News: Great Weston Ride

News: Great Weston Ride

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News: Great Weston Ride

Posted: 21st June 2011

Newcomers Rise to the Great Weston Ride Challenge

The second Great Weston Ride is taking place on Sunday 17th July and the organisers are expecting up to double the number of entrants from 2010, with many people taking part in their first major challenge bike ride.

The Great Weston Ride's 56-mile city-to-coast route starts in Bristol and offers participants a spectacular tour of the West Country as it picks its way through the Mendips and across the Somerset Levels before finishing on the seafront in Weston-super-Mare.


Above: Riders rising to the challenge in 2010

It's been designed as a challenge ride that's suitable for all-comers, with something to offer experienced cyclists and novices alike, and, while many of the Ride's entrants are new to long-distance cycling, all have their own reasons for taking part.

Vanessa Warren, age 26 from Clevedon, was inspired to enter the Ride for exercise in an effort to get in shape ahead of her wedding day in September, while 78-year-old Pat Ashford, from Weston, and Tracy Hobday, 44, from Winterbourne, as well as a group of dads from Timsbury near Bath, are all riding to raise money for charities that are close to their hearts.

Indeed, many dozens of riders have already signed up to fundraise for The Prostate Cancer Charity, the Ride's official charity partner, raising many thousands of pounds in the process. And any individual who raises over £100 for the Charity will also receive a FREE cycling jersey (worth about £40) by way of thanks.

And this year riders can look forward to a number of additional features, including free 9Bar energy bars at the start, enhanced mobile mechanical services en route, and an exclusive food and drink facility for riders and their supporters at the finish. Fish and chips and a pig roast will be among the fare on offer, and riders will rewarded for their efforts with free food.

Ride Organiser, Darren McKimm, commented: "We're delighted to see so many people taking part this year, including lots of people who are raising money for charity through their efforts. It's all about rising to the challenge, many hundreds of people are doing that this year and hopefully the Great Weston Ride will go from strength to strength as a major ‘must-do' West Country event. And, of course, this year it's an opportunity for everyone who missed out on Bristol's Biggest Bike Ride to still get their challenge ride ‘fix'".

Entry for the Ride closed early last year and, while there's no official closing date as yet for online entries, postal entries need to be in by the end of the first week of July at the latest.

Further information, and details on how to enter, can be found at www.greatwestonride.com.