Africa Solo: In Pursuit of Guinness Record

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March 30, 2015

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Africa Solo: In Pursuit of Guinness Record

Record-breaking British cyclist Mark Beaumont bids to set a new World Record; this time he’s going to cover 10,000 kilometers in less than 50 days. The route lies through Africa – from Cairo to Cape Town.

31-year old adventurer and TV presenter intends to cycle about 240 kilometers every day, though this depends on traffic, weather, checkpoints and unexpected delays.

"This really is unchartered territory – no-one has gone close to this quick through Africa," he writes in his newsletter published on his official website www.markbeaumontonline.com. All supporters of the athlete can follow the expedition on the site, where his GPS map will update his position every 30 minutes.

“It was over seven years ago that I cycled 18,000 miles (28,968 kilometers) for a new circumnavigation World Record. Then after the Americas expedition, cycling 13,000 (20,921 kilometers) from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego I left the bike behind, to row oceans, to climb mountains and to be a TV presenter. But there was always the ambition to get back to what I love most, riding my bike. There was always that burning question of how fast could I go, how far I could push myself as an athlete,” Beaumont explains his intention to break another Guinness Record.

The athlete arrives in Cairo in the evening of April 7 with his cameraman Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert. At Cairo International Airport they will be met by Lady Egypt Tours representative, who will provide them with Egyptian mobile phone number and take them to the hotel, where they will stay for next three nights. Beaumont’s long-distance trip will take a start at Cairo Tower on April 10.

Mark Beaumont’s daily goal is covering around 240 kilometers, though the first day of his African adventure he plans to pedal 215 kilometers from Cairo to Zaafarana. On April 11 he will head to Hurghada cycling another 254 kilometers. The distance from Hurghada to Luxor is the longest – 286 kilometers. There he will be met by another Lady Egypt rep and taken to the hotel. As planned, in the morning the athlete will ride 222 kilometers to reach Aswan and then 280 kilometers to Abu Simbel. On April 15 Beaumont will take a ferry and pedal 42 kilometers to Sudanese border.

The cyclist has a small tent with him for outdoor sleep in case if he does not reach the set destination or passes it and finds no shelter.

The daily distance coverage depends on many factors, among them traffic, weather conditions, unexpected delays and stops at checkpoints, though Egyptian Tourism Police promised to assist him at every possible level in order to move as quick as he intends. Moreover, the officers of tourism authority will be calling Mark Beaumont twice a day to make sure everything goes fine.

From Egypt the adventurer will proceed to Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and then to his final destination – South Africa.

At the moment Mark Beaumont is undergoing training in Cyprus and preparing his bike for 50-day-long travel.

According to adventurer, the “project is raising money and awareness for Orkidstudio, an impact design organization whose focus is to benefit children and communities worldwide through innovative architecture and construction”.

Beaumont emphasizes that “this expedition and the work of Orkidstudio would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors”: LDC, Drum Property Group, Martin Currie, The Wood Foundation, Weir Group, Endura and Koga.

The last World Record was set in March 2015 by South African rider Keegan Longueira who wanted to be the fastest man to cycle from Cairo to Cape Town; his result is 59 days and 8 hours.

About Mark Beaumont

In 2008 he held the record for cycling through 20 countries, completing over 29,000 kilometers in 194 days and 17 hours, which was 81 days less than previous World Record. Two years later completed another quest, riding from Alaska, USA to Argentina.

In 2011 Beaumont rowed from Canada to the 1996 location of the North Magnetic Pole. In the beginning of 2012 the athlete was saved from the capsized boat crossing from Morocco to Barbados.

He has degree in politics from Glasgow University; he’s an author of best selling cycling book in the UK “The Man Who Cycled the World” and another book “The Man Who Cycled the Americas”.

He is also a dedicated charity fundraiser ever since his first cycle across Scotland at the age of 12 that raised £3000 to more recently raising over £100,000 by running and swimming across Scotland.

In recognition of his work with young people, charity and his sporting achievements, Mark was named Top Scot 2011 and presented an Honorary Doctorate from Dundee University in 2013.