Archive for April, 2012

Riding the Haute Route 2012 for a good cause!

Last month OC ThirdPole, the organisers of the Haute Route, released seven final places for this year’s sold out event specifically for riders who will raise money and awareness for charities from different countries. Fifty per cent of each entry fee of the seven chosen riders will be donated by the organisers, and all of the selected riders have set ambitious targets to raise the maximum amount for their charities.

First up is entrepreneur and cycling enthusiast Tim Smith… Originally from America, but currently living in Japan, Tim will be riding to support The Tyler Foundation, an amazing group of professionals and supporters dedicated to helping children suffering from cancer and those especially affected in the wake of the Tohuku Earthquake in 2011. Tim commented on why this charity was so special to him: “As a father and a resident of Japan I wish to contribute to an organisation that is local and provides direct support to those who need it most urgently. 2011 has been a difficult year especially for many residents of Japan in the earthquake stricken areas and all too often those who suffer greatest are the future’s greatest hopes – the children”. To prepare for the Haute Route, Tim’s currently training in the mountains around Tokyo on his trusty custom titanium fixed gear road bike. With the event rapidly approaching, he’s covering 200-400km per week in the “toges” surrounding the city, with 1000-3000m of climbing to get in the best possible shape for the Alpine cols in August. Visit Tim’s blog http://hauteroute.gsastuto.com

Tim Smith supporting the Tyler Foundation

Jonathan Berry joins us from the UK, raising funds for the well-known charity Help for Heroes that supports members of the Armed Forces who have been injured in the service of their country. The charity is close to Jonathan’s heart, as he’s a serving member of the Royal Air Force and currently training for the Haute Route from his military base in Lincolnshire. Jonathan told us why he had chosen to apply for a charity rider position: “The Haute Route stands out among the great cycling events as the toughest and most arduous event, with a limited number of participants. I considered that it would be the perfect event whereby I could set a unique physical challenge, receive lots of positive media coverage for the Help for Heroes charity, and join other riders in similar circumstances”. More information about Help For Heroes can be found at www.helpforheroes.org.uk/ and we’ll let you know soon how you can follow Jonathan’s training through his dedicated social media sites.

The youngest rider to be selected for the charity team is 26-year-old Thomas Heunicke from Denmark. Supporting Projekt OmSorg (Project Care) from the Danish Cancer Society, Thomas will battle the 19 mythical cols of the Haute Route to raise money for children who have lost close friends or family to cancer. For Thomas, riding the Haute Route for charity gives him an extra incentive to push himself to the limit preparing for the start line. So far he’s been training in tough winter conditions with tricky icy roads and freezing cold, dark afternoons. One recent training ride, in the area surrounding Copenhagen, ended rather unfortunately: “It was not due to the conditions, but I was so exhausted that I overlooked a curb and crashed. I’ve got a couple of bruises and a fractured hand, but luckily I didn’t damage myself or my bike further.”

Thomas Heunicke riding for Project Om Sorg

The four remaining members of the “Haute Route Charity Team” will be revealed shortly, along with more details of all the riders’ donation pages and fundraising progress as their training continues.