FEATURE
Bryan and Neil
go away. They stay with us as sponsors, which is amazing. I know there are some companies out there that are slightly
struggling, but for us, we’ve got a good network of trusted brands. And again, it’s that personal relationship we get with them,” Atkinson explained. That personal relationship is also key to securing permission from landowners and organisations like Forestry England to host the events in the first place. Atkinson works with Duncombe Park in Helmsley as part of Gravel Rocks, and said the team there are “so, so supportive.”
“They just want us there,” he continued. “The rangers that
look after all the pheasants and everything, they actually come out and assist us with the riders going through the gates, opening them for us and shutting them afterwards. And you go through some beautiful, beautiful places that you can’t get to normally.” Singleton deals with the Forestry side of things, which is key
to the success of the Dirty Reiver in Kielder Forest. “Forestry England has undergone quite a few changes over the last few years, and I’m sure you’ll have read quite a lot of headlines about it. But I would have to say that we are working very closely with the people who oversee the forest areas where we have events. “And, working very closely with them just means that the relationship is quite a bit smoother. And that means that working hand in hand, we can put on really good quality events. And perhaps we don’t have quite the same take on it that some other people do. But it’s all positive regarding what we’re working with.” When it comes to off-road events like those from Focal Events, they can host different logistical challenges and intricacies that other types of events don’t have. For example, although there isn’t as much interaction with the public or councils etc., it does bring other challenges. “The terrain, for example. You’re on something loose, that’s unpredictable and then you’ve got to throw into the mix considerations about remoteness. For some of our events, especially Frontier 300 you can be quite a long way from anywhere if anything did go wrong,” Singleton explained. Another area to consider is the level of expertise required from staff and volunteers working at these often remote events.
“The people that we work closely with, whether that’s the
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First Aiders, photographers, freelancers, etc. they need to be comfortable in that environment,” added Atkinson. “You can’t just stick somebody out there with a flag or
whatever it may be. Our photographers and videographers are all mountain-qualified. They can look after themselves in a remote environment, and the key people that we work with on a regular basis, they’re all outdoor first aid trained. “Not saying that there isn’t that in road or mountain
biking, but if you’re on a long journey, it definitely helps.” As the gravel market continues to expand, the team at
Focal Events believe it’s because people are recognising the value of cycling – and off-road riding – and the benefits of green spaces on people’s health and overall well-being. “When you look at gravel, it’s quite a broad genre,”
suggested Singleton. “It goes from people doing long- distance bikepacking trips or going out with the family or friends and through to that real developing race scene that we have now.” “And when we look at our events, from Just Gravel, which is an introduction gravel event, all the way through to whether it’s the Dirty Reiver, the Frontier 300 or Dalby Grit, the race, we’ve got a really wide breadth of coverage across them all,” added Atkinson. “And to see that growth across them all, I think, gives a really good indication of where the gravel scene is at.”
If anyone would like to get in touch with Focal Events regarding sponsorship, contact the team on:
contact@focal.events.
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