26/03/2008

Olympic stars and elite riders representing the best of British cycle racing will compete in the North East this weekend.

The male riders will race seven times around Northumbrian Water’s Derwent reservoir near Consett, County Durham – covering a distance of 140km (84 miles) and at speeds of up to 60mph.

Among the 145 racers chasing individual honours from throughout the UK will be riders soon to go to the Beijing Olympics and others vying for the London 2012 Games, including current Olympic track champion Rob Hayles and Ben Greenwood and Dean Dowling who won the Derwent race in the previous two years.

The event, officially named the ‘Northumbrian Water Tour of the Reservoir Road Race’ starts at 10.30am on Sunday 30 March from race headquarters in the village of Edmundbyers.

Riders on each circuit will cycle over the reservoir dam and the winning riders will cross the finish line, also on the dam wall, at about 1.30pm.

It is the third race of the premier national British Cycling road race calendar and is organised by the Tyne Valley Cycling Club with title sponsorship from Northumbrian Water.

This year while riders complete the reservoir circuit, local youngsters aged up to 16, are invited to pedal one kilometre along the dam wall in the Velvet Junior Bike Race, which is hosted by local tissue manufacturer SCA Hygiene products, based in Prudhoe.  The time trial aims to encourage families to get on their bikes and at the same time raise money for a charity set up by a special two-year-old local girl, heart transplant patient Martha Anderson.

Reporters and photographers are invited to gather at Derwent reservoir leisure lodge, at the foot of the dam near Derwent Bridge on the B6278, at 10.30 on Friday 28 March to interview and picture about six top riders on their bikes. Rob Hayles is currently expected to be one of them.

Also at the Friday morning launch event will be two-year-old Martha Anderson with her twin Matilda and several of their seven-year-old playmates from Edmundbyers village on their bicycles who will be taking part in the Velvet Junir Bike Race along the dam wall on race day. 

A charity called the PICU Penguin Fund has been set up after Martha, whose family live in Edmundbyers, received life-saving care on an artificial heart machine before her successful heart transplant. The Fund has a target of £50,000 to buy another artificial heart machine for the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Newcastle’s Freeman hospital.

Youngsters who can turn up on Sunday to take part in the junior event will pay £1 and SCA will add to the donations to swell the Penguin Fund appeal. Registration for the Velvet Junior Bike Race will be at the Edmundbyers Youth Hostel between 9.30am and 10:00 am. Children aged six or under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

The main race offers a colourful and thrilling spectacle but those lining the route must be aware of safety and parking is limited. Stretches of the B6306 and the B6278 from the western end of the reservoir at Carrick Corner to the junction of the A68 will also be closed to traffic.

Alistair Baker, Northumbrian Water’s Communications and PR Manager, will present the trophies and the champagne to the winner on the dam wall podium.

He said: “Water is vital for both a healthy life and for sporting performance and the 1,000 acres of our magnificent Derwent reservoir makes a spectacular backdrop for this major national cycling event which we are proud to host and sponsor.”

Tony Richards, manager of SCA Prudhoe Mill, said: “This is the first time we’ve hosted an event like this and there’s already quite a buzz around it.  As major employers in the area, we are keen to contribute to the local community.  By hosting the Velvet Junior Bike Race we are giving families the opportunity to have some fun together and raise money for a very worthy cause.”

Film shot by a professional cameraman from a motorbike following the race will be available after the event for TV use.

For further information contact: Alistair Baker, communications and pr manager, Northumbrian Water on 0191 301 6851 or 07711 793 493 and race organiser Mike Hodgson on 0784 1212 874 or 01207 255 219.