Around the world cycling record

The Guinness World Record (GWR) for fastest circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle is awarded for completing a continuous journey around the globe by bicycle and other means, consisting of a minimum 29,000 km (18,000 miles) in total distance cycled.

  • The unsupported record is held by Jenny Graham of Scotland (member of the Adventure Syndicate). Graham completed her attempt in October 2018 in a total of 124 days. She cycled the route solo and totally unsupported often sleeping rough in drainage ditches or behind bushes.
  • The supported record is held by Mark Beaumont of Scotland, who completed the route accompanied by a motorized support vehicle in 78 days 14 hours, and 40 minutes.

Guinness makes no differentiation between supported and unsupported attempts. Most cyclists choose to do the challenge supported, especially through the Australian outback. GWR rules state that the journey should be continuous and in one direction (East to West or West to East), that the minimum distance ridden should be 18,000 miles (29,000 km), and that the total distance travelled by the bicycle and rider should exceed an Equator's length. The clock does not stop for any waiting time for transit flights or ferries or for the duration of the transit (see full rules below).

The principles for unsupported rides are:

  1. do it all yourself, under your own power;
  2. carry all your own gear (i.e. no domestiques); and
  3. no outside support (deliveries only to public addresses or 'open' homes, no support vehicles of any kind meeting the rider along the way to provide supplies). 'Pure' unsupported rides also preclude any visits from friends or others along the way. These rules require riders to be alone for the entire ride, with a minimum 5-bicycle-length distance from any other riders or support vehicles.

Guinness rules

The rules state "the journey should be continuous and in one direction (East to West or West to East), that the minimum distance ridden should be 18,000 miles (29,000 km), and that the total distance travelled by the bicycle and rider should exceed an Equator's length, i.e. 24,900 miles (40,100 km)." They also state that: "Any considerable distance travelled opposite to the direction of the attempt must be discounted from any calculations of the overall distance travelled," and that the route "must be ridden through two approximate antipodal points."[1][2]

Alan Bate writes, "The record criteria requires [sic] the rider to cover 28,970 kilometers by bike, in an East to West or West to East direction, wavering no more than 5 degrees off course. The total journey distance must be a minimum of 40,075 kilometers, to include all transit by flight or sea. The ride must start and finish in the same place and must pass at least two antipodal points (these are two points that line up through the earth's centre). When the rider reaches a transit point to connect with a flight or boat to the next continent or country start point, the clock stops with regard to the actual riding time *(no longer the case any more since the rules have changed in relation to transit time, which is NOW included in the total time). As most of the earth's surface is water, this is unavoidable and fair as it applies to all athletes attempting the record. Once customs is cleared at the next destination, the clock immediately starts again. The same bicycle must be used throughout the attempt, although repairs and replacement parts and bikes are allowed for mechanical failure. Satellite tracking is highly recommended by Guinness World Records and a daily log, signatures of dignitaries and photographs at strategic points must be collated as evidence."[3]

The requirement to pass at least two antipodal points causes some problems in route planning. For example, among popular countries for around the world cyclists, the antipodes of Australia is spread out over the Atlantic Ocean, North America over the Indian Ocean, Africa over mid Pacific Ocean, and Europe and most of Asia over the South Pacific Ocean, without any land mass there. Those land areas would not give any opportunities for an antipodal pair while cycling. Some possible pairs are China / Argentina, Malaysia / Peru, and Spain / New Zealand (Madrid and Wellington fall within the ±5-degree difference permitted by Guinness).

The length requirement also requires consideration. To cycle Lisbon–Vladivostok (13900 km), Perth–Brisbane (4300 km) and Los Angeles–St. John's (7200 km) with air travel between legs gives 25,400 km. So some detours are needed (such as e.g. Invercargill–Auckland, New Zealand, 1800 km, for the sake of the antipodes requirement).

History

Nick Sanders
Nick Sanders, the first person to set the record.

