Suffolk is gearing up for the visit of thousands of cyclists this weekend when the Mildenhall Cycling Rally takes place.
The cycling festival will, as usual, take place over the August Bank Holiday weekend (Saturday 24th – Monday 26th August 2013) in Mildenhall in the heart of East Anglia, with very good road links to it from the south and west. The venue is the same as well, although the Riverside Middle School is now known as the Mildenhall College, Sheldrick Way Site, whose grounds and playing fields will become a temporary campsite for around 400 caravan and camping pitches.
“The Rally is known throughout the UK’s cycling community as one of the best all-round cycling weekends that appeals to cyclists of all ages and especially families. Although it is important to stress that the event is open to everyone locally as well.” said Mark Burchett the chairman of the organising club, Mildenhall Cycling Club.
With the cancellation of this year’s York Cycle Show, an event very similar to the Mildenhall Cycling Rally held in June every year, he added “that we are expecting an even greater number of day visitors, as there are people who had planned to see exhibitors in York now travelling to us instead”.
The Rally hasn’t had any major changes to the tried and tested line-up of events over the three days, but as Mark Burchett explained, “While we do maintain the same broad programme of events as that is what appeals to people, we always try to add or change something each year to keep it fresh. This year on the Monday we will have CSV (Community Service Volunteers) Media Clubhouse from Ipswich present with a cycle-smoothie machine, where by using their pedal power visitors can create themselves a very fresh and healthy smoothie.
Also with the help of Forest Heath District Council, we are very pleased to be able to introduce some recycling facilities for their waste on a trial basis. If it is successful this year we will look to expand what and how much can be recycled.
The grass-track will as ever form the centrepiece of the Rally, with a full supporting list of grass-track events everyday from 12 noon. Such is the popularity from juvenile riders (under 16) that the Saturday’s track programme is devoted solely to them. The seniors, including nearly 20 women, will contest the racing on the Sunday and Monday.
The highlight of these will be the Ladies National 800m Championship on Sunday with Jo Smith (Team Feminin Languedoc), Marianne Britten (VC St Raphael Waite Contracts, Hewitt Cycles) and Sherilyn Powell (Chelmer CC) among the favourites.
Other competitive events will include a Madison Cyclo-Cross and especially for the under 17’s there will be the ever-popular Children’s Duathlon and for the under 16’s the Go-Ride Skilful Riding.
On the touring front, C.T.C. (Cyclists Touring Club) Suffolk will be organising 57, 100, 200 & 300km Audax Rides on the Saturday. For those that want something more relaxing, Mildenhall Cycling Club will have their range of touring leaflets, offering a variety of scenery of varying distances.
There will be a two-day Trade Show (Sunday and Monday) open to the public, where especially in the current tough economic climate, there’s sure to be plenty of bargains to be had, from components to complete machines.
Other attractions will include the table-top Cycle Jumble and Quiz Night.
The Rally is an ideal day-out for families, whether you’re from a cycling background or not. Every day there will be the Children’s Sports, while on the Sunday and Monday there will be the bouncy castle and face painter. Additionally on the Sunday there will be a circus skills-workshop and on the Monday, Adam Strange with his Magic and Puppet Shows! All of these attractions for the children are completely free of charge. In addition to this there is free day parking and free entry to the Rally site.
If you want to watch a potential future International or Olympic cycling Champion there’s no better place than the Mildenhall Cycling Rally. It can boast among its many thousands of competitors over the years such impressive stars as Nicole Cook MBE, Ben Swift, Jason Kenny OBE, Steve Burke MBE, Emma and Laura Trott OBE and of course Victoria Pendleton CBE, who was a member of the Mildenhall club when she was growing up. It’s grass-tracks like this where these young riders cut their teeth and there can be no denying that the skills they learnt have stood them in very good stead on the top international stages around the world.
Full details of everything happening and when it takes place at the Rally can be found at www.mildenhallrally.org.uk
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