When 1,200 cyclists set off on the inaugural Etape Loch Ness sportive this spring, event director Malcolm Sutherland will feel an incredible sense of pride, along with a tinge of disappointment.

Proud that he has helped turn this stunning area of Scotland into the backdrop for some world-class sporting events, but disappointed that he will not be cycling alongside them in a peloton and experiencing the thrill of the ride.

"It comes with the territory of being an event organiser," he sighs. "You're so focused on putting your all into making sure that everyone else has an amazing time that you never get to take part yourself.

"I would love to do the Etape Loch Ness one day, but I'm not sure it will ever be possible. For one thing, I wouldn't be able to relax enough to enjoy it because I'd spend the whole time worrying that I was needed elsewhere or that some problem needed to be fixed.

"The route is amazing and while I've cycled it in the past, it will be an incredible feeling to ride it on closed roads and with the collective energy of so many other individuals who are there for a personal challenge or to raise money for charity."

Malcolm Sutherland  event director for Etape Loch Ness  looks forward to welcoming 1 200 cyclists to the event on May 4.
Malcolm Sutherland event director for Etape Loch Ness looks forward to welcoming 1 200 cyclists to the event on May 4.

It's lucky for the riders taking part in the 67-mile sportive around the route of the famous loch on May 4 that Malcolm, 44, is tied up behind the scenes. It's his vision, drive and attention to detail that has earned his company, Caledonian Concepts, a reputation for staging first-rate charity, sports and business events.

The Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running and the Inverness Half Marathon are among the events that have brought athletes flocking to the Highlands, while Malcolm has been leaving participants breathless by hosting the country's leading stair running event, Vertical Rush, in London.

The world of event management is a far cry from Malcolm's early military career in the elite Parachute Regiment, into which he was accepted after spending a year as an outdoors instructor in Cape Wrath.

He explains, "I'd always been sporty as a youngster growing up in Buckie in north east Scotland and was a member of the Moray District Swimming Club. We were one of the best clubs in the country thanks to some excellent coaches, and we trained to a very high level. That's the first taste that I had of competitive sport, and it was also where I thought that I could use my interest in sports and fitness to build a career.

"I really wanted to join the Armed Forces and to get some experience I was lucky enough to get a job as an outdoors instructor. It involved hosting corporate courses for business people and summer schools for young people, and I loved it.

"The company was run by John Ridgway. He was a contemporary of Chay Blyth, and together they were the first men to row across the Atlantic. I took a huge amount of inspiration from John, and learned so much in terms of managing people, looking after them and basic survival skills."

During his time with the Paras, Malcolm completed several tours of Northern Ireland. He regularly carried out Arctic winter training in northern Norway and also honed his skills in the baking heat of Jordan.

With seven years of military service under his belt, Malcolm felt that he had achieved everything that he had set out to in the Army and made the switch to Civvy Street and a role as country director with Raleigh International.

It was a job that saw him travel to far-flung destinations such as Mongolia, China and Chile, working with volunteers who had signed up to participate in community and environmental projects aimed at improving the day-to-day lives of people in other countries. He then found himself back on home soil when he joined what was then the Scottish Community Foundation to deliver the operational side of their fund-raising events.

"I figured that if I could run successful events for other people, then I might be able to set up on my own. Together with my wife, Caroline, we started working from our spare room and Caledonian Concepts took shape.

"We've now been going for 10 years and during that time we have helped to develop the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon into a weekend festival attracting more than 9,100 participants in total last year. We've worked hard to make it attractive to runners and to make sure the participant experience is as memorable as possible.

"There is something incredibly special about Loch Ness that seems to inspire people. Loch Ness is probably the best known loch in the world: the scenery, the route and the magical atmosphere lend themselves perfectly to sporting events.

"When you combine those three factors with an event like the Etape Loch Ness that is designed for all abilities of road cyclist you have something very powerful, and that's borne out by the huge demand that we have seen for places.

"The first wave of 1,000 slots sold out within a matter of hours, and when we released a further 200 places in February, it took just 12 minutes for those to go.

"Piecing together an event like this is a massive challenge because of the level of consultation with communities and various agencies. There is a huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes and I thrive on it.

"But the real high point for me, besides knowing that the riders have raised so much money for charity, will come on May 4 when I see all those cyclists cross the finish line in Inverness knowing that they have had a truly unforgettable day."

The Etape Loch Ness takes place on Sunday, 4 May 2014. Starting and finishing in central Inverness, it will follow a 67-mile, 360-degree route around Loch Ness on closed roads. The official charity being supported by Etape Loch Ness is Macmillan Cancer Support. Further information is available at www.etapelochness.com. Details about the event are also posted on social media channels - facebook.com/etapelochness and @EtapeLochNess on Twitter.

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