Olympian a Welcome presence

A WINTER Olympics gold medallist will be on hand to welcome elite female cyclists competing in this month’s Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

Lydia Lassila — a successful businesswoman, TV Survivor participant and the first female skier to perform a quad twisting triple somersault — will attend the public Welcome Wave event in Torquay, ringing in teams for the Deakin University Elite Women’s Road Race.

Ms Lassila (pictured) will then share career insights and inspiration with 150 elite women athletes at a reception dinner.

Now a Lorne resident, she competed at five Winter Olympics, winning gold in Vancouver in 2010 and bronze at Sochi in 2014, following the birth of her first child, Kai.

The Welcome Wave event — organised by Surf Coast Shire — includes a Wadawurrung Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony.

Surf Coast Shire councillor and keen cyclist Margot Smith urged locals to attend the free event, which kicks off at 5.30pm next Wednesday next to the Torquay Surf Life Saving Club.

“We are so proud of this event. It stands alone on the world cycling tour with its specific focus on celebrating the female riders,” Cr Smith said.

“It is now established as a highlight on our events calendar and provides opportunity for people to help ring in the teams and mingle with these world-class athletes.”