THE Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Caledonia has been shortlisted for one of the cycling industry’s greatest accolades: Sportive of the Year.
The Highland Perthshire event, for which only a few ‘Pledge Places’ remain, sold out of general entry places in just 72 hours making it one of the fastest selling cycling events in the UK.
Attracting 5,500 competitors to take part in the tough 81-mile course this May, it was the first closed road cycling event of its kind in the UK and has pioneered the growth in such events over the last seven years.
It now faces stiff competition for the coveted title of Sportive of the Year from the Dragon Ride and the Wiggle French Revolution as well as the Wight Riviera and Etape Cymru. The winner will be announced on December 28th by online publication RCUK (RoadCyclingUK.com).
Prospective participants who failed to secure a place in Etape Caledonia need not hang up their cycling shoes, there are still places available for IMG Challenger World’s sister event, Etape Pennines in County Durham. where riders have an opportunity to test their legs over 78 miles of stunning countryside.
Marie Curie Cancer Care, the event’s charity partner is also encouraging all Etape Caledonia participants to raise funds for the charity in 2013. Marie Curie provides free hands-on nursing care to people with a terminal illness, either in their own home or one of the charity’s nine hospices.
James Robinson, managing director of IMG Challenger World, said: “This is great news to see Etape Caledonia recognized on as one one of the UK’s greatest cycling events. Its popularity grows year on year and we’re delighted to be shortlisted.”
Participants wishing to vote for Etape Caledonia to win should visit http://bit.ly/QET2hr or, for more information on the event, visit www.etapecaledonia.co.uk
ENDS
About IMG Challenger World
IMG Challenger World owns a wide range of events across triathlon, running, cycling and intelligent sport categories, attracting over 40,000 participants annually in the UK.
Events
IMG Challenger World owns seven sporting events in the UK.
Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Caledonia 12 May 2013 – The UK’s leading cycling event and credited as the first and only closed road mass participation cycling event to be held in the UK. The event appeals to cycle club enthusiasts, recreational cyclists, gym members and those looking for a new physical challenge in the stunning highland Perthshire. #BEPARTOFIT
Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Pennies 6 October 2013 – Etape Pennines quickly established itself as one of the toughest Sportives in the UK following its debut in 2012. Hailed as “beautiful and brutal” by Cycling Plus magazine, the event challenges riders to 78 miles and over 2,000 metres of climbing but with speedy downhill sections, hard work is duly rewarded with breath taking views and incredible self accomplishment. #TAKEITON
Run to the Beat powered by Nike+ – Run to the Beat is London’s first half marathon and the UK’s first music marathon. This unique event starts and finishes at The O2 in Greenwich, with the route passing through three Olympic venues. Live music will be played at strategically placed points around the course to help motivate competitors.
Virgin Active London Triathlon – The London Triathlon is the world’s largest triathlon with over 13,000 entrants annually. The event attracts everyone, from Elite athletes to complete novices, either as individuals or as part of a team, and raises over £2million for charity annually.
Blenheim Triathlon – The Blenheim Triathlon is the UK’s second largest Triathlon, with over 5,000 competitors taking part. The event takes place in the stunning Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage Site. The triathlon continues to attract new participants each year and is a great race for those new to triathlon, or those who are starting off their season.
Intelligent Sport UK Challenge® – The Intelligent Sport® UK Challenge is the UK’s largest corporate team development event. Combining the thrills of adventure sport with strategic and mental challenges, this powerful business development tool is proven to drive both individual and team performance.
More information is available at www.challengerworld.com
About Marie Curie Cancer Care
Marie Curie Cancer Care is one of the UK’s largest charities. Employing more than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals, it provided care to more than 35,000 terminally-ill patients in the community and in its nine hospices last year and is the largest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS.
Funding
Around 70 per cent of the charity’s income comes from the generous support of thousands of individuals, membership organisations and businesses, with the balance of our funds coming from the NHS.
Marie Curie Nurses
The charity is best known for its network of Marie Curie Nurses working in the community to provide end of life care, totally free for patients in their own homes.
Research
The charity provides core funding for three palliative care research facilities; the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Unit at University College London, the Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute Liverpool and the Marie Curie Palliative Care Centre at the Wales Cancer Trials Unit (Cardiff University).
The charity also supports palliative and end of life care research through its project grant funding streams, the Marie Curie Cancer Care Research Programme (administered by Cancer Research UK) and the Dimbleby Marie Curie Cancer Care Research Fund.
Both research programmes aims to tackle the funding and knowledge gap in palliative and end of life care research, which in turn will benefit patients, families and carers. The charity also funds seven fundamental scientific research groups which investigate the causes and treatments of cancer. This research was previously carried out at the Marie Curie Research Institute in Oxted, Surrey.
The programmes are now located in universities around the country, and will receive funding from the charity until March 2013.
The right to die in place of choice
Research shows around 63 per cent of people would like to die at home if they had a terminal illness, with a sizeable minority opting for hospice care. However, more than 50 per cent of cancer deaths still occur in hospital, the place people say they would least like to be. Since 2004, Marie Curie Cancer Care has been campaigning for more patients to be able to make the choice to be cared for and die in their place of choice.
Contact:
Challenger World
Emma Pickles
+44 (0)20 8233 5908
emma.pickles@imgworld.com
IMG
Jim Gallagher
212-774-4419
Mobile 914-953-1103
jim.gallagher@imgworld.com
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Contact: Tricia Fox
Email: t.fox@volpa.co.uk
Website: http://www.volpa.co.uk
