ENTRIES will soon be open for people wanting to gear up and take the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge 2017.

The event, which is not designed as a race, involves cycling through some of Dorset and Somerset’s most beautiful countryside and takes place on Sunday, May 14, 2017.

Last year’s event sold out within three days of on-line registration being open and demand is expected to be even higher this year.  The event saw cyclists of all ages and abilities take part raising over £70,000 for the life-saving charity.

Online registration will open at 9.30am on Tuesday, December 13, at www.dsairambulance.org.uk and with only 600 places available, those wishing to take part will need to be quick to avoid disappointment.

Participants can enter as an individual or as a team.

The challenge offers two different routes and distances.  For those who like a challenge, the brilliant 54 mile cycle which starts in the Somerset port of Watchet and finishes at West Bay near Bridport will not disappoint.

With a mixture of quiet back roads, interspersed with some very demanding climbs and equally hairy descents, the event has something to offer for everyone.

A staggered start will see the stronger cyclists set off first at 11.00am with the less experienced riders departing at 11.15am.

A shorter 11 mile route starts at the Royal Oak public house in Drimpton at 2.00pm and also finishes at West Bay.

Bill Sivewright, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance chief executive officer said: “We are thrilled to be able to announce the date for our Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge 2017.  "This will be our seventh year in the saddle and every year the event seems to get better and better. I believe one of the main reasons for this is the feedback we get from those who take part and the stories of courage and determination along the way.

“We always strive to build on the success of the previous year and with this in mind we are once again restricting our numbers to 600 cyclists.  "We are also continuing with a staggered start time in order to keep the event as safe as possible and to encourage all standards of cyclists to take part without fear of being overcrowded.

“With such a demand, there will undoubtedly be those who are disappointed not to gain a place which is why I cannot stress enough, how important it is to register early.

"We are really looking forward to this years’ event and hope that everyone that enters will once again encourage their family and friends to sponsor them in a bid to make 2017 the best Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge yet.”

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has flown more than 11,500 missions since its launch in March 2000.  To register online, visit www.dsairambulance.org.uk or for more information call: 01823 669604.

Alternatively you can email: c2c@dsairambulance.org.uk Entrance fees are £20 for adults and £10 for those under 16.