Cycling: Braveheart Fundraising Ride celebrates its fifth birthday

Oct 22 2010 by Lizzie Struthers, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

HUNDREDS of cyclists will take to Ayrshire’s roads for the fifth annual Braveheart Fundraising Ride on Saturday, October 23.

The event is to raise money for Scottish racing cyclists. Over the past four years, it has raised more than £100,000.

Andrea Lockhart, one of the ride organisers, said: “This is Braveheart fifth birthday and the event continually grows year on year.

“It has funded many Scottish riders and has helped send them on training camps abroad and they’ve subsequently been awarded with Scottish, British, Commonwealth, European and world medals.”

Braveheart bikers will be able to cycle with their heroes including Team Sky’s Russell Downing; Omega Pharma Lotto’s Adam Blythe, winner of the recent Circuit Franco-Belge; Cervelo Test Team’s Lizzie Armistead and Giro D’Italia King of the Mountains Matt Lloyd, Omega Pharma Lotto.

The event consists of two routes on the farm roads near Fenwick and Stewarton. One is 44 miles long, the other is 20 miles. The rides are not races as the emphasis is on fun and fundraising.

Both set out from St Joseph’s Academy in New Farm Loch starting at 10.30am.

Tickets have sold out for the Braveheart dinner which follows the event at Kilmarnock’s Park Hotel on Saturday night. World and Olympic cycling hero Chris Hoy, patron of the fund, has yet to miss the event.

Entry is £17.50 per adult and £12.50 for under-16s in the 44-mile event. Adults pay £15 and under-16s £10 for the 20-miler.

Sponsor forms can be downloaded from the website.

Check out more about the event on www.braveheartfund.com