Nick Sanders set the original record in 1981, riding 13,609 miles (21,900 km) around the Northern Hemisphere in 138 days. Sanders still holds the Guinness World Record for fastest ride around the coast of Great Britain, riding a verified 4,800 miles (7,720 km) in 22 days.[4] In 2017 Mark Beaumont completed a 5,142 kilometres (3,195 mi) route around the British coast in 14.5 days.[5]

Jay Aldous & Matt DeWaal

From 2 April to 16 July 1984 Jay Aldous and Matt DeWaal rode 22,997 km/14,290 miles in 106 days to break Nick Sanders record set in 1981. Aldous and DeWaal started and ended in Salt Lake City, USA and traveled in an easterly direction passing through 15 different countries.

Matt DeWaal
Jay Aldous

Andrew Slodkowski

In December 1993, Andrew Slodkowski completed a record riding ‘Around the World in 80 days on a bicycle’. Andrew started and ended in London UK, and traveled in an easterly direction passing through 14 different countries.[6]

Steve Strange

On 13 February 2005, Steve Strange completed the first record attempt under the new Guinness rules, achieving a world record of 276 days and 19 hours.

Phil White

In April 2005, Phil White completed a record attempt in an estimated 299 days.[7] His time did not beat the one set two months earlier by Steve Strange.

Mark Beaumont (2008)
Mark Beaumont

On 14 February 2008, Mark Beaumont completed a circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle in 194 days and 17 hours.[8]

James Bowthorpe

In September 2009 James Bowthorpe completed a circumnavigation in 175 days. This was not ratified by Guinness World Records.

Julian Sayarer

In June 2010 Julian Sayarer completed a circumnavigation in 169 days.[9]

Vin Cox

On 1 August 2010, Vin Cox completed an unsupported circumnavigation of the globe, which was certified by Guinness as the new world record with a time of 163 days, 6 hours, 58 minutes.[10]

Alan Bate

On 4 August 2010, Alan Bate completed the circumnavigation in 125 days 21 hours and 45 minutes, which was ratified by Guinness World Records.

Mike Hall

On 4 June 2012, Mike Hall completed his circumnavigation in 91 days 18 hours. His ride was totally unsupported. After the ride, Guinness World Records changed the rules to include total travel time. Under the new rules Hall recorded a time of 107 days 2 hours 30 minutes, which was not ratified by Guinness World Records.

Juliana Buhring

On 22 December 2012, Juliana Buhring, of British-German nationality (though born in Greece), completed the circumnavigation in 152 days including total travel time, becoming the first woman to attempt and to complete a circumnavigation of the world by bicycle using a route that complies with the requirements of Guinness World Records. This was an unsupported ride.

Thomas Großerichter

On 31 December 2012, Thomas Großerichter from Germany, completed the circumnavigation in 105 days 1 hour and 44 minutes. This was not certified by Guinness World Records.

Lee Fancourt

On 13 June 2014, Lee Fancourt completed a circumnavigation in 103 days, 23 hours,15 minutes. This was not ratified by Guinness World Records. Fancourt's record attempt was disqualified after failing to return to the point in India where he took a taxi in order to help out his support crew.[11]

Paola Gianotti

This record was 144 days for Paola Gianotti who started and finished at Ivrea, Turin, Italy, from 8 March to 30 November 2014. This was a supported ride. During her voyage, on 16 May 2014, Gianotti was injured in a road accident which resulted in a fractured vertebra. Although the Guinness World Record rules state that the clock does not stop, Gianotti's time was frozen for four months till she recovered and resumed her attempt on 18 September 2014. Her route is here. Its legitimacy was much debated at the time, when this was ratified at the time by Guinness as being the world record.[12][13]

Andrew Nicholson

Former speedskater Andrew Nicholson (New Zealand) completed an unsupported cirmumnavigation in 123 days and 43 minutes,[14] starting and ending his journey at Auckland International Airport, New Zealand, between 12 August and 13 December 2015.

