Words by Smiley Team
A team of cyclists riding a famous 865-mile stretch to raise money for cancer have taken their fundraising to another level by breaking a Guinness World Record.
The university friends finished their cycling challenge from John O’Groats to Land’s End on a 7-seater conference bike on Sunday 29 May.
The previous Guinness World Record for the same route travelled on a conference bike was set in 2010, by a team of 194 people taking over 28 days.
Cycling team ‘The Magnificent Seven’ have completed the challenge in just 5 days, 21 hours and with 15 core riders. “Despite most of the team being experienced riders, it took a lot of mental as well as physical energy to keep going – especially through the nights," says Colin Bolton, a member of team ‘Magnificent Seven’.
“The generous donations and the truly inspiring work that Cyclists Fighting Cancer does to support children and families living with cancer kept us pedalling until the very end!”
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They smashed the world record whilst raising money for UK charity, Cyclists Fighting Cancer.
Approximately 2,400 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the UK. Cyclists Fighting Cancer (CFC) was founded in 2005 by CEO Mike Grisenthwaite after his own five year battle with blood cancer, to support children going through similar experiences.
The charity provides a unique and highly effective way of helping kids with cancer through activity and exercise – and the main branch of their work is providing free bikes and trikes to children and teenagers who are cancer patients, and 8,000 bikes have been given out so far.
The Magnificent Seven have raised almost £18,000 so far and are still collecting donations as they wind down from their record-breaking journey.
“We are so impressed by the team’s mammoth achievement and efforts in completing their challenge," says Mike Grisenthwaite, the founder and CEO of Cyclists Fighting Cancer.
We are also grateful for their wonderful fundraising efforts: the team has raised over £18,000 so far, which will fund over 36 new lightweight bikes, tandems and specially adapted trikes to children and young people living with and beyond cancer.”
Other team members included Mike Summerfield, Paul Berry, Graham Hunter, Andrew Nesling, Nic Burridge, Richard Falconer, Hugh Williamson, Colin Bolton, Mark Wilson, Jeff Kapp, Ed Greig and Matthew Belmonte, as well as support crew Chris Harvey, Andy Bolton and Rob Wilson.
DONATE: To make a donation to team Magnificent Seven’s challenge, visit their fundraising page.
SUPPORT: To find out more about what Cyclists Fighting Cancer do to support children around the UK, visit their website.
