Subscribe to trusted local news
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
13
Aug
Masham’s £2 million sports tourism event goes virtual – and can be completed 'anywhere'
A sports tourism event expected to generate £2 million for North Yorkshire’s economy is to be held virtually – and can now be completed “anywhere”.
North Yorkshire Council hailed its agreement to host Long Course Weekend Yorkshire as a major economic boost to the Harrogate district in 2023.
The first event took place to a mixed reaction in Masham last year. But the Stray Ferret revealed in June a return to the town had been scrapped due to “operational reasons”.
Organisers said they would announce a new date and venue shortly.
They have now said the event, which is loosely based on triathlon and includes swimming, cycling and running options, will be held virtually.
The full Long Course Weekend package costs £100, or £90 for juniors.
The virtual swimming event on August 29 costs £25 and the 112-mile or 56-mile bike ride on August 30 is £25 while prices for the final day running events, which include a marathon, a half marathon, a 10K race or a 5K race, start at £15.
The Long Course Weekend took over Masham last year. Credit: Black Sheep Brewery Facebook
Long Course Weekend's website says people can take part “anywhere”, adding:
Whether it’s your local course, the original Yorkshire routes, or even on a treadmill or turbo trainer – it’s totally up to you.
Competitors will record their time and distance on a fitness tracker – such as the running app Strava or a Garmin watch – and upload the results that day.
Each day’s results will be added to a live leaderboard, the website says.
The new format received some negative comments online. One person posted on Long Course Weekend Yorkshire's page: "£100 to run around my own venue, in my own time, with no support. This is insane."
No funding released this year
North Yorkshire Council agreed to pay £75,000 over three years to host what was England's first-ever Long Course Weekend.
But it did not release this year's £25,000 to organsers Activity Wales Events due to the Masham event being cancelled. It added a search was underway to find a new venue.
After this week's announcement that the event had gone virtual, we asked the council if it would pay a hosting fee and if a location for future events had been agreed.
Tony Watson, the council’s head of tourism, said:
We are continuing to help the organisers of the Long Course Weekend to explore their options for a future event in North Yorkshire, which can be delivered to the scale that is needed.
No funding has been provided this year as the event has not been staged in North Yorkshire. Funding will not be released for future years if a location cannot be agreed.
At a media event announcing the Long Course Weekend Yorkshire in 2023, North Yorkshire Council said it hoped the event would become a “significant annual event like the Great Yorkshire Show”.
The host venue was changed from Pateley Bridge to Masham and the inaugural event took place last year amid concerns about a lack of communication with local people about issues such as road closures.
Plans to return to Masham this year were scrapped due to a “lack of community buy-in”, according to an email from Scott Powell, of Activity Wales Events.
0