Mark Beaumont (2017)

On 18 September 2017, Mark Beaumont arrived in Paris having completed a supported circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle in 78 days 14 hours, and 40 minutes. This beat his previous unsupported attempt by 115 days and beat the previous world record by 44 days and 10 hours and should be regarded as the record. This attempt was verified by Guinness World Records as he finished in Paris.[15] The BBC reported, "During the trip, Mark was also awarded the Guinness World Records title for the most miles cycled in a month, from Paris to Perth, Australia, verified at 7,031 miles (11,315km)".[15] Beaumont had significant support on his ride from a "base camp" team who stayed in Scotland, and "on the road" teams who followed in camper vans which provided him a comfortable place to rest when off the bike. The support team covered duties ranging from preparing his meals and ensuring optimum nutrition, optimising his route to avoid ratification pitfalls, providing massages to help alleviate the discomfort of spending long hours in the same position, and psychological support during low points.[16][17]

Vedangi Kulkarni (2018)

Between July and December 2018, Vedangi Kulkarni attempted to become the fastest woman to circumnavigate the world on bicycle, but, she failed in her attempt. Instead she became the youngest woman to do so by cycling 18000 miles in 160 days by her own account. Unfortunately this couldn’t be verified as the 18,000 miles were never ratified. She was 19 when she started and 20 when she finished the ride. 85% of her ride was solo and unsupported.

Jenny Graham (2018)

On 18 October 2018 Jenny Graham arrived in Berlin having completed an unsupported circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle in 124 Days, 10 hours and 50 minutes.[18] This has now been verified by Guinness World Records and as such is the new woman's record.[19]

Tandem Record

John Whybrow and George Agate

On 25 March 2017, John Whybrow and George Agate (known as 'The Tandem Men'), set the first tandem bicycle circumnavigation record. Starting and finishing in Canterbury, UK, the pair completed their attempt in 290 days, 7 hours and 36 minutes aboard an Orbit Tandem. This was an unsupported ride.[20]

Lloyd Collier and Louis Snellgrove

On 16 May 2019, Lloyd and Louis cycled 29,140km and crossed the finishing line at the Adelaide Oval, Australia in 281 days to achieve the Guinness World Record. They cycled through 24 countries and 5 continents. Both Emergency doctors, they raised money for Spinal Research and The Brain foundation. Their cycle was unsupported and they cycled westerly around the world to achieve their title.[21]

Cat Dixon and Raz Marsden

On the 29th June 2019, Cat Dixon and Raz Marsden (both UK) set out on their tandem bike to embark on what would become a record-breaking adventure around the world; completing their journey in 263 days, 8 hours and 7 minutes. Cat, 54, and Raz, 55, set out from Oxford last year, covering 18,263 miles on a route that took them through 25 different countries and five continents. The record-breaking route: Starting in Oxford, UK, then onto France, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Mexico, Morocco, Spain, Gibraltar and then finally back through France to the UK, where they completed their journey. "We have highlights from every country that we visited and would definitely return to see many- although maybe at a slower pace," the pair said. [22]

Unicycling

Wally Watts

Between 1976 and 1978, Walter J. Watts, known as "Wobbling" Wally Watts[23] unicycled 12,000 miles around the world.[24] Travelling eastward, he started and ended in New York. Some countries he unicycled in: UK, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, India, Australia, New Zealand, USA.[25][26][27]

Ed Pratt

From March 2015 to July 27, 2018, Ed Pratt 21,000 miles (33,000 km) for 3 years, 135 days, starting and ending in Somerset, England.[28] He had a specially made pannier that helped him to complete the trip unsupported.[29] The trip was discontinuous in time: he suspended his trip during the winter time due to icy, slippery conditions. This discontinuity lasted longer than 14 days, and was one of the reasons Pratt did not receive the Guinness World Record for Unicycling around the world. When he was no longer able satisfy the conditions for the Guinness record, he made his own rule that on land he would ride his unicycle, or walk, and push it, so that "apart from the watery bits [he would make] an unbroken unicycle tire track around the entire planet".[25] He was awarded the Prime Minister's Points of Light award for using the trip to fundraise for the charity School in a Bag, which delivers school equipment to children in need around the world.[30]

The "Year Record"

The "Year Record" was awarded for the longest distance cycled in a single year. It was awarded to Tommy Godwin, who held the record for 75 years, riding 75,065 miles (120,805 km) from 1939 to 1940. Godwin also set the record for fastest time to cycle 100,000 miles (160,934 km)(now held by Amanda Coker).[31] The record was verified by Guinness World Records[32] and recognised at the time by Cycling magazine.[33][34]

In 2014, the UltraMarathon Cycling Association published a set of rules for a "highest annual mileage record", conceived as a continuation of Tommy Godwin's 1939–40 record. Three riders set out to break this record in 2015: Steven Abraham of the UK, Kurt Searvogel of the US and William Pruett, also of the USA. Kurt Searvogel went on to break the record.

