Cycle4Matt will see Neil Robson, the club’s under 13s head coach, and parents Chris Ratcliffe and Terry Huxley cycle almost 700 miles in nine days from Sale Sharks to the Aviva Premiership Final at Twickenham on Saturday, May 25.
It is the second Cycle4Matt and it all kicks off at the Salford City Stadium on Friday, May 17, with the first leg finishing at Ashby RFC, Nottingham Road in Ashby de la Zouch.
As part of the challenge, there will be a Cycle4Matt Open Day on Sunday, May 19, when anyone aged 16 or over is invited to join them for all or part of that day’s leg. The 67-mile stage covers the 21 miles from Ashby to Welford Road, the 31 miles from Tigers’ home to Northampton Saints’ Franklin’s Gardens, and from there the 15 miles to Cosgrove, where that day’s stage of Walk4Matt is due to finish.
It is in support of the Matt Hampson Foundation and Ashby RFC under 15s 2015 tour, and last year’s Cycle4Matt raised more than £15,000 between the two causes.
Karl Richardson is helping to provide operational support to the cyclists and has secured sponsorship from Mitsubishi Electric and Logicool. Both Karl and Neil were in Final Whistle in the Caterpillar Stand at Sunday’s Legends game to promote the challenge.
He said: “Cycle4Matt was started by last year’s Ashby Under-13s squad and is being passed down to the next under-13s squad coming through but we would love for other teams to join us and get involved.
“It takes in every Aviva Premiership ground on the way to the Aviva Premiership Final, which is about 700 miles including wrong turns and diversions!
“We have an Open Day on Sunday, May 19 when cyclists can join us for all of the 67 mile challenge or one of the legs such as Tigers to Saints or Tigers to Cosgrove.”
To register or for more information email [email protected] or go to www.cycle4matt.org.uk and you can keep in touch on the Cycle4Matt Facebook and Twitter pages.
Meanwhile, organisers of Walk4Matt are encouraging Tigers fans to help kick-off this year’s Walk4Matt.
Walk4Matt begins in Rugby on Saturday, May 18 and finishes at the Aviva Premiership Final at Twickenham and fans are being encouraged to take part in day-long walks on the opening weekend.
The first is on Saturday, May 18 from the Old Royal Oak pub in Rugby to the Heart of England pub in Weedon, Northamptonshire and the second is on Sunday, May 19, starting in Weedon and finishing at the Navigation at Cosgrove near Milton Keynes – where they will be joined by the Cycle4Matt team. There will be a party atmosphere at the Navigation Inn with a BBQ, drinks and music to cheer all the walkers and cyclists.
For route information and details of how you can get involved in Walk4Matt click here or email [email protected] or [email protected]
