Celebrities race for charity

Meet the participating teams of the Heart For Brain race

On Thursday 20 August, the participants in the Heart for Brain Race met their horse and sulky for the first time on the Waregem hippodrome. During the training session, the nine teams were also introduced who will race against each other for charity on Tuesday 1 September during Waregem Koerse.

Each team rides for a charity of its own choosing. For many participants, that’s Heart for Brain, the Waregem-based non-profit that raises funds for scientific research into brain tumours. The organisation grew out of Charlotte Devos’s story and continues her mission today by financially supporting research into new treatments.

Mohsin Abbas also sat in a sulky for the first time and made it clear right away that he isn’t just there to take part: he wants to win. At the same time, he’s looking forward to experiencing Waregem Koerse this year truly from start to finish.

Mohsin Abbas: “Last year I only arrived around five o’clock, and it turned out I’d already missed a lot of the spectacle. This year I want to arrive as early as possible and stay as late as possible, including for the Waregem Koerse Afterparty powered by Jupiler where Nina Black will be playing.”

For Julie Vermeire, who recently moved to Waregem, the speed in particular came as a surprise. “I do like speed, but this was really surprisingly fast. I didn’t know it went that fast.” The fact that she gets to start the race in her brand-new hometown makes it extra special: “I’ve only lived in Waregem for a short while, and I think it’s a real honour to be able to do this.”

The nine teams

The Heart for Brain Race is on the Waregem Koerse programme on Tuesday 1 September at 3.35 PM.

Order your tickets now via www.waregemkoerse.be.