and can be a real force for good. We’d like to congratulate everyone that took part and cannot wait to hear about the participants’ continued experiences with Motiview.
We want the Road Worlds for Seniors to create a feeling of friendly competition and community. We want to encourage older people to compete, have fun and get active at the same time. To see all the participants, the joy and enthusiasm they share with each other, makes me feel great. It's good for me to know that we can make a change. A sustainable change.
The RWS history
Road Worlds for Seniors was first held in 2017. At that time, Motitech entered into a collaboration with Bergen2017, which was the organizer of the UCI's cycling world championships in Bergen. RWS became part of the public health campaign for the championship and had a good collaboration with the organizers.
With 1100 cyclists from five countries, RWS was a huge success. Dressed in t-shirts, bicycle caps and buttons in our own design, the participants cycled 30,000 km in the six weeks the competition lasted.
Already after the first championship in history, it was decided that Road Worlds for Seniors would be an annual championship on a par with the world championship for professionals.
2018
Almost 2,500 cyclists from nursing homes, day care centers and senior centers were registered from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Canada and UK. In the 4 weeks the competition lasted, a fantastic 52,000 km was covered.
2019
The registration reached a new record when over 4300 cyclists from 7 countries signed up. A total of 108,412 km were cycled in the 25 days the competition lasted.
This year, a five-year partnership was established with Sport England and British Cycling, with the aim of activating even more seniors. Through the partnership, funded by DCMS, 50 care homes across the UK got to start with Motiview and participate in Road Worlds for Seniors.
2020
Despite Covid, RWS was organized and gathered an impressive 129 teams and over 3000 cyclists from Australia, UK, Canada, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Although there were almost 60 fewer teams compared to the previous year, the cyclists were only 5,000 km away from breaking the record from 2019 of 108,000 km.
2021
Road Worlds for Seniors is experiencing another milestone. More than 5,000 seniors represented by 260 teams from 11 countries signed up. In total, 156,403 km were cycled - which is equivalent to almost 4 laps around the globe!
Once again, the participants showed a dedication and commitment that proves that they are all real athletes regardless of age or level of function.
During the championship, residents use Motitech's video concept, Motiview. With Motiview they can cycle through a selection of 2100 films from around the world - sitting on a stationary bike.
The combination of exercise and visual stimulation increases the activity level of older people, and gives them the opportunity to visit familiar places from their childhood or other memories they have from a long life while cycling.
BENEFITS
Road Worlds for Seniors engages older people in meaningful social interactions, increases the sense of social connectedness, and combats loneliness. In addition, there is a wide array of documented benefits within physical and mental health that improve wellbeing and quality of life. Road Worlds for Seniors also increase confidence and job satisfaction for staff working at facilities participating in the championship
