/RECORD ATTEMPT

To mark the launch of the Deloitte Ride Across Britain 2010, James Cracknell decided to undertake a preview to cycling across the country and, in typical James fashion, decided to do it in style.

After convincing Rebecca Romero, fresh from Olympic glory in Beijing, to join him, the pair attempted to beat the phenomenal non-stop mixed tandem bicycle record from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

The distance by road is 874 miles (1,407 km) and takes most cyclists around ten days. The current non-stop record for a mixed tandem is 2 days, 3 hours, 19 minutes and 23 seconds.

Official Statement
Following medical advice, Rebecca Romero was reluctantly forced to withdraw due to discomfort to her knees from the length of the ride. Threshold Sports have withdrawn Rebecca and James Cracknell from their world record attempt. The pair set off from Land’s End on a tandem bike yesterday at 05:00 from The Land’s End Hotel and were withdrawn at 09:41 today north of Johnston Bridge, where Rebecca and James were ahead of their own schedule to beat the record by three hours. Rebecca and James hope to reattempt to break the record in the future and would like to thank all the supporters that turned up along the route from before dawn in Land’s End through to their unexpected early finish.

Tuesday, 4th August 2009.

For media enquiries please contact Alexandra Dallas on 020 7494 1616 / 07824 816013 / alex.dallas@pitch.co.uk

James Cracknell

For more information on adventurer, journalist & Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell please see www.jamescracknell.com

Rebecca Romero

For more information on the first British woman to win medals in two different sports at the Summer Olympics please see www.rebeccaromero.co.uk