Team training going strong 💪
A very special MS Gong Ride for Team Gong Ballistic
This year marks a really special occassion for team Gong Ballistic.
As a lot of you are aware team Gong Ballistic have been riding in the MS Gong Ride for over 14 years now and have successfully fundraised over $500,000 for people with MS.
The team started back in 2009 with only three riders, my brother Manuel, myself (Tina) and my brother Steven who was diagnosed with MS when he was 16 (pic above).
Steven had ridden in the Gong Ride for a few years before that but that year was the first year that we started fundraising.
It’s funny because I remember that day so well! It was my first gong ride and I was so nervous about doing the 90km ride so I opted for the 56km and both my brothers were there to ride with me. When I look at this pic I am reminded of the strength of my brother Steven. As you can see on his back he wears one of those camel backs filled with water. That camelback was mine and when we started riding I felt this huge weight on my back and I started to feel like I couldn’t breathe. You see when I was training I never rode with the camelback and because I felt like I wasn’t going to have enough water with me I took the camelback on the day of the ride. When I had to stop and catch my breathe Steven told me to take it off and give it to him which I did. He rode with this bloody thing all the way to the end to help me.
It’s ironic isn’t it, that my purpose on that day was to help him by fundraising so he can be able to access services, treatment and vital support and in the end he helped me.
Steven had two boys then, Stratos who was two and half years old and Paul who was one (pic above). Fast forward 14yrs and those two boys now aged 16 and 15 will ride alongside their dad in their first ever MS Gong Ride.
As an aunty and as a sister this makes me really happy, emotional, excited and immensely proud all at the same time. It will definitely be a memorable and iconic ride for all of us.
So apart from the siblings riding this year we are also blessed to have beautiful family and friends that have joined us as part of the Gong Ballistic team. Some are past riders like our two teachers from the boys school, John and Matt who are avid cyclists and who give the Ruhs boys a run for their money on their bikes :)
We also have my cousin Terry and my son Stefan who did their first gong ride last year, who iare also accompanied by quite a number of new and first time riders.
We are so excited and happy to have on board music sensation Byron Mark, Jason and his son Liam (who are also from the boys school) along with my two nephews Stratos and Paul and also my son Christian (who was sick last year and couldn’t ride) join the team.
I cant wait for you to experience what the gong ride entails but most of all I thank you for your passion and drive to get out of your comfort zone and support and fundraise for people with MS like my brother Steven.
It’s quite staggering to think that multiple sclerosis affects more young people than any other chronic neurological condition. The average age of diagnosis is 30 years, and there is no known cure.
Every person’s MS varies, but some of the symptoms are not being able to see properly (or at all), loss of balance, ability to walk, pins and needles, and chronic pain.
Your support will help people with multiple sclerosis receive the vital support, treatments, and services to help them live well at home, remain connected to work, and be part of the community.
On behalf of all of us at team Gong Ballistic we thankyou and we hope that by helping us we have the opportunity to help those that are living with MS.
PS the pic above is the first ride as team gong ballistic with my brother Steven on the left holding Paul aged 1, my brother Manuel holding stratos aged 21/2 and me at the finish line.
Wish us luck!
Thank you to our Sponsors
$520
Xenis Xeni
$520
Xenis Xeni
$500
Storata Digital Solutions
Oh C’mon Steve………Let’s smash out that PB. So glad to see my godson supporting his Papa this year. Go hard Stratouli. Make sure you look after dad and enjoy the experience. Hope the weather is pleasant and look forward to the scenic pics.
$317
Andrea, Alessandro & Elena Bibic
Wishing you a safe ride John!
$264
Amy Fenton (sarge)
Awesome cause Johnny! Ride well!
$250
Christopher Tao
Great cause Brodie! Enjoy the ride.
$250
Raine And Horne Commercial Liverpool
Good luck
$250
Raine And Horne Commercial Liverpool
Good luck
$211
Marisa Castiglione
A great cause, all the best Tina x
$211
Charles Demertjis
Good on you All. I am proud to be part of a beautiful family
$200
Dimopoulos Family
Spreading awareness for a worthy cause. Well done John!
$183
Raymond
Hi Johnny! Mate, it’s good to hear you’re participating in this race to raise funds for this great cause again! All thr best with preparing for the race again and great pic of you! 😃😉💯🤙 hope you’re well and looking well mate! Ray
$158
Theodora Demertzis
$158
John Williams
$158
Wotzclothing
$158
Maria Apap
Thank you for doing a great job, we need more people like you. Love Nonna xx
$158
Rml978
Hope the ride went well MP
$153
Tina Ruhs
$150
Christina Louise King
$120
Anonymous
$108
Mary Micallef
Good Luck Christian xx
$106
Anonymous
Good Job!
$106
Anonymous
Enjoy the ride
$106
Olympia Houliaras
$106
Elena Bobrowski
Go Team Gong Ballistic!!! Enjoy the ride xx
$106
Gillian Williams
Go Johnny!
$106
Peter And Dora Mark
$106
Liz Skene
$106
Alex Amanonce
Good luck & keep pushing.
$104
Rhonda Agamalis
Good luck on your first ride Paul! We're so proud of you!
$101
Nico
Bravo Terry!
$101
Michelle West
Ride safe! Great cause.
$101
Ian Agamalis
Well Done Mancini! So proud of you
$100
Joe Falzon
$100
Kylie Caponas
So proud of you my friend! You have the biggest heart and the way you rally the community (in your family and friends) to make such a difference always amazes me (but never surprises me). Good luck to you all on the day and WELL DONE!
$97
Dimitri Apergis
Good luck and well done mate
$90
Chris Crimmins
$81
Con Davarias
$79
Cathy B
Go Terry
$79
Elise Fowler
$79
John Arvanitidis
All the best for your ride! Well done!