In 2016-2017 Amanda Coker set the world record by 86,573.2 miles.

References
  1. Fastest Circumnavigation By Bicycle - Guidelines (PDF). Guinness World Records. 2014-04-08.
  2. "Round the world cycling record - The Guinness rules". CycleSeven.org. 2010-03-20.
  3. "Alan Bate's around-the-world cycling record attempt". Explorers Web. 2010-03-29.
  4. Nick Sanders (1984-09-14). 22 Days Around the Coast of Britain. ISBN 0-946940-03-7.
  5. http://www.artemisworldcycle.com/the-challenge/around-britain/
  6. "Andrew Slodkowski cycles around the world in 80 days...before Mark Beaumont did". Kickass Trips. 2019-03-17. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  7. "Cyclist ends world record attempt". BBC News. 2005-04-24.
  8. "Scot smashes world cycle record". BBC News. 2008-02-15.
  9. Sayarer, Julian. Fifty miles wide. London. ISBN 978-1-911350-75-0. OCLC 1144761127.
  10. "Vin Cox & Genesis ride into the record books". www.cyclingweekly.com. Ti Media. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  11. "Round the world racer Lee Fancourt hammers on despite disqualification". 2014-04-17. The rules of round the world bike racing and the Guinness World Record qualifications are unforgiving, as World Cycle Race competitor Lee Fancourt has found out. The 36-year-old was disqualified after failing to return to the point in India where he took a taxi in order to help out his support crew, while on schedule to break the record by weeks.
  12. "Fastest circumnavigation by bicycle (female)". Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-25. Retrieved 2016-02-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. followmychallenge.com. "LIVE: Andrew Nicholson". Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  15. "Cyclist Mark Beaumont breaks around the world record". BBC News Online. BBC. 18 September 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  16. "Artimis World Cycle - The Team". www.artemisworldcycle.com. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  17. Ward, Trevor. "Cyclist set to finish record-breaking 'around the world in 80 days' cycle a day early". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  18. Rawlinson, Kevin; agency (2018-10-18). "Scottish cyclist smashes round-the world record". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  19. "Scots cyclist a new world record holder". BBC News. 2019-06-10. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  20. Ali, Taz. "Two friends who travelled around the world on a tandem bike awarded Guinness World Record". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  21. "Doctors pedal more than 28,000 km to circumnavigate the globe on a tandem". Guinness World Records. 2019-11-14. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  22. "Doctors pedal more than 28,000 km to circumnavigate the globe on a tandem". Guinness World Records. 2020-07-29. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
  23. "(Extract from Blue Peter) "He holds the world record for long-distance unicycling"". BBC Archive, on Twitter. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  24. "Wobbling Wally Watts". Miscellaneous Photographs. 2009-11-25. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  25. Pratt, Ed (June 16, 2020), Why Guinness DIDN'T Give me a World Record for Unicycling 35,000km around the Earth, retrieved 2020-06-16. Pratt mentions that he found out about Watts when he was researching before setting out on his own trip.
  26. "Wobbling Wally Watts by Robert C. Morgan". Unicyclist.community. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  27. "Newsletter Vol 5 No 3 July 1978" (PDF). Unicycling Society of America. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  28. "Unicyclist completes round-the-world trip". BBC News. 2018-07-27. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  29. McCoy, Jenny (2020-05-26). "5 Pros Recommend Their Favorite At-Home Workout Tools". Outside Online. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  30. "Unicyclists who raised £300,000 during round-the-world trip honoured by Prime Minister". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  31. "Tommy Godwin's 'unbreakable' cycling record". BBC News. 2012-04-18. In 1939, Tommy Godwin rode 75,065 miles (120,805 km) in a single year to set an endurance riding record that some believe will never be beaten. In fact, he kept on going until 14 May 1940, setting the record for the time taken to ride 100,000 miles (161,000 km).
  32. "Greatest Distance Cycled in a Year record at Guinness World Records site". 2013-01-29.
  33. Dave Barter. "Tommy Godwin".
  34. Dave Barter (2011-12-09). "Tommy Godwin FAQ". Phased Publications.
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