Hawick Cycling Club present...

The Ken Laidlaw Sportive: Sunday, 14 June 2026

Introduction

We are delighted to be able to offer places on the Ken Laidlaw Sportive again in 2026 following the success of last year's event. We will continue with and plan to improve on the features we introduced last year.

The start is at the Wee Haugh Park adjacent to Hawick Cycling Club clubrooms and the Santa Marina Restaurant.  

The mass start remains for 2026, fully marshalled, and parading through the centre of town before you are flagged to go once the marshalled parade gets onto the quiet country road to Newcastleton.

Santa Marina Restaurant are providing an optional finisher's meal with choices of pasta or pizza and a soft drink at a special price of £10 for riders to book when they enter the event.

We will have a feed and mechanical assistance station at Newcastleton and a new one at the Eskdalmuir Community Hub as well as our traditional one on the top of the Swire. 

We also have our special event bidon as a gift for all finishers or a medal or event neck warmer if you collect them

We recommend early entry to secure your place and get the best price. With the demand for places high we have 450 places on offer for 2026. There is an early bird entry fee for the first 250 places or until the 1 January 2026, (whichever comes first) which we have have increased to £25 to cover the cost of food and drink on route.  Add a meal and the total cost is £35.  After that the price rises to £35 and £45 if you add the optional finisher's meal. We believe this still offers exceptional value. Early entry also helps us plan the event, that's why we make this offer. We are asking you to create a Entry Central Account to enter our event if you haven't already done so.  This helps minimise errors and allows you to make changes to permitted fields including transferring your entry to someone else if you can't attend.  There is an option to insure your entry fee when you sign up.  

We have prided ourselves on the Ken Laidlaw being the friendly sportive with riders enjoying the company of others, the challenges we set and a welcoming well-organised event.  We are retaining our now famous three routes.

Entries close 1 week before the start of the event and we won't be accepting entries on the day, even if places remain.  

We will keep you informed of any changes through email to entrants and on our Facebook Page at Ken Laidlaw Sportive

Feature of the Ken Laidlaw Sportive

• Three routes to choose from to give you an appropriate challenge
• The event is held mainly on well-surfaced back roads with very little traffic
• The views around this Borders and Dumfries & Galloway route are fantastic
• Riders are individually timed with the option of a certificate at the end to verify your time
• Cafes on route and free feed stations in Newcastleton, Eskdalmuir and on the Swire.
• The challenge takes in the Samye Ling Tibetan Monastery, the largest Buddhist centre in Europe.
• This is an event organised by cyclists for cyclists.
• Headquarter opens at 7.00am for registration.
• Early Bird price of £25.
• An optional meal at the finish for only £10 pre booked. 

Rewards and Facilities for 2026

• Start pack including GPX files and risk assessments emailed to entrants prior to the event.
• Headquarters and start at the Wee Haugh, Teviot Crescent, Hawick TD9 9RE.
• Riders set off as a marshalled cycling parade along Hawick High Street then a mass start once the parade leaves town.
• Ample car parking near to HQ on Hawick's new Sustrans route through town. Use it to get to the HQ.
• Cafes and feed station on route.
• An optional Italian meal at the end.
• GPX file for navigation, route maps available online.
• Well signposted route.
• Broom wagon, support vehicles, motor cycle monitoring of riders and routes, mechanics.
• Photos of riders made available free online.
• The option to insure your entry fee.

Event Details

1. Starting at 9.00am from the Wee Haugh the riders are set off together as a marshalled parade until we are out of Hawick at the Flex turn-off. 
2. The total distance for the gold challenge is 104 miles, and takes in the Samye Ling Tibetan monastery.
3. The gold route takes in the climbs of Bonchester Hill; The Note o the Gate; Holm Hill; Eskdalemuir; The Berry Bush; The Swire; Woll Rig and The Leap Linns. (The Berry Bush, and Swire are part of the Gordon Arms Trophy Hilly TT course.)
4. The silver route turns off at Tushielaw. Although this route is not significantly shorter at 80miles, it does take out the final lumpy secion of the Berry Bush, Swire, Woll etc.
5. The bronze route is around 55miles in length and turns for home after the Newcastleton refreshment stop and follows a pleasant but challenging run back to Hawick.
6. The Event control will close at 6pm, allowing a 10mph average speed.

The Ken Laidlaw Routes

To view the routes click on the links below which will take you to Ride with GPS where you can view route details, see a route guide and download a GPX file for GPS devices.

• The Gold Route
• The Silver Route
• The Bronze Route

More about Hawick Cycling Club

Hawick Cycling Club is a charitable organisation and was formed in 1881. It is one of the oldest clubs in the country.  Ken Laidlaw is a life member and has ridden the event although he now lives in America.  Ken competed in the Tour de France in 1961 and was the first Scot to complete the gruelling 3 week course.  We celebrate his achievements each year with this sportive while raising money to keep our club running and to support cycling initiatives in our locality.

Or follow us on Facebook at: Ken Laidlaw Sportive

Or contact Hawick Cycling Club: