Member Article

Double the number of Yorkshire Lasses join ladies-only charity cycling sportive

The Yorkshire Lass Cycling Club has seen 600 female cyclists take part in its annual sportive – twice the number that signed up for its inaugural event last year.

The sportive, which was once again sponsored and supported by All Terrain Cycles of Wetherby and Carlton Lodge Activity Centre in Thirsk, took place last Sunday (20th August). Last year’s event succeeded in donating over £14,500 for women’s cancer charities and the 2017 sportive already looks set to beat that record. Over £16,000 of funds have been raised so far for Women v Cancer (comprising Breast Cancer Care, Jo’s Cervical Cancer and Ovarian Cancer Action) and for Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Carlton Lodge Activity Centre Bursary Fund which hosts the event.

Organised by Yorkshire Lass CC founders Kate Horsfall of Wetherby and Judith Worrall of Thirsk with the help of over 100 volunteers on the day, the sportive followed the same format as 2016, starting from Carlton Lodge Activity centre and offering a range of three rides to suit different abilities.

Female cycling enthusiasts from all over the country travelled to North Yorkshire to take part in one of the three rides with the option of a 30 mile ‘Cuppa tea an a piece a cake’ ride; a 60 mile ‘Reet Gud Ride’; and a 103 mile ‘By Eck Tha War Ard Ride’ route.

“It was another amazing day with an incredible number of cycling enthusiasts from all over the country taking part as well as more than a hundred lasses, lads and honorary YLCC people coming along to marshall and help out at the sportive,” explain Kate and Jude. “We’re also delighted that we have already surpassed last year’s fundraising total with lots more sponsorship still to come in.

“We’d like to say a big thank you to our main sponsor All Terrain Cycles who were instrumental in helping us to set up the club two years ago and have continued to support us. The sportive seems to have become a firm favourite in the cycling calendar and we’re already planning next year’s event!”

Launched in March 2015, the Wetherby-based cycling club is supported by All Terrain Cycles which supplies its popular club kit and provides sponsorship as well as welcoming club members as they set out on their weekly Sunday morning rides from the Wetherby store. As one of the few ladies only clubs in the region, it has proved hugely popular, growing to more than 100 members. Membership re-opens in April.

Tony Booth, managing director of All Terrain Cycles, says: “The Yorkshire Lass Cycling Club is a huge success story which has encouraged lots of ladies to take to two wheels. We were pleased to once again support them with sponsorship and by providing equipment and mobile mechanical support to keep the wheels turning and it was fantastic to see such an impressive turn out. “

The event was 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 sponsors such as Cake Academy https://www.thecakeacademybakery.com/ which supplied all the cake for the riders; Food Utopia https://www.food-utopia.com/ which supplied pasta and salad; Corking Wine which made most of the sandwiches for the event; Heck sausages; and Tesco.

The charity Sportive will be held again next year on 12th August 2018 and details will be released via British Cycling events at the beginning of September.

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.yorkshirelasscc.co.uk or to enter the charity sportive, visit https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/153027/Yorkshire-Lass-CC-Charity-Sportive For any questions about the sportive or accommodation for the sportive, please contact sportive@yorkshirelasscc.co.uk

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