2015 Giants Causeway Coast Sportive

Online Entries Open for 2015’s Giant’s Causeway Coast Sportive

Online entries have just opened for the Giant Causeway Coast Sportive in association with Chain Reaction Cycles Flagship Store Belfast. This popular, non-competitive event will take place along the stunning North Coast and through the magical Glens of Antrim on Saturday 12^th September 2015 and hopes to attract over 1000 participants.

Event organisers Outdoor Recreation NI, a not for profit organisation charged with promoting outdoor activities, run this event in order to showcase the area to visitors and to drive cycle tourism in Northern Ireland. Last year’s event injected an impressive economic benefit of £191.5k into the area.

The event not only provides participants with a great opportunity to cycle along one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in Europe and part of the 2014 Giro d’Italia route but has been created with every level of cyclist in mind. The shortest route which is 35 miles is an excellent way for beginners to complete their first sportive whereas the two longer routes of 80 miles and 115 miles are ideal for the more serious cyclists with testing hills of up to 20% gradients.

To capture the famous points of interest in the area, the shortest route, the ‘Causeway Coaster’, takes in Bushmills Distillery (Ireland’s oldest whiskey distillery), Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge, the Dark Hedges and the Giant’s Causeway UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most popular 80 mile route brings participants through the mythical Glens of Antrim before following the spectacular Antrim Coast Road with the option of taking on or bypassing the gruelling Torr Head Road. The longest route (115 miles) incorporates both of these shorter distances and provides the ultimate cycling challenge which is widely regarded as one of the toughest sportive routes in Ireland.   

Beverley Pierson from Outdoor Recreation NI, who organises the event, is delighted with the success of the event since it first began in 2011 but still believes there is always room for improvement commenting “We ran the first ever Giant’s Causeway Coast Sportive four years ago and after each event we have been gathering feedback from the participants in order to try and improve the event year on year. Feedback gathered from last year’s event participants has been collated and we will certainly be putting it into action for this year’s event to ensure participants have as memorable a day as possible.”

Those who enter the event between now and the end of April will be able to avail of the early bird offer from the events main sponsor, Chain Reaction Cycles Flagship Store in Belfast. This will entitle you to a FREE £40 bike service (parts are not included). The service must be redeemed before 30^th April 2015 at the Belfast store and you must bring your entry confirmation email with you.

This year’s Giant’s Causeway Coast Sportive is again being supported by Moyle District Council and sponsored by Chain Reaction Cycles Flagship Store in Belfast. Although the event is not considered a charity event, organisers have teamed up with Marie Curie Cancer Care and Action Medical Research to encourage participants to fundraise as an extra motivator when tackling the tough hills on the day.

Visit the Giant’s Causeway Coast Sportive event website to see how you can enter the 2015 event as well as to check out the 3 routes on offer, detailed route descriptions, maps and advice from cycle training experts, Dig Deep Coaching.