STOKESLEY is rapidly becoming an important venue for cycling events in the North Yorkshire area.

The annual Stokesley Duathlon, held last month, was well supported throughout the region, and was followed at the end of March with the Chapters’ Hotel and Restaurant Handicap Road Races in and around the town, while there will be a special annual charity ride in May, starting from the centre of the town.

This year’s duathlon was held in good weather conditions on Sunday, March 22, and was a continuous cycling and running competition which is, in effect, a Triathlon minus the swimming.

Organised by Trihard Events, the cyclists and runners started and finished in Stokesley, and the race attracted entrants from a wide area.

The first duathlon was in 1992, and there were between 200 and 300 participants this year.

Three grades of cycling races were on offer, with rides of 30km and, for novices, 17km, plus a relay option with a runner and a cyclist.

The competition this year was professionally timed with a new chip-timing system, and the results and times were displayed on a large screen.

The second Chapters’ cycle race of the season consisted of six 11-mile laps over a 65-mile course.

The race was won by Matt Kipling of Bishop Auckland.

However, the rider of the day was the veteran cycle champion, Sid Barras who, at the age of 60, led the field at various times in the race before finishing a creditable ninth.

The ex-professional double national veterans’ champion and Tour of Switzerland stage winner, was born in Middlesbrough and now lives in Keighley, and had just returned from a three-week training session in Spain.

Among the younger riders in the event was his son, Tom, who, together with last year’s winner Dean Downing, only caught up with Sid on the penultimate climb of Skutterskelfe Bank.

The results were as follows : 1 Matt Kipling (Kinesis) 2hrs 37mins 8secs; 2 John Tanner (Sportscover); 3 Dean Downing (Rafa Condor); 4 Tom Barras (Plowman Craven); 5 Ashley Brown (Velo 29); 6 Dan Smith (Velo 29); 7 Matt Armitage (Kinesis); 8 Sam Ward (Team Chevin); 9 Sid Barras (Fletsen Tempo); 10 Lee Tunnicliffe ( DH Cycles).

The next charity cycle ride will be the 12th annual Stokesley Bike Ride on Sunday, May 10, when a record 300 cyclists are expected to take part. There will be a 30-mile circular route, which will include the testing Clay Bank.

Last year’s race attracted 292 entries, and raised almost £11,000 for A Celebration of Life after Cancer charity. This year, all the proceeds go to Zoe’s Place in Middlesbrough.

The entry fee in advance is £5, or £6 on the day. For more information, visit www.stokesleycharityride.org.uk. The closing date for postal entries is May 2.