Yorkshire Dales to stage Long Course Weekend triathlon event

A major international sporting competition is set to take place in North Yorkshire next year.

The Long Course Weekend next September will see about 3,000 competitors run, cycle and swim across Nidderdale, North Yorkshire Council said.

The event, being held in England for the first time, is expected to boost the local economy by up to £2m.

The triathlon event was established in Wales in 2010, and now has competitions taking place across the globe.

The Long Course Weekend's founder, Matthew Evans, said he had wanted to bring the race to England "for a long time now".

North Yorkshire was the "perfect location" as the county had a "proven track record of staging major sporting events, such as the Tour de France's Grand Départ", he said.

The weekend would be based on the principles of the triathlon, but would be "tailored to open up the three disciplines of swimming, cycling and running to as wide an audience as possible", he added.

Councillor Derek Bastiman, from North Yorkshire Council, said to host such a "well-respected and internationally renowned sporting event is a real coup for us", with events also taking place next year in New Zealand, Belgium and Mallorca.

He said the race was a popular date in the sporting calendar in countries "across the world" and would be "a privilege" for North Yorkshire to host in "what is one of the most beautiful and diverse parts of the country".

Organisers said the weekend was one of only a few events which brought together swimmers, cyclists, runners and triathletes of all abilities over one weekend.

They said competitors would have the choice to participate in one of the individual disciplines or could choose to take part in all three stages.

The swim distances would range from 1.2 miles to 2.4 miles, (1.9km to 3.8km), cycling routes would be from 56 miles to 112 miles (56km to 180km), with runs ranging from three miles (5km) to a full marathon, organisers added.

There was also expected to be a children's running event "to encourage all members of the family to get involved".

Emma Robinson, a triathlete from Harrogate who has competed for Great Britain, said: "As a triathlete I will probably take part in all three, but it's great that others can choose to just take part in the swim, the cycle or the run.

"I think it's great to have such an inclusive event coming to North Yorkshire."

The exact course for the race, which will be centred around Pateley Bridge, was still to be decided, but the event would take place from 6-8 September, the council said.

Applications for competitors are due to be opened in November.

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