Graduate attempts record-breaking cycle across Canada

Will Noel-Smith, along with his brother Harry, father Mike and family friend Hasan Al Hosini will embark on the trans-Canada cycle in June, aiming to complete the feat in less than 13 days 6 hours and 13 minutes (the current record).

Covering a distance that is over one and a half times the length of the average Tour de France and cycling an average distance of 285 miles per day, the Raw Discovery team is aiming to raise at least £100,000 for StreetInvest, a charity supporting street children.

With most of their food and drink consumed in the saddle, nutrition will play a vital role and Will (Exercise and Sport Sciences, 2008) believes his studies were of particular importance in his preparation for the gigantic trip.

“I can attribute a good part of our successful training, nutrition and sports psychology – to the high levels of academic interaction I engaged in over the three year course,” said Will, whose sporting background has already seen him play rugby for an academy in New Zealand and for the England President’s XV, as well as feature in fitness campaigns for a leading supplement company.

The journey, which starts in the west coast at Vancouver and ends on the east coast in Halifax, is not the first long distance trek that the three family members have completed. In July 2012 the trio completed a 72-hour, 250-mile non-stop row from Normandy, France to Cornwall.

However as far as cycling is concerned, six months ago Will did not even own a bicycle and the others were also complete novices.

“This reflects an additional goal we set through this challenge, which was to prove that no matter your level of skill or start place, impressive things can be achieved” said Will.

Further information on Will’s cycling challenge can be found on the Raw Discovery team website.