$79
Ruth Lenffer
Keep on training!
$78
Dot Cooke
Great work. Good luck.
$78
Marilyn Dyrbus
$77
Byron Mark
$76
Daniel Wheeler
Go you good thing.
$76
Gary S
$75
Sylvana Mizzi & Family
Never give up.
$75
Dayane Costa
Muito bem!
$75
G R
$70
Roghaya Fatouros
Good on you guys😘 Riding for a great cause. Big hugs to you all🥰🥰
$57
Kyriakos Filiipakos
Well done Stefan!
$54
John Georgiou
Good luck terry , all the best from my family
$53
Zanda & Lily
Next stop, Tour De France! Haha! Nice one Crimmo!
$53
Jake Matanic
$53
Anonymous
Go brodie!
$53
Zac Trikkis
You are an inspiration. Well done team Gong Ballistic
$53
Paulina Alvarez
Good Luck Brodie 😘
$53
Daniel A
$53
Dimitrios Tsanidis
Supporting you all the way good luck 🤞😊🚴♂️
$53
Amy Kaltsas
$53
Amy Kaltsas
$53
Amy Kaltsas
$53
Amy Kaltsas
$53
Maria Demertjis
Pappou and Yiayia are so proud of you Christian ❤️
$53
Yiayia And Pappou Demertjis
Yiayia and Pappou are so proud of you Stratos ❤️
$53
Yiayia And Pappou Demertjis
Yiayia and Pappou are so proud of you Paul ❤️
$53
Yiayia And Pappou Demertjis
Yiayia and Pappou are so proud of you Stefan ❤️
$53
Kevin Filipakos
Well done Christian
$53
The Stephensons!
Cheers John! Mallory told us what you are doing and as an MS Warrior, i thank you for supporting.
$53
Annaliese Stammer
$53
Michael Vassilopoulos
I hope your make second choice
$53
Michelle
Best of luck to the entire Gong Ballistic team
$53
Fleur Denny
you can do it Byron
$53
Niki
$53
John Williams
$53
Karen M
$53
Matched Donation
$53
Niki
$53
John Tsanidis
$53
Ngoc,chandy,charlina,angelina Amelia Nguyen
Good luck
$53
Ruth Lenffer
Great effort! Keep on training!
$53
Ian
$53
Jo Dear
$53
Vincent And Rosina Molluso
Good luck 👍 Go get them 😄
$53
Alison Honbins
Enjoy the ride!
$53
Tina Ruhs
So so proud of you Stratos mou, you are your fathers little aetos 🦅❤️
$53
Sonia Cianci
Great work, Byron!
$53
Nita
Thanks Byron!
$53
Lavinya Yakonda
Good tina mou ❤️
$52
Anonymous
Go Johnny!
$52
Leon De La Barra Fam
Go Brodie ! We hope you have great weather and wish you all the best in this years ride ! Xx
$51
Josie Stivala And Family
$51
Tanz
$51
Farrugia Force
Good luck and enjoy the ride
$51
Diana Alas
Good luck champion !
$51
Athanasia
good luck king
$50
Terry Demertzis
$50
Luke Lowry
$50
Geoff Newton
$50
Geoff Newton
$50
Geoff Newton
$50
Patricia Agamalis
Steve you're incredible!!! ❤️
$50
Patricia Agamalis
$50
Patricia Agamalis
Good luck Stratos and Paul
$50
Craig Bickley
Can't figure out if you are part of the 3 musketeers or the 3 stooges 😂
$50
Craig Bickley
Can't figure out if you are part of the 3 musketeers or the 3 stooges 😂
$50
Craig Bickley
Can't figure out if you are part of the 3 musketeers or the 3 stooges 😂
$50
Angelo P
Good luck big stef on your ride.
$48
Byron Mark
$37
John Sakoutis
!!11!!!!1!
$35
Ben Jacobs
$33
Heather
$33
Anonymous
$33
Anonymous
$32
Ruth Lenffer
Keep on training!
$32
Lauren Cullimore
$32
Jess Boudville
Go Byron!
$31
Ajay
Go Tez!
$26
Leanne Mclean
$26
Gloria Simpson
Good Luck everyone :)
$23
Ellora Mark-munaf
$21
Isabel Mckenzie
Yahoo! Go Byron!!
$21
Joshua Fenaroli
GO YOU GOOD THING
$21
Willett Family
$21
Willett Family
$21
Willett Family
$21
Lina Neoklis
All the best to the Ruhs family and her brother Steve on MS Gong ride and fundraising.
$21
Ashlee Cutri
Awesome team for a great cause! May Christ be with you as you minister in this unique way! God bless x
$21
Janelle Drake
Go go go!!
$21
Emily Tyler
Good luck Brodie
$21
Vera Demertzis
$21
Antonio Bevilacqua
$21
Michelle Cook
$21
Simmone Barratt
$21
Simmone Barratt
$21
Arjun
All the best Stef!
$20
Anonymous
Good luck Brodie! You're amazing!
$20
Alana Paterson
Well done Brodie. Goodluck
$11
Byron Mark
Our Team Members
STEVE DEMERTJIS
$223
STRATOS DEMERTJIS
$208
PAUL DEMERTJIS
$260
Matt Palmer
$802
Jason Swan
Terry Demertzis
$1,083
Tina Ruhs (C)
$622
Stefan Ruhs
$1,003
Christian Ruhs
$1,393
Liam Swan
Byron Mark
$834
John Williams
$1,496
Matt Steele-Smith
$471
Adam Fudeh
Chris Crimmins
$783
Brodie Sakoutis
$611
John Sakoutis
$356
Our Fundraising Journey
