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The latest addition to the Long Course Weekend family, LCW Yorkshire will see athletes take on three epic days of swim-bike-run in the stunning Yorkshire Dales. The beauty of the LCW format is that you can ‘Choose Your Challenge’, with multiple distances to pick from. Go all in and complete the full 140.6 miles swimming, cycling and running over 3 days to earn the coveted 4th medal. Or mix and match the distances to curate a weekend of multisport that suits you best. LCW Yorkshire are anticipating 5000 athletes and 20,000 supporters from all around the world at this inaugural event. So expect an electric atmosphere and an experience like no other.
Ideal for first timers and triathlon veterans alike, LCW Yorkshire also has events for kids and teens. Add in all the outstanding beauty the Dales have to offer, and this is the ultimate weekend race-cation for all.
Location - Outstanding beauty, rolling hills and cycling history
LCW Yorkshire takes place in Pateley Bridge, a charming little town in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The perfect base for exploring the Yorkshire Dales, Pateley Bridge marks the start and finish of the Nidderdale Way – a circular 53 mile route traversing the sweeping landscapes and stunning scenery of the Dales. Visitors will find an abundance of quaint shops, quintessential tea rooms and hidden gems to explore in this popular market town.
Heading out into the Dales, you’ll experience rolling hills, winding valleys and sweeping moors. This area of England is a playground for cyclists and triathletes alike, and it’s easy to see why some of GB’s top elite triathletes including the Brownlee brothers call Yorkshire home. The LCW bike course takes in the routes of the UCI worlds, the Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour de France. Meaning you’ll get to experience incredible views and cycling history all at once.
Nestled in the Dales though it might be, Pateley Bridge is surprisingly easy to travel to with the large towns and cities of Harrogate and Leeds nearby. Come for the race, stay for the scenery – this part of England certainly has plenty to keep athletes and their support crews busy far beyond one weekend.
Course - Choose your challenge
LCW Yorkshire offers a range of events and distances to choose from over the weekend. This means you can take the ultimate challenge and complete the full 140.6 miles of swimming, cycling and running over 3 days. Go for the half distance. Mix and match between the full and the half to suit your individual strengths. Or focus on just a single sport. Your challenge: your choice.
The rolling terrain of the Yorkshire Dales will make things tough, regardless of distance. But the picturesque landscapes will make the climbing worth your while. Alongside the flagship Full and Half LCW events, there’s also races for kids and teens – plus a 5km and 10km run taking place on the Sunday.
Swim - 1.2 miles/2.4 miles
The swim at LCW Yorkshire takes place in the largest reservoir in the area: Grimwith Reservoir. Perched in the hills of the dales, the event will mark the only opportunity to experience swimming in this stunning body of water – as open water swimming is not usually allowed to take place here.
BIke - 56 miles/112 miles
Ride the legendary roads once ridden by Tour de France and Tour de Yorkshire pro cyclists. The bike course will take athletes on a challenging but rewarding tour of the Yorkshire Dales, with the organisers promising feed stations aplenty to fuel the miles. Those completing the 112 miles, either as a standalone event or as part of the Full LCW event will take two spins around the course. Meanwhile 56-mile riders will complete one lap before heading back to Pateley Bridge with cheering crowds to call you across the finish line.
Run - 5km/10km/Half Marathon/Marathon
With four distances on offer, the final day of LCW Yorkshire provides the perfect opportunity for runners of all experience levels to be part of the action. The exact routes are still being finalised, but you can look forward to breath taking views and unrivalled support from locals and visitors alike as you make your way to the legendary LCW red finish chute carpet.
Spectators - Explore the Dales, be part of the action
The three day format of LCW Yorkshire means athletes can experience unrivalled spectator support as they take on all three disciplines over the weekend.
At Grimwith Reservoir, a footpath follows the circumference of the water meaning spectators can easily follow their athlete’s progress. During the cycling event on the Saturday, roads will remain open and so spectators can make their way to several of the picturesque villages along the route to cheer cyclists on. During the running events, spectators supporting athletes as they take on the full marathon can head over to Rippon to offer some much-needed support at the halfway point.
Pateley Bridge itself will be the heart and soul of the event weekend, with both the bike and the run starting and finishing in the town. For those preferring to stay local, the Athlete Village in Pateley Bridge will offer an amazing atmosphere and plenty of local food and drink to keep supporters busy while they wait to cheer their athlete across the finish line.
While athletes rest, recover and prepare for the next day’s events, there’s plenty going on in Pateley Bridge to keep spectators busy. Pay a visit to the Nidderdale Museum, which is based in an old Victorian workhouse completed with a cobbler’s shop, an old school room and artefacts showcasing Yorkshire’s history. Stop off at one of the tea rooms for a refuel after a busy day of exploring the Dales. Or head to England’s ‘Oldest Sweet Shop’ where you’ll find yourself transported back to your childhood with sweets from years gone by.
Race-cation - Adventure-junkies or history lovers: Yorkshire has it all.
The Yorkshire Dales has so much to offer when it comes to enjoying some time away after the race weekend. From boutique shops in the neighbouring towns, to World Heritage sites, cathedrals and of course the countless miles of stunning countryside. There’s something for every type of holidaymaker.
For those with an adventurous side – and the energy left after the race – a trip to How Stean Gorge is a must. A hub for outdoor activities, here you can take part in everything from rock climbing and mountain biking to canoeing and bouldering. You can even go all out and book a heli-canyoning experience, if thrill-seeking is your thing. Setting off from Leeds-Bradford airport a helicopter will take you soaring to the top of Yorkshire’s highest waterfall, before you abseil your way back down.
For those less inclined to the adrenaline-junky activities a trip to Ripon is a great alternative. Part of the LCW Yorkshire marathon course, this town has plenty to see and do. Visit the Fountains Abbey to see the largest monastic ruins in the country. Take a relaxing stroll through the Georgian Water Garden. Or if a beer flight is sounding more appealing than that helicopter ride we mentioned earlier, visit nearby Blacksheep Brewery for a tour and a tasting of some of Yorkshire’s finest.
Of course, no trip to Yorkshire is complete without a trip to the Victorian spa town of Harrogate where you can indulge in an afternoon tea at Betty’s – a traditional tea room originally founded in 1919.
It’s certainly not difficult to while away a week or two in beautiful Yorkshire, making Long Course Weekend Yorkshire an ideal race-cation destination.
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