[KHTS] – Approximately 450 people gathered at Mann Biomedical Park on Rye Canyon Loop Saturday morning for the seventh annual Century Bike Ride, all to raise money and awareness to the Santa Clarita Child and Family Center.

Bike riders had three different options, a 100 mile ride, a 50 mile ride or a 25 mile ride, all spaced an hour apart.

Each path would take riders in different directions, but the finish line for all three was in Rye Canyon Loop, according to Cheryl Jones, an event coordinator of the Century Ride.

The 100 mile ride looped around Lake Elizabeth and back, the 50 mile ride went to the Castaic Lake Recreation Area and the 25 mile ride went around the Valencia and Saugus areas, according to the website.

The Century Bike Ride had many special guests, including Curt Sandoval, a sports anchor for ABC 7.

Before starting the 25 mile ride, Sandoval gave a brief speech to the riders reminding them that it’s a ride, not a race and they should enjoy it.

“These rides are really popular all throughout the country, especially in California so we decided why don’t we put one for Santa Clarita,” Jones said. “(We) decided from the beginning that the proceeds would benefit child and families (center).”

The event helps bring support to the Santa Clarita Child and Family Center. Teams raise money and awareness for the center with sponsors, according to the website.

After the riders were done, a barbeque lunch and beer garden was held for the riders at the Mann Biomedical Park where the rider started.

“You can see that the whole community got behind this,” Jones said.

Some of the sponsors have been with the event since its creation, such as Mike Grace of Bicycle Johns.

“We’ve been supporting these events for quite a while,” Grace said. “To have it in a different location like this it’s got a different feel and that different feel is gonna draw more people.”

This was the first year that the ride has started in Rye Canyon Loop.

– Skylar Barti