Congratulations to the team of Alistair David Levack, Elizabeth Joy Harkness, Thomas Bill, Dominic Adam Holt, and Sharifa Masoud Al Lamki, for setting a new Oman Crossing record in the 8x team category or Mixed, Standard bike, 18-49 age group.

This is a new WUCA and Guinness World Record.

Riders Summaries

Alistair Levack

  • Record attempt: Fastest crossing of Oman by a mixed team
  • Name of rider(s): Alistair Levack, Dominic Holt, Elizabeth Harkness, Sharifa Al Lamki, Tom Bill
  • Start date and exact start time: 20 November 2022, 7:09am
  • Exact start location: Khatmat Milaha border post at Shinas, Oman
  • What were conditions like?
    • Dry, hot, wind direction differed each day.
  • Why did you want to do a record?
    • For the sense of achievement as a keen cyclist.
  • What equipment did you use? Anything special?
    • Canyon Aeroad 2022, nothing special.
  • What did you eat & drink?
    • Pasta, Rice, Fish, Meat, Energy gels and energy bars. Drank Electrolyte with carbs.
  • What was the best part?
    • The camaraderie of the team.
  • What was the hardest part?
    • Riding 50k after crash to get to medical attention at camp.
  • Did anything particularly unusual happen?
    • Crashed on Day 4 but rode on. Trying to repair my bike post crash without a unique Canyon tool.
  • Exact finish location: border post at Al Mazyunah, Oman
  • Exact finish time: 28 November 2022, 11:59am

Dominic Holt

  • Record attempt: Fastest crossing of Oman by a mixed team
  • Name of rider(s): Alistair Levack, Dominic Holt, Elizabeth Harkness, Sharifa Al Lamki, Tom Bill
  • Start date and exact start time: 20 November 2022, 7:09am
  • Exact start location: Khatmat Milaha border post at Shinas, Oman
  • Exact finish location: border post at Al Mazyunah, Oman
  • Exact finish time: 28 November 2022, 11:59am

Summary:

This is the record of my attempt (spoiler alert – I did it) to cycle across Oman.

I along with 4 others, Alistair Levack, Tim Bill, Sharifa Al Lamki and Elizabeth Harkness we started at the northern border with the UAE at Shinas on the 20th November 2022 at approx 7.09am and covered over 1300km to the boarder with Yemen at Al Mayzunah, arriving on the 28th November 2022 at approx. 11.58am.

Mornings were cold until the sun was fully up after which the conditions were hot – circa 30 degrees celsius, but dry throughout. Winds were variable and only strong on occasion.

I was keen to do this ride to test myself and also send a positive message to all at PwC that the firm values work life balance and support for external activities.

I completed the ride on my newly refurbish and resprayed Giant Propel Advance 2 road bike. I did add a cheeky 32 cassette for the hills!

We were feed superbly by Remo with a combination of high carb dishes of rice, pasta, cous cous and potatoes. During the ride I fueled with coke and Naked bars.

The highlights were the changing scenery and the growing sense of being “one” as a team and the hardest part was, well, obviously the bum ache!

All went to plan and other than “puncture day” (four) and a slight coming together of two riders all when to plan and luckily nothing unusual happened.

Elizabeth Harkness 

Guinness World Record Attempt – Fastest Crossing of Oman by a Mixed team 

We started this challenge on the 20th November 2022, in Shinas, at the border between UAE and Oman, after transporting ourselves and our bikes there by bus. For the first morning, we set off at 7.09, which was a little later than we set off on the following mornings. We aimed to start each morning before sunrise, to get in as much cycling as possible before the temperature rose. After 9am, the weather started to become very hot, so cycling into the midday heat was unavoidable. As we got further south, towards Yemen, the temperatures started to cool, particularly in the mornings and we would have to add extra layers when starting out, in order to keep warm. 

