OTTAWA – It was a short but successful Ride the Rideau.

After peddling 32 kilometres out of the 100 kilometre bike tour, cyclists were told the fundraising event was cancelled because of severe weather.

“Thirty-two kilometres is still a decent ride.  A lot of people here are still cheery they made it through the rain and a little bit of lightning as well,” said Cosmo, the afternoon host on World Class Rock, CHEZ106.

He was one of more than 700 cyclists who started the ride at the CE Centre at 8 a.m.

In spite of it ending early, $1.72 million was raised for cancer research at the Ottawa Hospital.

The event has raised a total of $3.4 million over the past 3 years.  It remains the most successful cancer research fundraising event in Eastern Ontario.