RS Aero Cycle Challenge - Day 1: Towing a boat via bicycles 200 miles

by RS Sailing 12 Sep 20:00 NZST 11 September 2024

RS Aero Cycle Challenge day 1 © RS Sailing

The RS Team set off from Coningsby, Lincolnshire, this morning, officially marking the start of the RS Aero Cycle Challenge after weeks of build-up. The chilly conditions were nothing compared to the warm send-off the riders received from family, friends and local press as they clipped into their cleats and got underway.

Riders and RS Team members Richard Frost, Will Miller, Noah Rees and Tracey Edwards have a colossal challenge ahead of them; they are cycling from Coningsby, Lincolnshire to Southampton International Boat Show in Hampshire over the next three days, the 200-mile distance being made even more challenging by towing an RS Aero, which is a single-handed boat, between them. They are supported by John Hobson, who ensures the team is fed, watered, and safe throughout the days on the road.

They're taking on this challenge in memory of their much-loved friend and colleague, Maciej Nowaczyk, who sadly lost his fight with cancer earlier this year. They're raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support who help people with cancer live as full a life as possible by providing physical, financial, and emotional support.

With fresh legs and a bundle of nerves geeing them on, the team were quick out the blocks today, smashing through the first 30 miles with relative ease. A building breeze kept the team on their toes when it was beam on, made them dig deep when it was nose to, and it was utterly blissful riding when it was right behind them, the gentle push making all the difference to the 60kg boat and trailer set up.

Once the early morning chill had passed and the sun came out, it was glorious riding. Though later on in the day, the team made the call to put their jackets on with an eerily darkening sky ahead of them, they barely zipped their jackets to their chins before the heavens opened and they were battered by heavy, stinging rain and hail for the next duration of the ride. Wet roads made the riding trickier; tired legs and eyes were working harder than ever to keep up the pace and read the road ahead of them. All whilst contending with an immense amount of spray from standing water on the roads. The team took it steady and continued to knock off the miles.

Richard Frost was really humbled by the support they received along the way. "We didn't quite know what to expect, but so many kind people were waving and tooting, holding out notes to put in the Macmillan Cancer Support bucket as we cycled past. One chap threw a load of change into the cockpit of the RS Aero as he drove past, which all bounced out into the hedge beside us, so we spent a moment laughing as we scrambled together 80p from the unsuspecting hedge".

RS Aero Cycle Challenge day 1 - photo © RS Sailing

With 85 miles/136km ticked off, the team really made the most of the predominantly flat route today and smashed in some distance. The route planning was great until the last two miles, when the team ended up riding down a cycle path. They had checked before that the width of it would allow for the boat to get through, but they hadn't considered that there would be gates, so in the last two miles, the team were forced to lift the boat, and its trailer through some tricky gates several times over which truly diminished any remaining energy stores.

On arrival to their hotel, the team were treated to a fantastic sports massage kindly donated by Sports Massage Bedford, which was lead by Ken Parsons and his skilled team. Sore muscles were relieved and carb stores were restocked with a pasta dinner to ensure they have chance of making it through the brutal route of day 2.

The second day will be made up of a 68 mile/109km uphill slog as soon as they leave Bedford, with the looming Chiltern Hills at the end of the day. Peaking at Brad Hill with an elevation of 831ft/253m and moments of incline at 14% on the way up. The team are expecting their speed to drop as they tackle the elevation, so they are preparing for a full 12-hour day in the saddle.

Please donate anything you can to help the team reach their £25,000 fundraising target for Macmillan Cancer Support. Follow them on the live YB Tracker and find out more about the challenge here. Join the welcoming party on RS Sailing's Southampton International Boat Show Stand E045 at 14:30 on Friday 13th September.

Donate at www.justgiving.com/page/rsaerocyclechallenge