The news that Craig Burn would step down as Chief Executive of Scottish Cycling marked the end of an era for the organisation which has flourished under his leadership. After almost 10 years at the helm, the governing body has seen an increase in membership and participation, as well as the establishment of a talent system that continues to deliver sustained medal success.
“I am enormously proud of the work we have collectively achieved and continue to drive through our strategy, ‘Developing a Nation of Cyclists’, which has always been delivered in partnership with the team, our leadership and our passionate network of members, partners and stakeholders.”
The past decade has seen an incredible rise in the number of Scots excelling on the world stage with 28 Scottish athletes currently part of the Great Britain Cycling Team. It is these world class performances, and in particular the 2014 Glasgow and 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games medal tallies, that stand out to Craig as career highlights.
“Looking back, before 2014 if we medalled at a Games we would have been delighted. Then in 2018 cycling was the most successful Scottish sport bringing home 10 medals, so to have been part of that journey has been incredible.”
Without doubt his proudest moment was being with the team at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. He witnessed the roller coaster of emotions experienced by the athletes, culminating in THAT points race win by Mark Stewart. “The Mark Stewart moment was the best. Mark came through the club system from Discovery Juniors and seeing him achieve at the highest level was remarkable.” On returning from Australia, Scottish Cycling was awarded Governing Body of the Year in recognition of the sport’s significant achievements.
Another career highlight was the securing of the step-change in commercial income from British Cycling and HSBC commercial right agreement. “The multi-million pound investment to Scottish Cycling provided the resource to operate in the wider participation space, introducing programmes like Breeze, Go Ride and Let’s Ride.”
Craig, who previously worked for sportscotland and North Lanarkshire Council, credits the CEOs of other sports governing bodies with providing peer to peer mentorship and support. This is a network which has been galvanised through COVID as sport continues to make the case for the power of sport and its wider contribution to society.
“I’ve always believed that success comes from putting a strong team around you. First and foremost, I would like to pay tribute to dedicated and hardworking staff team and dedicated volunteers who are the lifeblood of the sport. I would also like to thank Martin Cooke (Scottish Cycling Chair), Tom Bishop (President) and all Board members past and present with whom I have worked with over the years. Their endless encouragement and support has been invaluable.”
Chair of Scottish Cycling Martin Cooke said, “I have found Craig’s enthusiasm, drive and resilience quite remarkable and very refreshing, and we have built up a strong and effective working relationship. I have very much enjoyed working with Craig and am delighted that he will be staying close to the sport in in his new job, and that we can continue to be allies as we make the case for the growth and success of the sport of cycling.”
President of Scottish Cycling Tom Bishop said, “Craig has put his heart and soul into this work and achieved some amazing milestones, getting the Fife Cycle Park project off the ground and securing the £8 million Cycling Facilities Fund. He is fantastic at building teams and enabling them to deliver. His legacy will continue for many years and I wish him all the best for the future.”
With the announcement of the incoming Scottish Cycling CEO imminent, what advice would he give to his successor? “Always value people, listen to the membership and bring them with you on the journey. We exist to be custodians for our amazing sport and to work with our membership, partners and stakeholders who invest in us.”
“Now is a time for stability, not transformational change. Despite the global pandemic, the sport is in a good place and we need to focus on clubs, continue to address inequalities and develop safe cycling facilities for all.”
Given the increase in people riding bikes in Scotland, Craig has every right to be excited for the future of the sport at every level. “I’d like to see the development of bigger, stronger clubs that are embedded in local communities. Clubs that are fun, inclusive and support mental as well as physical health. This will ensure sustainability, allow a wider talent pool to develop and hopefully thrive.”
Scottish Cycling has recently made progress to address the gender imbalance that exists within the sport, with female membership increasing fivefold under his tenure. However, there is still a long way to go, and as Dad to daughter Orla, Craig remains ambitious about getting more females cycling. “I’m proud of the Women’s Development Group, launch of the Women’s Fund, and the growth in female membership to over 2500. I’d like to see this work continue and go further to get more girls and women involved in the sport at all levels.”
“The next few years will see the hard work that went into securing the £8 million Cycling Facilities Fund come to fruition. I want to rock up to a pump track in five years’ time and tell my kids ‘I made that happen’.”
In his new role as Director of Strategy, Policy and Impacts for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, Craig will continue in his mission to ensure that cycling brings more solutions and positive change to individuals and communities across Scotland. As such, he will continue to work closely with Scottish Cycling.
The staff team and Board would like to thank Craig for his leadership and boundless enthusiasm and wish him the very best for the future.
