Here's where you'll find all the latest news and developments regarding the 2024 Great Weston Ride:
July 2024
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GWR Event Update
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Entered riders will receive detailed pre-event briefing information a few days before the event itself - we'll do this in a timely manner, but also in a way that hopefully requires no further revision or amendments to avoid any possible confusion or misunderstanding about how things will operate on the day itself.
And hopefully reading this shortly before the event will mean that it's fresh in riders' minds and, therefore, easier to remember on the day.
In the meantime we have updates on some other aspects of the event, as follows:
2024 GWR ROUTE
We're happy to confirm that we'll be offering all EIGHT route options again this year and, barring any last-minute issues, the routes have now been finalised.
Please note that we have made a couple of adjustments to the routes compared with last year and the most up-to-date links are available to download via our Route Details page. We strongly recommend that anyone who has downloaded any of the routes previously, and certainly prior to July 2024, should do so again now just to ensure that they have the correct version.
Of course the routes will be fully signed as well with GWR-branded direction arrows, and please be aware that the signage on the day always takes priority over the route downloads (to accommodate any very last-minute issues or needs that may arise).
There will be further route checks up to & including the day of the event and, while we don't anticipate any changes, any further adjustments will be notified via email to registered riders or, if absolutely necessary, on the day of the Ride itself.
REFRESHMENTS
En route there will be two official stops available exclusively for our riders - the first of these is a 'pit stop' at Bad Ass Bikes at the bottom of Burrington Combe (c. 18 miles into the main route), while the main refreshment stop is at the Post & Wicket at Wedmore Playing Fields (after 36 miles).
Riders will be able to top up water bottles at the pit stop and there will be mechanical support available for any bike issues. Hot drinks & snacks can also be bought from the bike shop, and public toilet facilities are available nearby.
And please note that there will be a further refreshment option available for riders just over the top of the climb up Burrington Combe, at approximately 22 miles on the main route.
While in Wedmore there will be a plentiful supply of food & drink available to buy at the main refreshment stop, as well as toilet facilities and of course the opportunity to top up water bottles.
And, as always, we'll have our excellent BBQ and bar facilities available for everyone at the finish - food for riders is FREE, and friends & family who gather at the finish are also welcome to purchase food and drink if they wish.
PRE- & POST-RIDE TRANSPORT
We've allowed for a reasonable amount of spare capacity within the overall transport offering, however you should book ASAP via the Online Entry page if you wish to use this service and haven't booked it yet (NB we'll be closing the post-Ride service for advance bookings imminently).
Riders don't need to book a particular departure time for the PM transport service so there's no pressure from that perspective, but obviously some departures will be busier than others - however there WILL be space on the day for everyone who's booked the service.
There are still several spaces available for anyone who wants the AM (pre-Ride) service from Weston to take them to the start in Bristol, so this option will remain available for a few days longer (also via the Online Entry page).
Obviously where we do have space(s) on the post-Ride service on the day we're very happy to accommodate people, it's just that we can't absolutely guarantee this and it should also be noted that, in any case, priority for each departure goes to people who have pre-booked the service.
Otherwise, we trust that anyone who hasn't booked this service has alternative plans in place for their journey home.
We hope all of the above makes sense and is clear, and further detailed information will follow shortly for entered riders.
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June 2024
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Thinking Local & Acting Local
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PLEASE don't skip this - read on and let us explain why we're asking our riders to support Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity.
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Our official charity partner, Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity (BWHC), is absolutely tiny in comparison with the likes of Macmillan, The British Heart Foundation, and Prostate Cancer UK etc, and yet so many of us in the South-West will almost certainly benefit DIRECTLY from their support and care at some point or another.
