Charity Event For the Recovery From the Earthquake Off the Coast of Eastern Taiwan Held on May 24th

Actor Manabu Ino Guest Appearance / Virtual Cycling App from Taiwan “WhiizU” Organizes Hill Climb Race

Uniwill Technology Inc. (Headquartered in Taiwan, CEO: Ken-Chen Chien), developer and operator of the virtual cycling app “WhiizU,” has established a sales partnership with our company, Sankei Digital Inc. (CEO: Tatsushi Doi). In response to the earthquake that struck off the eastern coast of Taiwan on April 3rd, Sankei Digital will host a virtual cycling charity event for disaster relief on Friday, May 24th, at 8 PM. Actor Manabu Ino, widely recognized for his appearances on NHK BS’s cycling information program “Charider★Refreshing! Cycle Clinic,” will be invited as a guest, and the event will be live-streamed on the YouTube channel “Cyclist TV.”

Charity Event for Disaster Relief Hosted via Taiwan’s Virtual Cycling App “WhiizU”

Hualien City in eastern Taiwan, which suffered damage from the earthquake, is renowned as the stage for the globally recognized hill climb race “Taiwan KOM”. This event annually attracts nearly 800 participants from around the world. Starting from sea level in Hualien, the race spans 105 km, climbing through Taroko Gorge and reaching the peak of Hehuan Mountain Wuling at an altitude of 3,275 meters. Known for its tremendous difficulty, this race has recently seen an increase in Japanese participants. Taroko Gorge, which is beloved among cyclists, has now been indefinitely closed due to earthquake-related damage. Restoration is estimated to take five years, which has caused significant economic impacts for Hualien City, which heavily relies on tourism as a core industry.

In response, Sankei Digital Inc. is organizing a charity event using “WhiizU,” the virtual cycling app from Taiwan. While “Taiwan KOM” courses are not yet available on the app, a virtual hill climb race (14.2 km) will instead be conducted along the scenic route of Jiufen, Taipei ー a location popular among tourists and recognized in Japan.

Guest Appearance By Actor Manabu Ino, Former Participant in Taiwan KOM ー Free Viewing and Participation

Actor Manabu Ino, who has previously challenged the “Taiwan KOM” race, will join as a guest. In addition to sharing his experiences and insights about Taiwan KOM and Taroko Gorge, Ino will personally participate in the race. The event, including the talk session and race, will be streamed live on the YouTube channel “Cyclist TV” (https://www.youtube.com/@TV-ru5sh) and can be enjoyed by anyone.

Additionally, participants can download the WhiizU app to their smartphones or tablets and, with a bicycle compatible smart trainer (or conventional rollers and other sensors such as power meters), participate in the virtual race event for free.

Event Details