The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Promise of a wheely good time at festival
Hopes that trimmed down event can remain on course for the future
Hundreds of visitors are set to wheel up to Forfar for the Angus Cycling Festival this weekend.
First staged in 2014, the Angus Cycle Hub-organised event has been trimmed down from its previous two-day format, but the organisers have put together a packed programme which they are confident will appeal to all ages and abilities.
Among the highlights will be the Forfar Funduro dual slalom event where riders go head-to-head down the park course and over a series of jumps.
Those with a little more bravery and an eye for catching a bit more air will tackle the airbag trick and high-jump competition which has always proved itself to be one of the most spectacular elements of the festival.
Youngsters from across Tayside and Fife will also be competing in the first round of the Scottish Cycling and Big Tree Campervans youth races series.
The festival’s aim has always been to attract newcomers to the sport, as well as existing riders, and in addition to the opportunity to try a range of bikes, a cycle skills course will be set up for anyone to test their abilities on a course featuring jumps, bumps and balance sections.
Trade stands, live music and entertainment will also feature, family
The hub faced a struggle to attract the funding to stretch the festival over the entire weekend and director Scott Francis said that had presented a challenge which could lead to it perhaps being sidelined next year to refocus for the future.
Local authority and VisitScotland funding, which had helped in previous years, was not forthcoming for the 2017 event, leaving the hub with an uphill task to find the five-figure sum required to stage the festival.
“It’s still something we want to do, but our organisation is getting busier so we’ve had to allow some capacity for other projects,” said Mr Francis.
Earlier this year the body received vital support to build on a recycling scheme which saved five tonnes of old bikes from landfill.
With last year’s two-day programme attracting more than 1,000 people and generating well in excess of £50,000 for the local economy, Mr Francis said he was hopeful it could remain firmly on course for future success.
“Local companies have been really supportive over the years and we’d like to thank them for their support,” he added.
“It’s not that we don’t want to run it, it’s just that we need to get our priorities in order and make sure future funding is in place.”