A week of hills and thrills for Crawford

AFL legend Shane Crawford is no stranger to charity events and will this week be in Tasmania for the 2017 Future2 Wheel Classic, raising money for the Financial Planning Association’s Future2 Foundation.

Crawford, who played 305 games for Hawthorn, featured in the 2008 Grand Final win and won the 1999 Brownlow Medal, will join 19 cyclists from around Australia for the seven-day, 726km fundraising adventure.

Riders will depart from Fenton St in Devonport this morning, heading on an inland route via Cradle Mountain and Queenstown before arriving in Hobart in time for the opening of the FPA Professionals Congress next Wednesday.

The 2017 event is the eighth organised by the Future2 Foundation and helps to raise funds to bring new opportunity and hope to socially and financially disadvantaged young Australians through its Make the Difference! grants program.

This year’s Tasmania cycling challenge has nearly 7000 metres of climbing, making it one of the toughest challenges yet.

“The 2017 Wheel Classic — our first in Tasmania — promises a spectacular ride that tests the stamina of the participants, but spurring them on will be the camaraderie of the team and the knowledge that their efforts will help young Australians turn their adversity into opportunity,” Future2 Chair Matthew Brown said.

More than $823,000 has been committed in grants to grassroots programs since 2007.

Past Wheel Classic routes have included Sydney to Melbourne (2012), Melbourne to Sydney (2013), Melbourne to Adelaide (2014) and Sydney to Brisbane (2015).

Last year’s challenge was in Perth.