Skyride Glasgow ’09

Ross a winner in Skyride Glasgow

 23rd August 2009, 0900.

Bishopbriggs Cyclists head off along the canal to join the Glasgow Skyride.

Ross McDonald (15) joined Chris Hoy and around 7,500 Glaswegians at the Skyride Glasgow on Sunday. Ross was also the lucky recipient of a new BMX bike courtesy of the Skyride competition. Around 30 other local Bishopbriggs residents braved the wet weather to take part in the mass cycling event organised by Glasgow City Council, British Cycling and Sky.

The local group, ranging in age from 6 to 60, included members of the St. Matthews Primary School Cycle Club, pupils from Westercleddens Primary as well as Bishopbriggs Acadamy  and Turnbull Secondary schools. They all chose to cycle into Glasgow from the Leisuredrome along the Forth and Clyde canal, joining the Kelvin Way into Kelvingrove Park. From there headed to the SECC and onto the 7km long closed road cycle route around the Broomielaw.

Skyride sees Sky joining up with British Cycling to put the fun back into cycling this summer. Five cities are hosting Skyride mass-participation cycling events, where the streets are closed to other traffic and cyclists take over. Each is a great day out for the whole family where you can meet members of the GB Cycling Team, experience live entertainment, take part in challenges and tricks and -  fingers crossed – soak up the sunshine!

There are many more local Skyrides in Glasgow in the next few weeks. Log on to http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/skyride, for more details.

Mark Kiehlmann, locall Skyride Leader says, “Sunday’s mass participation event was really a great day out for everyone on their bikes. It was great that so many families took part, especially from Bishopbriggs. Many of them got to meet and ride with some of the British Cycling Olympic stars. There are lots more opportunities to ride locally around East Dunbartonshire’s local paths as well as in Glasgow on the Skyrides in the coming weeks.”

Encouraging more people to cycle is good for their health and also great news for everyone’s environment, directly impacting carbon emissions. Encouraging pupils to cycle to school impacting on the school run is especially beneficial, reducing the number of cars on the road, easing congestion and improving air quality around the school at these critical times in the day. It is also contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to Climate Change on a global level.

 More photo’s on our flickr page:

or the official, Skyride Glasgow 2009.