Member Article

Yorkshire lasses launch annual ladies only charity sportive

Just a year after forming one of the region’s only all-female cycling clubs, Yorkshire lasses Kate Horsfall of Wetherby and Judith Worrall of Thirsk, together with All Terrain Cycles and the ladies of the Yorkshire Lass Cycling Club, have launched a ladies charity sportive.

The first Yorkshire Lass Annual Charity Sportive will take place on Sunday 14 August in aid of Women v Cancer which comprises Breast Cancer Care, Jo’s Cervical Cancer and Ovarian Cancer Action. Starting from Carlton Lodge Activity Centre, Thirsk, the event is being organised through British Cycling and will offer three levels of difficulty with a 30 mile ‘Piece of Cake and a Cuppa’ ride; a 60 mile ‘Reet Gud Ride’; and a 103 mile ‘By Eck Tha War Ard Ride’ route – all riders will be awarded a medal and a piece of cake when they finish!

Wetherby-based Yorkshire Lass Cycling Club was launched last March and the response has been phenomenal due to the growing popularity of women’s cycling, with All Terrain Cycles, which has superstores in Wetherby and Saltaire, funding the club’s first year’s affiliation to the British Cycling association and designing the exclusive club kit. As part of its commitment to promoting cycling in Yorkshire, All Terrain will be supporting the sportive and helping out with equipment and mobile mechanical support as well as supplying energy gels to help keep the ladies’ wheels and legs turning.

“It’s been a fantastic year and we’re proud to have grown the club to almost 100 members. With many of our ladies taking part in charity cycle rides last summer, we really wanted to host our own event,” says Kate. “Like the club itself, our sportive is inclusive, offering rides for all abilities. The aim is to encourage people to try something new and push themselves a bit harder while also having fun – it’s amazing what you can achieve when supported by friends and the promise of a piece of cake at the finish line!

“We are really grateful to All Terrain Cycles for their ongoing support, from providing our fantastic club kit and sponsorship to giving us a friendly welcome as we set out on our rides on a Sunday morning, we couldn’t have done it without them. With their support, we hope to raise lots of funds for three wonderful women’s charities.”

Tony Booth, managing director of All Terrain Cycles, says: “Women’s cycling is becoming increasingly popular - it’s great to see so many ladies taking to their bikes, whether complete novices or experienced riders, it’s a great way to make new friends, get fit and have some fun. We expect the Yorkshire Lass charity sportive to become a firm favourite in the region’s cycling calendar.”

The lunch stop will be at the famous Mousey Thompson shop and café for the participants doing the 60 mile and 100 mile routes. The ride will be well signposted with marshalls at points along the route, mechanical assistance provided by All Terrain Cycles of Wetherby and well stocked feed stations.

The event is being supported by a number of local businesses including Carlton Lodge, where Judith works. David Sharpe, chief executive of the activity centre agreed to stage the sportive which has also attracted other sponsors such as Yorkshire Tea Room, Yorkshire Tea, Office Solutions, Heck Sausages, Paynes Dairies, Masham Sausages and Chia Bars which are donating cakes, tea, sausages, energy bars, milk and office supplies.

Yorkshire Lass Cycling Club meets at 10am most Sunday’s at All Terrain Cycles on Audby Lane, Wetherby. Anyone interested in joining the club, taking part in the sportive or who would like to be a sponsor should visit: www.yorkshirelass.cci or to enter the charity sportive, visit www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/140445/Yorkshire-Lass-Annual-Charity-Sportive. For any questions about the sportive or accommodation for the sportive, please contact yorkshirelasscc@hotmail.com.

Dating back to 1907, All Terrain Cycles is the oldest cycling business in Yorkshire. Having supported the sport of cycling since 1997 with its shop team, All Terrain Cycles is committed to playing an active part in the region’s cycling fraternity, sponsoring a number of cycling and charity events in the region every year such as the Bronte Sportive, the Lord Mayor’s Cycle Ride and the Ripley Castle Cyclocross.

Building on the success of its 10,000sq ft retail outlet at Salts Mill, Saltaire in Shipley, and its thriving online business http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk it opened a second 10,000sq ft cycling superstore last year in Wetherby. Selling many of the leading brands such as Trek and Cannondale, both stores stock over 1,000 mountain, road and BMX bikes, plus clothing and accessories as well as offering repairs and servicing.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Kilmurray .