Crowdfunding campaign launched for Cytech trainer Graeme Stickells of Torq Zone Academy after hit-and-run incident
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
Graeme Stickells, Head Trainer at South Africa’s only Cytech training centre Torq Zone Academy, is recovering from a life-threatening hit-and-run incident — and a crowdfunder has been launched to support his recovery and keep the pioneering Academy running.
Stickells, a key figure in the South African cycling industry, was hit from behind by a mini-bus taxi in Pretoria on Sunday 9 March while training for the Race to the Sun Gravel Race.
The taxi dragged him 15 metres before fleeing the scene, leaving him unconscious and critically injured. He sustained multiple broken ribs, a punctured lung, four fractured vertebrae, a fractured pelvis and bleeding on the brain.
Now recovering at home after 10 days in ICU and several surgeries, Stickells is set to be away from work until the end of May at the earliest with this leaving him unable to draw an income.
Friends and supporters have set up a Back-a-Buddy campaign to help cover some costs in the interim and prevent the temporary closure of Torq Zone Academy.
Founded in 2014, Torq Zone Academy was Cytech's first international training location and is still South Africa’s only Cytech training centre for bicycle mechanics, offering training programmes throughout the year and having certified hundreds of mechanics to date. Stickells has and continues to play a central role in raising the standard of technical expertise in South Africa’s cycling sector.
The Academy's graduates are widely employed across the country’s bike shops, service centres, and cycling projects, often improving access to skilled employment in under-resourced communities.
Jonathan Harrison, Director of the ACT which owns the Cytech accreditation scheme, said: “We’re relieved to hear Graeme is safe and getting the medical care he needs. Torq Zone Academy holds an important place in South Africa’s cycling ecosystem and Graeme’s work has had a lasting impact on bike servicing standards across the country."
“I would urge anyone who knows Graeme — through his work or personally — and the wider Cytech community to consider donating and help him get back on his feet and return to the work he’s so passionate about.”
52-year old father of four Stickells was preparing for an endurance-heavy gravel cycling event next month at the time of the crash and was riding with powerful front and rear lights and a Garmin Varia radar. Stickells was also wearing an ICE ID tag, which enabled a passing motorist to contact his wife and initiate emergency care.
Despite the severity of the crash, Stickells is optimistic and focused on recovery, but says the financial support is vital to keep the Academy operational in the interim.
Without assistance the Academy faces difficult decisions and potentially stalling its efforts to deliver skills training and expand its reach to previously disadvantaged communities through national funding channels.
WARNING: Some users may find a couple of images used on the crowdfunder page distressing
Donations can be made via the official Back-a-Buddy campaign page, with every contribution helping Graeme and Torq Zone Academy continue their vital work in the South African cycling industry.