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That's because BWHC supports the care of patients in our region across the whole spectrum of illnesses, including:
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• Paediatric care at the Children's Hospital
• Cancer treatment
• Intensive care
• Dementia care
• Mental health services
• Coronary care & cardiovascular disease
• Acute strokes
• End-of-life care
• Neonatal care
• Eye & dental care
• Community health
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And, most importantly, it funds additional equipment, services and support that the NHS doesn't cover - thereby providing better care eg for old people suffering from dementia; young people with cancer; bereaved families; people of all ages with mental health problems; heart patients; stroke victims; and so much more besides.
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The simple fact is that the 10 hospitals that BWHC supports in the Bristol & Weston area provide care for over 1 million people every year.
So ask yourself - have you, or a family member, ever been treated in one of our local hospitals for anything from minor ailments through to the most serious health emergencies?
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And if the answer is 'Yes', there's something YOU can do to make sure that the same support is still there in the future.
This year marks 50 years of BWHC's existence - and we're asking everyone to use their GWR challenge to fundraise if they possibly can to support more of this fabulous work for everyone in Bristol and Weston, as well as the South-West as a whole.
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Specifically - we'd like to get 100+ people on our side, trying to raise a phenomenal £50,000 for this vital local service.
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Be a superstar - we need your help to do this, so please sign up for #TeamBWHC via our Charity Partner page and do something great.
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Think local, act local. Thank you.
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March 2024
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GWR Cycling Jersey - Available to Order!
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We've had numerous enquiries recently about our GWR cycling jerseys so, as we don't have any in stock, we've decided to place another order for delivery ahead of this year's Ride.
It was a brand new jersey design last year that turned out to be extremely popular and it will be exactly the same design & spec this year, and we're pleased to be able to say that we can also offer it at the same price as last year (not many things you can say that about these days!).
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And, as always, it's our intention to supply and deliver the jerseys at cost plus a modest amount on top as a donation to our charity partner, Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity, meaning that the purchase price is still just £37 - which includes VAT, P&P and the charity contribution.
But please note that the jersey is being made available to pre-order and therefore, importantly, the customisation options listed below are available for advance purchases only.
Obviously we want to ensure that we can get the jerseys to people well in advance of this year's GWR so orders need to be placed by Wednesday 10th April 2024 latest - this means that we can then expect to be able to send out jerseys to everyone who's ordered one by early June.
The jersey, available in sizes XS to 4XL, comes with three rear pockets to carry your ride essentials AND an additional small zipped pocket for valuables, and for pre-orders we can offer a level of customisation that includes zip options (short or full-length) and a female-specific cut.
Have a look at the male & female size charts below for measurements and, if you'd like to buy a jersey, please visit our Online Entry page where you'll be able to select your size & zip preferences:
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Men's jerseys size chart
Women's jerseys size chart
Men's jerseys size chart
NB these jerseys are described as 'club fit' and we can confirm that they're definitely a pretty snug fit so if you're borderline between two sizes or unsure - or if you just prefer a slightly looser fit - it might be advisable to opt for one size up.
And remember - if you want one PLEASE don't miss the order deadline (Wednesday 10th April)!
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February 2024
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And The Winner Is........
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We're delighted to share the news that we've been shortlisted for 'Best Event' in Bristol at the prestigious Bristol Life Awards, a major awards ceremony that's all about "celebrating the best of Bristol" - so of course it's a tremendous accolade for us to be named among the 'Best Event' finalists.
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That said, we're not what you would call complete strangers to the Awards - in fact, it's actually the EIGHTH YEAR IN A ROW that we've been shortlisted for the 'Best Event' award, and no other event in Bristol (of any description) can match that enviable record.
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So that already feels like a fairly significant achievement in itself, but obviously it's fingers crossed for 8th-time lucky after always being a runner-up to date - and apparently eight is considered a lucky number in some parts of the world, so we're certainly hoping that's the case for us this year! :)
Although that's not to say that we haven't tasted victory before - we actually won the 'Health & Wellbeing' Award on two previous occasions (in 2018 and 2021) and obviously it would now be fantastic to be able to add the 'Best Event' title to our little collection.
