Congratulations to Yaofeng Cheng who set the Japan S-N Record on 2024-05-27 in the following categories: Female, 18-49, Standard upright bike.

This is also Guinness World Record (non-age group)

Rider’s Narrative Summary

● Record attempt, e.g. Hawaii E-W
Japan Country Crossing (S-N)
● Name of rider(s)
Yaofeng Cheng
● Start date and exact start time to the nearest minute
05/21/2024 7:00 am
● Exact start location described so that someone else could find the same spot
The starting point is a wooden sign attached to a large tree at Cape Sata, the southernmost
point of Kyusyu.
● What were conditions like?
I originally had a weak stomach and tended to avoid greasy foods for replenishment, but I feel
like my body’s constitution has changed quite a bit in preparation for this attempt. My stomach
felt good throughout the start, with no loss of appetite or indigestion. The swelling in my body
peaked on the second or third day and then subsided, and from the fourth day onward, I only
felt the usual fatigue. My weight after finishing was 1 kg less than before the start. Since this is
something I’ve never experienced before, I find a lot of things mysterious.
● Why did you want to do a record?
I’m good at continuously riding a bicycle without stopping, so I wanted to see how far I could
go. I spent all my waking hours on the bike, making it an extraordinary week. It was incredibly
fun.
● What equipment did you use? Anything special?
I took on the attempt with two bicycles, the ORBEA ORCA and the LAPIERRE XELIUS SL
Ultimate. I had aero bars installed on the ORBEA.
● What did you eat & drink?
I enjoyed local specialty sweets and convenience store rice balls, but I might have eaten
McDonald’s hamburgers the most. For drinks, I had plain water, barley tea, and ACTIVIKE’s
Granfondo Water and Recovery Protein. Thanks to these, I was able to get by with breaks
every 100 km and continue riding day after day!
● What was the best part?
The sunset on the Echizen Coast on the third day was breathtakingly beautiful.
● What was the hardest part?
The most challenging part was the final 90 km on the last day. The temperature was 7°C
(44°F). It was pouring rain, turning the roads into rivers. Battling headwinds and sideways
gusts like a storm, it was extremely challenging to keep moving forward. Trucks passing in the
opposite direction continuously splashed water on me, and I struggled against the wind,
determined to reach the finish point.

● Did anything particularly unusual happen?
I was able to proceed almost according to plan, with no major issues. I’m grateful for the
support crews, which allowed me to ride at my own pace without any worries.
● Exact finish location described so that someone else could find the same spot
The goal was the monument at Cape Soya, the northernmost point of Hokkaido.
● Exact finish time: 05/27/2024 11:48 am