Herald Sun: $50,000 for Amy Gillett foundation [05aug05]
HUNDREDS of mourners remembered cyclist Amy Gillett at a memorial service at an Adelaide cycling track today. Family, friends, sports identities and politicians were among the gathering at the Superdrome cycling arena in Adelaide’s north for the hour-long service. Adelaide-born Gillett, 29, died on July 19 in Germany when an out of control car crashed into her and five other Australian cyclists during a training ride for a touring event.

Among those at the service for the former Olympic rower and champion cyclist today were SA Premier Mike Rann, Gillett’s husband Simon and Cycling Australia chief executive Graham Fredericks. Mr Rann said the Government would give $50,000 to the Amy Gillett-Safe Cycling Foundation established after her death.

The Government would also strike a memorial Amy Gillett Trophy to be awarded to the Tour Down Under cycling event’s women’s criterium winner. “Amy’s death is a huge loss to her family and friends, but also to the South Australian sporting community,” Mr Rann said. Mr Gillett set up the Amy Gillett-Safe Cycling Foundation in her honour.

The foundation will support and promote projects aimed at road safety awareness, assist the rehabilitation of Gillett’s injured team-mates and contribute to scholarship programs for young women cyclists.Representative bodies the Bicycle Federation of Australia, Bicycle NSW, Bicycle Queensland and Bicycle South Australia announced today they had joined forces to donate $15,000 to the fund.The Cycling Promotion Fund (CPF), Bicycle Industries Australia and the publishers of Bicycling Australia and Australian Cyclist magazines have also joined the pledge.

A spokeswoman for the groups, CPF’s Rosemarie Speidel, said it was important to take Gillett’s death as a reminder of the hazards of cycling. Gillett’s funeral was held in Ballarat, Victoria, last Friday.