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We'll know the final outcome fairly soon, but in the meantime if you want to be part of what may yet turn out to be the 'Best Event in Bristol' make sure that you get your Online Entry in ASAP if you haven't done it yet!
DO IT NOW - DON'T MISS OUT!
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January 2024
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2024 Rider Medals
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We're pleased to say that we've sorted our rider medal for 2024 - it's a fab-looking bespoke medal specifically designed to mark the 15th year of the GWR, and one of these will be waiting at the finish for everyone who completes the 2024 GWR :)
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Rider medal for the 2024 GWR
Rider medal for the 2024 GWR
Rider medal for the 2024 GWR
Hopefully you like the look of it and, as ever, all you need to do to get your hands on one of these is to enter the Ride via our Online Entry page, get some training in beforehand (the sooner you enter the more training & preparation you can do!), and then just go out and enjoy yourself on the day!
And, with EIGHT route & distance options to choose from, there should be something for pretty much everyone, so whichever route option you go for you'll KNOW that you've well & truly earned your medal by the finish - and of course it always feels that little bit easier if you also know that you've done a bit of prep & practice!
So, if you want to be sure that one of these has got YOUR name on it, rise to the challenge and make sure you get your entry in ASAP (if you haven't done so already) - and, of course, please bring as many friends, colleagues, family, etc with you as you can.
We see so many groups riding together now, and it really is even better when you take on the challenge alongside a bunch of people you know!
So sign up NOW and we'll make sure that your hard-earned medal is waiting!
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November 2023
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GWR Mallorca Cycling Trip
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31/12/23 UPDATE:
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Unfortunately, despite receiving a significant number of expressions of 'serious interest' in our proposed Mallorca cycling week, to date we haven't actually received enough confirmed bookings to make the trip viable. Consequently, and very regrettably, this means that we're unable to proceed and the proposed trip has now been cancelled.
We'd like to give our thanks - and our apologies - to those who DID make a firm commitment and who would have liked the trip to go ahead. We may return to the idea at some point in the future, in which case further info will be provided at the appropriate time.
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For some time now we've been considering & exploring options for a possible GWR-specific cycling week in Mallorca, and we're finally at a point where we could actually make that happen in March 2024.
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However, in order to proceed further, we now need to gauge if there are sufficient levels of serious interest in this idea to warrant putting firm arrangements in place.
Our plan is to work with the very experienced team at Andy Cook Cycling (ACC) to put on our own exclusive week of great bike rides in small groups led by experienced ride leaders and, as things stand, ACC would be able to accommodate us with a bespoke service during the week of 17th-24th March 2024 (Sunday-to-Sunday to include flight options from Bristol).
ACC has been running cycling camps in Mallorca for over 30 years and, having actually worked directly with them out there over the last three years, we know that Andy and his team are undoubtedly the ideal partners for something like this.
(Not to mention that ACC has also worked with us on the GWR since Day #1 - so, with over 14 years of collaboration to date, we really do know exactly what we can expect in terms of service & quality!).
We've carefully looked at & investigated various options for our inaugural trip to Mallorca and, while ACC isn't necessarily the cheapest option, we've seen for ourselves that it's very much a case of 'you get what you pay for' - and we can say from first-hand experience that ACC's very friendly, personal service makes a huge difference and it IS most definitely the best-quality option available.
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March is a good time to visit Mallorca for cycling and our bespoke programme will be designed to accommodate anyone & everyone who's taken part in any of our West Country challenge bike rides, so each day there will be a choice of rides available of varying distances from 40-80 miles (with climbing to match).
Equally, while there will be a full programme available across the week, there's absolutely no obligation to do every ride if you don't want to - there'll be great locations & facilities on offer too, so if you fancy the odd beach, pool, town or spa day instead that's entirely up to you. Those options WILL be available to you as well!
