The sun creeping out of its hiding hole once more can only mean one thing for fitness enthusiasts throughout North Wales: the beginning of a fantastic events calendar for endurance events throughout the area. Etape Eryi is the perfect way to kick things off this June.
Organised by Always Aim High, one of the premier companies at putting on sports events throughout Wales, 2014’s edition of the Etape Eryi is as hotly-anticipated as the last with 1500 people all set to take part. Expect the town of Caernarfon to be difficult to get around on the 15th of June.
Caernarfon Castle is the starting and also finishing point for this massive event with the whole town likely to come to life to cheer on all the cyclists who come from far and wide to participate. Whether professional athletes or enthusiastic cyclists, all entrants are sure to give their all in a gruelling contest that is notorious for pushing you to the limits.
There are varying degrees of difficulty available for cyclists of all experiences – there’s even a family stage to get stuck into! The hardest of the bunch is easily the Etape Mar which comes in at an almost ridiculous 103 miles of track which makes it definitely not one for the faint-hearted. The level below is the Etape Canol at 76 miles and the easiest route clocks in at 47 miles as is the Etape Bach. The family-themed course is a relative doddle at just 6.5 miles and should be the perfect way to bond with the young ones.
As well as the above there will also be the hugely-anticipated King of the Mountain Challenge: a thrilling time trial to distinguish who can beat the clock around Snowdonia. The Drws-y-Coed hill is infamous for all the wrong reasons and is sure to be an absolute labour to conquer so whoever is declared the King of the Mountain will have to give it their all!
It’s not just an occasion for the cyclists themselves though as Caernarfon will be the hub for plenty of live entertainment and activities on the day itself. Great music acts will be performing to a large audience as the competitors make their way around the testing routes, meaning that there will be plenty to do for everyone involved.
Times for the various races vary so please refer to the official Etape Eryi website for the full rundown as well as the countdown to the big day. With 11 days left to go, you should act fast if you want to get in on the action!
