Mizzou head coach Brian Hoffer will be participating in the MS 150 for the seventh time.Mizzou head coach Brian Hoffer will be participating in the MS 150 for the seventh time.
Swimming & Diving

Tigers Take Part In Fight Against Multiple Sclerosis

Sept. 9, 2005

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Gateway Area Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will host its annual stop on the MS 150 Bike Tour this weekend, September 10 and 11, in Columbia and, for the seventh time, Missouri head swimming and diving coach Brian Hoffer will be among the participants.

"Our team and staff is committed to helping raise money for MS and all those affected by the disease," Hoffer said. "This is a great event and we are proud that we can help out any way we can."

Multiple sclerosis (MS) usually strikes adults in the prime of life - between the ages of 20 and 50. It is a chronic disease of the central nervous system affecting the brain and spinal cord. While the exact cause of MS is unknown, most researchers believe that it results from an abnormal response by the body's immune system. There are approximately 400,000 Americans with multiple sclerosis.

The MS 150 Bike Tour, the largest organized cycling event in America, is the largest fundraiser for the Gateway Area Chapter of the National MS Society. In 2004, 2,672 cyclists raised $1.65 million to fight the disease, and it is anticipated that this year's event will attract 3,000 cyclists and generate $2 million.

Cyclists begin and end their 75-mile trek each day at the Midway Exposition Center. They are provided with meals and route support throughout the weekend, including rest stops every ten miles, support and gear vehicles and motorcycle escorts.

The completion of the first day means dinner and an overnight festival for participants, including live bands, fun contests, free massages and a beer garden hosted by Anheuser-Busch. When the Bike Tour finishes on the second day, the cyclists will be greeted with a finish line celebration.

Cyclists of all levels can participate in the MS 150 Bike Tour, as the event offers a 40-mile course in addition to its traditional 75-mile and century routes.

Hoffer will be joined in the effort by the Missouri swimming and diving teams, who will volunteer at the course's rest stops on Sunday.

For more information on the MS 150 Bike Tour, visit gatewayms150.org or call (800) FIGHT MS.