Great Weston Ride
Event 21 July 2013
Entry is now open for the 2013 edition of the very popular Great Weston Ride, a spectacular city-to-coast challenge ride taking place in the West Country next year on Sunday 21 July 2013.
And, after receiving rave reviews from participants this Summer, there’s every reason to think that the event will attract a record number of entries for the fourth year running.
Ride Organiser, Darren McKimm, explained: “One of the aims when the Great Weston Ride started was to provide people with a quality cycling EVENT - not just a ride, but a great day out too - and based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback that we got from riders this year it looks like we’re well on the way to achieving that aim.
The Great Weston Ride is a challenging but very manageable ride that actually takes you somewhere – a West Country version of the London to Brighton ride, if you like – and we want everyone who takes part to feel a real sense of personal achievement and also to feel that they’ve had a great day out into the bargain. Obviously we’re delighted with the phenomenal response and comments from our 2012 riders, and with word and interest spreading rapidly now we’re looking forward to another great event in 2013”.
The Great Weston Ride’s scenic 56-mile route starts in Bristol and then takes riders through some stunning countryside and picturesque Somerset villages as it charts its way through the Mendips and across the Somerset Levels to its final destination on the seafront in Weston-super-Mare. The event caters for riders of all abilities, with something to offer experienced cyclists and novices alike, and many of the Ride’s participants are in fact new to long-distance cycling.
Mr McKimm added: “One of the most striking features this year was the number of people entering and riding as part of a group of friends or colleagues, and in particular we saw a significant number of experienced cyclists encouraging non-cyclists and less experienced riders to rise to the challenge and take part in a major bike ride for the first time. One experienced rider told us that he would recommend the Great Weston Ride to ‘all cyclists of all abilities’, while a novice rider also commented that it is ‘an event anyone can do’ – and, for us, that sums it up perfectly!”.
Another major feature of the Great Weston Ride is the level of charity fundraising activity among riders which, while not obligatory, is actively encouraged. The Ride’s official charity partner, Prostate Cancer UK, has already benefitted from riders’ efforts to date to the tune of well over £40,000, and the event has actually helped to raise more than £80,000 in total across a range of charities and good causes since it started just three years ago.
“The Great Weston Ride offers people a great personal challenge, and in the process lots of riders choose to use their efforts and exertions to raise money for charity - it adds to the overall sense of achievement and it’s also a great source of motivation for many people, and we’re extremely grateful for the generosity and support shown by fundraiser riders and their sponsors”, a spokesman added.
The feedback and comments on the Ride website from this year’s participants certainly warrant reading by anyone thinking of taking part, and there’s every indication that the 2013 Ride will once again reach capacity, especially with increasing numbers of riders coming back for a second, third - or even fourth – time.
So it’s fair to say that the Great Weston Ride is now firmly established as the West Country destination challenge ride - and therefore well worth a try!
Further information, and details on how to enter, can be found at www.greatwestonride.com.
