The fourth edition of the Kaptagat Cycling Challenge has attracted a record 130 cyclists, marking a 30 per cent increase in participation as the race continues to establish itself as one of Kenya’s fastest-growing cycling events that combines elite competition with environmental conservation.
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The riders, drawn from across the country, will compete in the elite, para-cycling, junior, veteran, youth and team categories over the challenging 80-kilometre course that starts and finishes at Kaptagat Farm Resort in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
This year’s event also boasts an enhanced KSh 4 million prize purse, with winners in the elite, para-cycling and team categories each taking home KSh 200,000. Junior champions will receive KSh 30,000, veteran winners KSh 20,000, while youth category winners will pocket KSh 10,000.
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Why is the Kaptagat Cycling Challenge attracting more athletes?
National Treasury Principal Secretary and Patron of the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme (Kaptagat-ICP), Dr. Chris Kiptoo, said the growing number of participants reflects the event’s evolution into more than just a sporting competition.
“The Kaptagat Cycling Challenge is far more than a race. It is a celebration of purpose where sport, forest restoration and community livelihoods come together in one extraordinary experience. Every kilometre covered contributes to restoring the Kaptagat Forest, empowers the people who call it home, and inspires cyclists from across the country to give back to nature while experiencing one of the world’s premier high-altitude training environments in the world,” said Dr Kiptoo.
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Cycling for environmental conservation
Race Director Ciarán Fitzpatrick attributed the event’s growing popularity to its unique blend of competitive cycling and conservation.
“What makes the Kaptagat Cycling Challenge unique is not just its breathtaking high-altitude course or the rare experience of racing from start to finish through a living forest ecosystem. It is the purpose behind every pedal stroke, every climb and every drop,” he said.
Fitzpatrick noted that every registration directly contributes to restoring the Kaptagat Forest ecosystem, with participants also leaving behind a lasting legacy through tree planting.
“It is the ultimate win-win. Cyclists compete for prize money that advances their sporting careers while, at the same time, helping to restore one of Kenya’s most important water towers and strengthen the livelihoods of the communities that protect it. By the time the peloton reaches the finish line, everyone has won, the riders, the forest and the people whose future depends on it,” he added.
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The challenge forms part of the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme, which links sport, conservation and community livelihoods in support of Kenya’s environmental restoration agenda, with every edition reinforcing the protection of the Kaptagat Forest ecosystem while creating opportunities for local communities.
Source: NGBREAKINGNEWS
