Congratulations to Jack Thompson and his team for setting a new Japan S-N record in the the following categories: Officiated, Male, Solo, 18-49 age group, on an upright bike.
This also sets the Guinness World Record for the Title: Fastest Japan S-N crossing by Standard Bicycle (WUCA) (Male) (Solo)
Japan End to End Officiated
Ride Report
Jack Thompson – 16 Oct 2024
The best way to describe my Japan South to North record attempt was chaotic! We commenced from Cape Sata at 2.42am on the 4th October. Heavy rain was the theme of that first morning and it was key to remain alert, because the roads were slippery and busy. I was amazed at the tropical landscape in the South of Japan and one of the highlights of this ride was watching the landscape change as I rode my way North.
I had a plan of where I wanted to ride to each day and we managed to execute this plan to perfection, despite the many and varied setbacks that we encountered en-route (that’s ultra cycling!!)
The biggest challenge for this record came in the form of traffic lights. It was difficult to find a rhythm and the planned average speed was difficult to maintain, just because of the relentless stopping and starting in heavy traffic. Once I’d realised that this was going to be the case for the entirety of the ride, I adjusted my sleeping plan and backed off the intensity ever so slightly. I would ride more hours per day, but at a lower intensity to achieve the same daily kilometre target and sleep less each night.
Upon reaching Hokkaido, the finish line was in sight, but the strong headwind and freezing temperatures made the final 580km feel like an eternity.
The highlight of this trip was the strong bond we developed as a team and the support from local riders on the side of the road. I couldn’t help but stop for photos and thank them for coming out to support me.
We finished the record attempt at 2.59 am on the 9th October, and stopped the clock with a total accumulated time of 5days and 17minutes (120hrs 17min.)
