Pupils Conquer Cycling Challenge

When Head of Sixth Form and College Housemaster Mr Richard Curtis suggested to Year 13 pupils Olli Riley and Matt Brown that they take on a cycling challenge, he had anticipated a hilly but enjoyable jaunt around the Chilterns and through Oxfordshire. However, for the ambitious pair, staying England-bound was not an option. Spreading their wings a little further, the daring duo packed energy gels and chocolate bars aplenty, along with their passports, and took on the challenge of cycling from Trafalgar Square, London, to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The pair’s original intentions were to complete the challenge across the weekend of Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 April, however the arrival of a storm put paid to those plans, and some last minute changes meant that they took on the bike ride over Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 April. Despite the change of date, the weather was still far from kind; setting off from Trafalgar Square at 10.00am, Matt and Olli battled a constant headwind and driving rain from London to Portsmouth. The 80 mile trip this side of the Channel was challenging enough- however, the prospect of another 150 miles in the saddle meant that the evening wasn’t a restful one! Once aboard the ferry, the few hours of relief from the elements allowed them some rest, but by 8.00am the pair were back on their bikes, cycling from La Havre through to Paris.

Matt admitted that cycling through France was a far more pleasurable experience; the roads in Europe tend to be wide and therefore better for cyclists, with plenty of space for passing vehicles. There was also far less traffic on the road in France, and the boys enjoyed their scenic surroundings! Coming over the hill and seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time was a definite highlight- both a relief as it meant the boys were at the end of their ride, and a beautiful sight! They arrived at their destination in the early evening, after a few wrong turns that added a handful of extra miles to the already exhausting trip! The boys returned to at College at 5.00am, and went straight back to classes later that day. Although entirely shattered, Matt and Olli were full of smiles and keen to get back on two wheels- ‘perhaps a two week trip in the summer to the Alps, to cycle up some serious hills’ is next on their list!

For some, this intrepid adventure would have required months of planning and hours spent training in the saddle. However, not for the gung-ho Shiplake cyclists, who decided on the route not even a month ago. Keen to raise money for the closely-affiliated charity Gap Africa, the pair wanted a difficult challenge to complete. Their aim is to gain £2000 in sponsorship in aid of building Kikunduku Secondary School in Kenya. So far, the pair have raised nearly £500, and are keen to get closer to their target. Please click here to visit their JustGiving page.