Event Report: Etape Caledonia

Riders Enjoy Closed Roads of Etape Caledonia

Source: Perfect Motion

News Posted: 19 May 2008

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Above: A cyclist's idyll if ever there was one - closed roads, loch and mountain views and a road that looks like it's been hoovered prior to the event!

Cyclists enjoyed the best cycling conditions that Britain can offer at the Etape Caledonia yesterday, 18th May. Cycling on closed roads is a luxury only enjoyed at the Etape Caledonia, and double the number of last year's riders took the opportunity to enjoy 81miles of challenging Highland Perthshire terrain.

Amongst them were Mark Beaumont, the fastest man to cycle around the world, Aggie Mackenzie, TV's Queen of Clean, who was riding for charity Action Medical Research and members of the British Alpine Ski Team.

The fastest riders on the day were two Aberdeen team mates riding for the Granite City club. Veli Raikkonen and Alister Watt crossed the line together after 3 hours 38 minutes, having worked together throughout the ride. Raikkonen said: 'Ali and I had a game plan to work together all the way round.'

'The last five miles were really hard. The crowds all the way around were brilliant; they were enjoying the sun and really cheering us on.'

Lara MacLean pushed the men all the way. The 38 year old Glaswegian finished in 3 hours 56 minutes. She said: 'I got into a group and found the guys were leaving me at the front a few times! It was a fantastic event and a lovely route. It was never my aim to be the fastest woman.'

Starting from Pitlochry, riders skirted Loch Rannoch and Loch Tummel, ascended the Schiehallion and returned to Pitlochry having climbed a total of 1,200m.

However, the real story was the number of ordinary cyclists who completed the challenge, enjoying breathtaking Scottish scenery in a controlled professional cycling environment.

Event Director, Kevin Stewart said: 'It was fantastic to see Highland Perthshire so busy over the weekend with thousands and cyclists and their families, who all got to see the area at its best with the glorious weather.'

'From the surveys we did on the day people are excited to return, and we are looking forward to launching the 2009 event very soon.'

Sports Track Telemetry Used on Celebrity Etape Entrants

For the first time ever, as the riders headed off into the hills, spectators and organisers in Pitlochry were able to closely monitor exactly where they were, using BlueSky Telemetry, will enabled supporters from around the globe to track the movements of the riders.

Mark Beaumont, the fastest man to cycle around the world, Andy Noble, from the British Alpine Ski team, Aggie Mackenzie, TV's Queen of Clean, who is riding for charity Action Medical Research, the BBC's Andy Nicolson and Magnus Gardham of the Daily Record all used Blue Sky Telemetry's new product "SportsTrack" at its UK launch at the Etape Caledonia Cycle event in Highland Perthshire on Sunday 18th May.

The celebrity cyclists were fitted with SportsTrack which recorded their position during the race and projected it in real time onto an international platform via the internet. Local spectators were also able to track their progress on large plasma screens at venues around the route.

IMG Mass Participation Sports who run the Etape Caledonia understand the value of SportsTrack for participants and spectators. Ian Hulbert, managing director of SportsTrack UK said "We know that everyone wants to feel involved in Etape and SportsTrack is alone in the field in achieving that aim. A national event can now become a truly Global event."

SportsTrack allows everybody to participate in the ride: friends and family can text through the SportsTrack website or their own mobile phone to each participant wishing them well and encouraging them throughout the race.

SportsTrack, along with the involvement of Mavic, also heightened the safety credentials of Etape Caledonia. As SportsTrack roams across all mobile phone networks, a participant can be assured that in emergency mode, an automatically pre-drafted emergency text can be sent to the race organisers who can then call the participant on SportsTrack to discuss the problem before calling on the emergency services should that be necessary. At all times, the exact location of the participant is still displayed on the Sportstrack website and the user does not need to fumble with their own phone.

SportsTrack is the leader in real time GPS trail recording for events management. SportsTrack and its integrated internet and mobile phone based mapping solutions were developed in South Africa by Sportstrack RSA in Cape Town and launched there in March 2007. Prestigious events such as the Cape Argus Cycle Race and the Freedom Challenge in South Africa, the Surf Ski World Championship and the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii are all using SportsTrack to track participants.

In March 2008, BlueSky Telemetry acquired the European Distribution rights for SportsTrack to complement its range of wildlife and care tracking products.

Celebrity Finishers' Times