Saddle up for Bart!

That's the call going out to cyclists as organisers announce details of a new fundraising event in memory of Olympic sailor Andrew 'Bart' Simpson.

The Portland-based sailing charity Andrew Simpson Foundation aims to unite cyclists and sailors with the new event, Bike4Bart.

Taking place on Sunday, September 2 starting and finishing at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy at Osprey Quay where the Foundation is based, the cycle will offer three route options for different abilities, all venturing into Dorset’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

With a mixture of spectacular views, leg-pumping climbs and historical scenery the route will always have something to keep everyone interested.

Alongside the Bike4Bart cycling event, the Andrew Simpson Watersports Centre, also based at the National Sailing Academy will throw its doors open to the public offering a variety of free sailing and water-based activities, culminating in a great fun day for all the family.

The fundraiser is a separate event to Bart's Bash, the mass sailing event now in its fifth year, which will be taking place in Portland Harbour and across the world on Sunday, September 16.

Andrew Simpson, from Sherborne, tragically died in an America’s Cup training accident in San Francisco Bay in 2013.

He won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, as crew for skipper Iain Percy in the Star class representing Great Britain. They won silver at the 2012 Olympics, competing off Weymouth and Portland.

Bike4Bart aims to help raise awareness of the amazing work that is currently carried out by the Andrew Simpson Foundation around the world, and to raise funds, allowing the sailing charity to both continue increasing participation in the sport and improve the lives of disadvantaged young people.

CEO Richard Percy said: “Like many others within the sailing community, Andrew was a keen cyclist.

"We therefore decided it would be a fitting tribute to organise a cycling event in his honour which will start and end at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy, the home of the Foundation, and where he trained for his Olympic campaigns.

"The principle of this event is to help introduce cyclists that don't currently sail, into the sport of sailing – and there’s no better place to do so than the home of the British Sailing Team."

To sign up to Bike4Bart as an individual or as a team visit ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events/bike-4-bart-charity-sportive/