ANNOUNCEMENT
It is with huge regret that
"Race Around Wales"
will have to be CANCELLED this year
I have been advised to clear my diary of all commitments for the coming months as my surgeon has listed me (possibly at short notice) for complex sciatic nerve surgery. I've been trying to manage severe pain for some time and hearing that the pioneering cadaver nerve graft surgery carried out in 2016 has failed, was incredibly disheartening.
I have been placed on the highest priority listing for surgery which, in the current circumstances could be in the next few months or as early as next week - such is the uncertainty!
After months of planning and a successful trial event last July, this decision has been an incredibly difficult one to make. I've done so at this early stage to allow participants sufficient time to find other events to enter. I apologise to all competitors and no words can adequately describe my disappointment in having to do so.
All confirmed entries will receive a full reimbursement in the next few days.
Thank you for all your support and kind comments.
Wyn
CROESO I GYMRU
Welcome to Wales
Event Information
Inspired by the Race Across America “RAAM” (recognised as the world’s toughest cycling challenge), which event organiser Wyn and his wife Margaret were part of in 2019, Race Around Wales will be the first ever fully supported event of it’s kind to be run on the mainland of the UK.
The event is open to riders of any gender in the following categories:-
Solo Riders Plus Teams of 2, 4 or 8. Teams can be made up of anyone happy to give this event a go providing they are over 18 years of age.
BACKGROUND TO THE EVENT
The Trial Event in July 2022, had two teams participating - The Steve Prescott Foundation with a team of 4 male riders which finished in 26hrs 36 mins and the Llandeilo Cycling Club Mixed Team of 8 in 29 hrs and 28 mins. The contrast in experience between the two teams couldn’t have been more marked, as the SPF are the current 4 man record holders for Race Around Europe, looked after by a hugely experienced support crew. The Llandeilo 8 person mixed team and crew were, in contrast, complete novices to this sort of endurance event. The weather for the weekend couldn’t have been more unpleasant with continuous rain and howling winds.
The feedback was therefore balanced and hugely constructive from both ends of the experience spectrum.
The trial event has therefore given us the background to put together an event which has:-
- Most of the route run on quiet rural roads with the most beautiful of scenery, including The Black Mountains, Lake Bala, Bettws y Coed, Pen y Pass (Snowdon), Menai Bridge, Anglesey, The Snowdonia National Park, The coastal road through Aberdovey, The Elan Valley, Devil’s Staircase near Abergwesyn and the Llyn Brianne Reservoir before heading west towards Newcastle Emlyn and back to Llandeilo.
- A Route book with turn by turn guidance, plus comprehensive written and pictorial directions. This also includes a list of Medical Centres, Hospitals, Toilet Facilities, plus recommended places to eat and/or purchase provisions. (The Route Book will be available on-line from early May 2023 and will be made available to all participants in hard copy at event registration.)
- On-line GPS guidance files.
- Covert Mobile marshals around the entire route to ensure safety and adherence to race rules and regulations.
- NO major towns to navigate.
- Just a handful of traffic lights in the whole 500 miles.
- A road surface, which is generally very good.
- A challenging route with nearly 37,000ft of climbing and includes the Devil’s Staircase (one of the Top 100 climbs in the UK).
- Satellite trackers for each individual and team. Supporters will be able to track your progress in real time.
- Full signage for support vehicles.
- Commemorative Medals for all finishers (riders and crew).
- Special spot prize for crew challenges. e.g The event passes through somewhere with one of the longest place names in the world - can it be pronounced correctly we wonder?
- Specially designed finishers shirt for each rider with a special one for category winners.
- The opportunity for individuals to attempt a long distance endurance ride for possibly the first time and for Cycling Clubs and Corporate entries to use the event for team building. The riders are only as good as their support crew!
PLEASE NOTE: The event is limited to 20 solo riders and 15 team entries (across all the classes) in the first year.
A bit about the bloke in charge!
Although this event has never been run before in Wales, Event Organiser Wyn Jenkins is not new to event organisation. In the early 90's he was Race Director of a number of Road and Cross Country athletic events and these included the Welsh 10 Mile Road Race Championships (televised) and the European Clubs X Country Championships held at Tredegar House in Newport (also televised). A former Physical Education teacher, he played Rugby Union and League to high standards both in Wales and Australia. He has run 15 full marathons, taken part in many triathlons and is a qualified rugby, athletics and swim coach. After leaving teaching, he and his wife ran a successful restaurant, catering and coffee business until misfortune overtook him in 2008 when he lost his right leg above the knee as result of medical negligence.
Undeterred, he rose to his new challenge and two years later climbed Mt Kilimanjaro. Unable to run again, he started riding a bike regularly and is a founder member of his local club, taking part in numerous Cycling Sportives and Time Trials. His best 10 mile Time Trial effort is considered one of the fastest in his disability and age category.
He has organised a number of cycling sportives (The Dambuster Rides in 2016, 2017 and 2018) and was the Race Director of The British Paracycling Road and Time Trial Championships in 2019. Also in 2019, his wife Margaret was part of the "Mind Over Matter" all female team which completed Race Across America in 8 days and 12 mins. A remarkable achievement as half the team were made up of riders with major physical disabilities. Wyn was on the support crew and was totally inspired both by the event concept and the way riders and crew worked together to maximise performance. Suitably motivated, he's determined to make Race Around Wales an event enjoyed by everyone involved.
ENVIRONMENT & GREEN TECHNOLOGY
STATEMENT FROM WYN
"Wonderful though Race Across America was to be a part of, I couldn't help but notice the environmental conflict at play. Despite the incredible athletic performance of riders covering 3,000 miles under their own power, they were, in turn, supported by many vehicles which were all burning highly polluting fossil fuel - and large amounts at that.
Race Around Wales is addressing that issue.
This year, although not mandatory, teams will be encouraged to use Hybrid Vehicles if at all possible. We are looking to see how practical it will be for teams to use electric powered vehicles in future years. These will need to be charged as they make their way round and the study is evaluating the practicality of pursuing this objective both in terms of charging resources and how that plays out in terms of the context of the race.
I have already written to a number of "Green" energy companies to start a dialogue as well as major electric vehicle manufacturers.
Watch this space!'
Wyn
