We are very pleased to be able to support Chris hall and Chris Pressdee of the Ripcor cycling club with our Hunt 50 Carbon Wide wheels for their upcoming Richmond 24 Challenge.
There is nothing like a charity based challenge to motivate and inspire, but thinking of something which will make you get out there and put the miles in come rain or shine can be a battle in itself. So when Chris ‘Baloo’ Hall and Chris ‘Elvis’ Pressdee, two friends and avid cyclists who ride for Berkshire based cycling club Ripcor, decided to fund raise for the club’s chosen charity, The PACE Centre, they wanted to do something which would be a true test of their abilities and inspire people to donate to a truly amazing cause.
Starting at 8.00am on Saturday 18th June, the two intrepid cyclists will embark on The Richmond 24; a 24-hour non-stop ride round Richmond Park, the first time this challenge has been attempted and the first time it has been officially allowed in the Park. With special permission from Richmond Council, Baloo and Elvis will be able to continue riding loops of the park through the evening with limited support and with no other riders in tow to achieve this amazing challenge. Richmond Park is a mecca for cyclists of all abilities, be it the leisure cyclist out for a weekend spin with the family, to the serious road racer looking to hone their fitness on the testing 10.8km road loop, which includes around 81m of climbing. Consider this trail being repeated over 24 hours and you can begin to imagine the distances these guys will be racking up.
Night Ride from Let's Talk Films on Vimeo.
In preparation for the big day the two Chris’s sought training advice and planning from Buckley Performance Coaching, which has seen them braving the best and worst of the British weather in order to hit their training goals in order to peak for the big day. In addition, they have also been working with Let’s Talk Films (the video production company behind the award-winning Ripcor The Movie) to document the process leading up to the Richmond 24, with the aim of giving people an insight into the motivation and dedication required for this monumental undertaking.
'I've always been one for a spontaneous challenge, and each year these seem to become more and more unrealistic; as I set myself targets that are daunting, but that edge on just the right side of achievable, in order to remain tantalisingly doable’ says Chris Hall ‘Richmond 24 follows this idea and presents an excellent opportunity to fundraise and show our support for The PACE Centre and the incredible work they do for the 107 children at the school, in Ripcor's 10th anniversary year. For me, supporting PACE is paramount – the kids really are a true source of inspiration.’
‘This journey from inception to reality has given me a whole new level of respect for endurance athletes’ says Elvis ‘The biggest challenge is psychological. Once you believe in something, you can make it happen. It’s not about the body being fit enough or strong enough. Primarily it’s about belief. The children at PACE face mental and physical challenges every day of their lives, yet overcome their disabilities and achieve remarkable things.’
Thank you... from Let's Talk Films on Vimeo.
Both riders would like to invite fellow cyclists who might be out in the park on the 18th to join them for a few laps and give them some much-needed moral support as they embark on this daunting challenge and help raise money for The PACE Centre.
To find out more about the amazing work that The PACE Centre does please visit http://www.thepacecentre.org/. Donations are gratefully received via the Just Giving Page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ripcor
Baloo and Elvis would also like to thank everyone involved in making the Richmond 24 happen and especially to their sponsors for their incredible support