Our initial plan for this inaugural trip is to limit numbers to a maximum of around 30 people (so approx 8-10 per group), but at the same time we probably do need at least 20 participants to make the idea at all viable - hence why we're asking for expressions of serious interest at this stage.
So please click on the following highlighted link to see full details on our proposed GWR Mallorca Cycling Trip.
And then, if you're definitely interested, please complete this very short Expression of Interest form to let us know.
¡MUCHAS GRACIAS AMIGOS!
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October 2023
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Landmark Fundraising Effort
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We've now gathered as much information as we can on the overall fundraising effort from our cycling challenges this year and it looks like the combined fundraising figure for 2023 is around £34,000, which also means that over £500,000 - HALF A MILLION! - has now been raised in total for good causes by our riders since we started!
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That overall figure is truly staggering, and we're enormously grateful to everyone who has contributed over the years - it's quite simply a phenomenal amount and we're humbled & amazed by the generosity that people have consistently shown to achieve this incredible total.
This year was no exception either, despite the challenging economic climate - once again several different charities and causes benefitted from riders' efforts & exertions in 2023, and every year we're pleased to see a wide range of causes being supported.
And we're especially delighted to see that our new official charity partner, Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity, received tremendous support in its first year with us - to the extent that £26,000 of this year's total went to this fantastic local charity.
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So obviously we'd like to say a massive and heartfelt 'THANK YOU' to everyone who rose to one or more of our cycling challenges and raised money this year - it's a significant amount at a time when fundraising isn't easy, and this is entirely down to the efforts and commitment of sponsored riders and their generous supporters.
We would appreciate it if fundraising riders could also share this news with the people who supported them, together with our thanks and appreciation for EVERYONE who contributed, and of course we very much hope that lots of people will enter and at least consider fundraising again next year - and help us to push on towards that magical £1 million figure!
THANKS AGAIN, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN 2024 :)
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September 2023
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NEW! GWR Withdrawals Policy
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We want to do everything we can to make it easy for people to enter our events at the earliest opportunity, because it can make a big difference to us AND to our riders:
FOR US
Having a good idea of likely numbers helps us massively with our planning and preparations, especially when so many elements have to be booked/ordered/paid for well in advance in order to be able to deliver the standards, services & facilities that we want to offer.
FOR RIDERS
Entering early gives people plenty of time to prepare & practise for their challenge; it can provide the motivation that's sometimes needed to get out & ride; it's definitely something positive to look forward to over the winter months; and, for those who make good use of the available preparation time, it should hopefully lead to those people generally feeling fitter, happier and healthier as a result.
So, to encourage & facilitate early sign-up, we've come up with a very clear and transparent 'withdrawals policy' for our riders for 2024 that we believe is both fair to riders and to us.
Obviously, hopefully everyone appreciates that there comes a point at which we have to fully commit on all our services & expenditure etc (exactly the same as any other event) so the options available to us inevitably reduce as the event date approaches, however if anyone who's entered for any of our events in 2024 needs to withdraw for ANY reason then the following options will be available:
ANY TIME UP TO 8 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE EVENT DATE
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Entry fee refund (minus £5 admin fee);
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Entry transferred to one of our other events in the same year, if still available (FREE);
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Entry carried forward to the same event for the following year (FREE);
or -
Entry transferred to another person (FREE).
UP TO 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE EVENT DATE
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Entry transferred to one of our other events in the same year, if still available (FREE);
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Entry carried forward to the same event for the following year (FREE);
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Entry transferred to another person (FREE).
UP TO 72 HOURS PRIOR TO THE EVENT
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Entry transferred to another person (FREE).
So, as you can see, if something unexpected happens or crops up after you've entered with us there are options available right up until just THREE DAYS before the event - our view is that this is a fair & reasonable approach to take; we believe it's more flexible & accommodating than most other equivalent events offer; and hopefully it will give you the confidence & the peace of mind to get your entry in NOW via our Online Entry page.
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So come on, it really does make a difference - enter early and help us to help you!
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