Cyclists Conquer Tri Moor Challenge
Dozens of cyclists including a team from Ginsters successfully completed the Tri Moor Cycle Challenge in aid of children’s charity CHICKS.
Following hot on the heels of the Tour of Britain which passed through Tavistock last Thursday, the CHICKS Tri Moor Cycle Challenge began on Saturday in Illfracombe and covered 122 miles, finishing at the charity’s retreat in Tywardreath, Cornwall the next day.
Event organiser Jo Smith-Scott said, ‘‘This was a brand new event for CHICKS and we’re delighted with how it’s gone.
‘‘The first day was especially tough as it covered around 72 miles across Exmoor and included a lot of steep ascents but all the cyclists persevered and there was a great sense of team spirit.
‘‘A lot of the cyclists were surprised at how difficult the route was with unrelenting hills and climbs which totalled around 14500 feet over the two days. The positive outlook and determination of the cyclists to get to the finishing line was inspirational.
‘‘Many of those taking part were local to the area but had never cycled a route like this before which covered Exmoor, Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor. There were also cyclists who travelled all the way from London to take part, including a team from one of our corporate partners, Incisive Media. Event participant, Mike Freemantle, who lives in the Tywardreath area told me that one of the things he loved was discovering some wonderful lanes and spectacular countryside and villages that he didn’t know existed.
‘‘I have to say I was especially impressed with two cyclists, who set themselves an even bigger challenge by cycling the entire route by tandem. I had my doubts about whether they’d complete it but they did exceptionally well.
‘‘On behalf of the entire charity, I’d like to thank all the cyclists for taking part and for raising much needed funds for CHICKS. The total currently stands at over £10,000 which is incredible.’’
CHICKS is a children’s charity that provides free respite breaks for disadvantaged children from across the UK. It has two retreats based in Brentor, Devon and Tywardreath, Cornwall.
Jo Hartop, Head of Corporate and Trade Communications at Ginsters said, ‘‘We were delighted to be part of this exciting event and to be supporting CHICKS, a charity that is very close to our hearts and which we have been supporting for over 14 years.
‘‘12 employees from Ginsters including several members of our senior management team and Ginsters Managing Director Mark Duddridge took part. There was a real mix of cycling novices and enthusiasts but I think I can speak for everyone when I say it was definitely a challenge!
‘‘I’d like to thank CHICKS for organising this fantastic event and also all the friends, family and colleagues who sponsored us. I’m pleased to say we all managed to cross the finishing line in one piece and remain good friends at the end of it!’’
If you’d like to find out more about CHICKS or are interested in taking part in the Tri Moor Cycle Challenge next year visit www.chicks.org.uk, call 01822 811020 or email info@chicks.org.uk.