Personally, I took up this challenge because I love to challenge myself on the bike and to go beyond what I think I am capable of. I own a road bike, and have been cycling for just under two years. During that time, I love to set challenges for myself and have completed several other endurance rides in the Middle East. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the ride, although it felt very difficult at times. The hardest part overall for me, was dealing with saddle sores and other muscular pains in the rest of my body (oddly, not from my legs). We also had to over-eat a lot, to ensure we kept up our nutrition. We had very large breakfasts and a lot of snacks at each rest point, followed by a large lunch and dinner. I took a lot of energy bars and gels throughout the ride itself and kept carbohydrate powder in my water bottles at all times. 

Overall, the ride went very smoothly, apart from one minor accident between myself and my teammate, Alistair Levack. We both got cuts and scrapes and I had to replace my helmet after hitting my head on the ground. But we were both able to carry on with the challenge.

We reached the Yemen border in Mazyunah, at 11.59am on the 28th November, after cycling for nine days.

Sharifa Al Lamki

  • Record attempt: Fastest crossing of Oman by a mixed team
    Name of rider(s): Alistair Levack, Dominic Holt, Elizabeth Harkness, Sharifa Al Lamki, Tom Bill
    Start date and exact start time: 20 November 2022, 7:09am
    Exact start location: Khatmat Milaha border post at Shinas, Oman
    Exact finish location: border post at Al Mazyunah, Oman
    Exact finish time: 28 November 2022, 11:59am

    Summary:

    At approximately 7:09 am On November 20th 2022, I along with four others, Alistair Levack, Tim Bill, Dominic Holt and Elizabeth Harkness began our attempt to set a record, the Fastest crossing of Oman by a mixed team. We started at the northern border with the UAE at Shinas and covered over 1300 km to the border with Yemen at Al Mazyunah.

    We started each day before sunrise. The mornings were very cold until the sun was out, after that it was hot, dry and sometimes with strong variable wind. We ate warm oatmeal and eggs for breakfast, and I fueled on coke, isotonic gels, carbs and electrolyte mix during the rides. Whenever possible, I had ice cream during breaks. After our rides we ate more high-carb dishes such as potatoes, rice, couscous, and pasta.

    I wanted to attempt a record to challenge myself as a new cyclist, to model PwC’s work-life balance with my colleagues and to encourage others to push the boundaries of what they can achieve.

    I used my Scott Speedster 10, cleat shoes, camping gear, and support vehicles. Although it was hard sitting on the saddle for long periods of time, I enjoyed camping at a new location everyday with my team and finally reaching the finish line and completing the challenge that we have been training very hard for.

    Nothing unusual happened other than some scorpion sightings, multiple punctures on one day, and the crash of two team members Alistair and Lizzie who demonstrated their bravery and strength by continuing to ride.

Tom Bill

  • Record attempt: Fastest crossing of Oman by a mixed team
  • Name of rider(s): Alistair Levack, Dominic Holt, Elizabeth Harkness, Sharifa Al Lamki, Tom Bill
  • Start date and exact start time: 20 November 2022, 7:09am
  • Exact start location: Khatmat Milaha border post at Shinas, Oman
  • What were conditions like?
    • Hot, dry, variable wind, cooler during the earlier mornings.
  • Why did you want to do a record?
    • For a challenge with work colleagues.
  • What equipment did you use? Anything special?
    • My bicycle, other cycling equipment, camping gear, support vehicles.
  • What did you eat & drink?
    • Ate lots of pasta, rice, carbs etc. Had water and Carb and electrolyte powder mix to drink.
  • What was the best part?
    • Reaching the finish line with no serious issues.
  • What was the hardest part?
    • Sitting on the saddle for long periods of time.
  • Did anything particularly unusual happen?
    • Crash of two of my team members Alistair and Lizzie. Several punctures on one day.
  • Exact finish location: border post at Al Mazyunah, Oman
  • Exact finish time: 28 November 2022, 11:59am