Sky Ride wins Sport Participation Event of the Year Award

Sky, the Greater London Authority and British Cycling have won the prodigious Sport Participation Event of the Year Award for the Mayor of London's Sky Ride 2009. Competition such as the Bupa Great Manchester Run and the EDF Energy Birmingham Half Marathon were pipped to the post for the award at last night's annual Sport Industry Awards 2010, Europe's largest and most prestigious commercial sport awards. The awards recognise and reward the best the sport business has to offer in marketing, PR, sponsorship, new media, publishing, advertising and design. The Mayor of London's Sky Ride won the Sport Participation Event of the Year Award due to the staggering results which saw over 65,000 cyclists participating in the event – a 30% rise on 2008 – while 37% of participants stated they would cycle more regularly for leisure post-event. Previous star-studded awards ceremonies have been attended by the likes of Jenson Button, David and Victoria Beckham, Sir Bobby Charlton, Joe Calzaghe, Arsene Wenger, Michael Johnson, Lord Coe, Bernie Ecclestone, Frank Lampard, Martin Johnson, Michael Vaughan, Alain Prost and Ron Dennis – to name but a few. Corin Dimopoulos, Sky's Director of Cycling, "This award recognises not only a great event, but the hard work and dedication of the teams involved in putting it together. Over 65,000 people attended the Mayor of London’s Sky Ride last year and we hope even more people will attend this year and in the years to come." Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor of London's transport advisor, said: "The Mayor of London's Sky Ride is a fantastic occasion - a free, family event that gives many thousands of people the chance to enjoy cycling past some of the capital's most stunning sights on traffic-free streets. This award is a testament to the commitment of all involved in the event to playing their part in creating a genuine cycling revolution in London. This year is very much London's year of cycling, and Sky Ride will be back even bigger and better." Ian Drake, British Cycling's CEO, said: "We are delighted that the combined efforts of so many people involved in this tremendous project have been recognised at the highest level in sport. Sky Ride has successfully engaged elite performance to drive participation in cycling and we hope that other sports can learn from this project to get more people active in Britain." Sky Ride, a series of mass participation cycling events, returns this summer offering people of all ages and abilities a chance to get on their bike and enjoy a day of entertainment on traffic-free streets. The free events, hosted by Sky in partnership with British Cycling and the local councils, give people the opportunity to see their city in a new light and enjoy a fun day out cycling with friends and family. Registration for the free Sky Ride events is easy and takes no time at all – simply visit www.goskyride.com to get involved. The website has tips and expert advice on how to ride comfortably and safely, plus news from Sky's cycling ambassadors and British Cycling stars.