Countdown at foreign-flavoured cycling event

A cycling event that will feature cyclists from Sri Lanka and around the world is set to be flagged off on March 11, 2026 from Colombo to terminate in Jaffna over a four-day period.

Through the event the organisers hope to raise funds for the Manipay Green Hospital in Jaffna with 85 cyclists in the fray.

The organisers have decided to brand the event ‘Ride for Ceylon’ not Ride for Sri Lanka, covering a distance of 450 kilo metres.

The organisation that will conduct the event was founded in the United Kingdom in 2017 as a registered charity named Friends of Manipay Hospital (FOMH).

It started with six riders and the upcoming event, according to the organisers, will have cyclists from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, the US, Canada and Sri Lanka in the fray.
“In 2024 alone, the event proudly hosted 75 international participants, showcasing Sri Lanka’s cultural richness and hospitality”, the organisers said in a media statement.

The initiative was co-founded by Dr Jayantha Arnold, Senior Consultant in Gastroenterology at Ealing Hospital and Anandan Arnold, Senior Partner at BBK Partnership Chartered Accountants, after they discovered their childhood hospital had closed and was abandoned in 2004.

“The core purpose remains unwavering, which is to raise funds for the restoration and operation of the Manipay Green Memorial Hospital and the development of the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), FOMH’s local delivery partner. 

“The hospital operates on a non-profit basis, providing essential services, including free care for neurodivergent children, and plans to establish early cancer detection clinics soon.

“Crucially, all funds raised are channelled into a transparent pool ensuring maximum impact. Infrastructure development funded by FOMH also helps keep operational costs low while maintaining high standards,” the media statement further added.

Amanda Ishadi, Mrs Sri Lanka and runner-up to Mrs World in Las Vegas, who serves as a key ambassador for the event, emphasised the project’s unifying social impact. “Ride for Ceylon is undertaking amazing work, successfully cultivating a remarkable level of positive energy across all segments of the community. I am delighted to be riding together with the team in March 2026,” she said.

Ino Sooran, known for his incredible three-month cycling journey from Paris to Jaffna, covering more than 10,000 kms across 12 countries, spoke in anticipation of the event. “It is a great pleasure to join the team of Ride for Ceylon. I sincerely look forward to riding alongside all the foreign participants coming to Sri Lanka in March 2026,” he said.

According to the organisers, registration for the event closed with 85 cyclists in the fray for the upcoming challenge with commercial sponsorship opportunities open.