Cyclist Breaks World Record

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Twenty-nine-year-old athlete Paul Spencer broke the Guinness World Record for the "Fastest Cycle Across America: North to South, then West to East" today, Saturday, August 21st. He completed the 4,700 mile trip in 44 days, 400 days shorter than the previous Guinness World Record for the trip, achieved in 1999.

Spencer, of Roswell, Ga., and Avon, Colo., began the North to South leg of the trip with Dean Stanley (support crew) on July 8th at City Hall in Blaine, Wash., and completed it in 15 days when he arrived at San Ysidro, a community in San Diego, Calif., on July 22nd. On July 24th, he began the West to East leg of the trip at City Hall in Los Angeles.

"The first leg from the Canadian border in Blaine, Washington to the Mexican border in San Diego was a breeze compared to what we had to contend with across the central United States from Los Angeles to New York. Cycling across the Arizona desert in temperatures of 125 degrees, then burning across the Rockies in only two days, storm surfing in Colorado, followed by fighting the headwinds across the Kansas plains made the last 3,000 miles quite a struggle at times," says Paul Spencer. "Amazingly, we stayed on schedule, averaging over 100 miles per day to break the record."

As part of his Guinness World Record effort, Spencer raised money to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Lupus Foundation of America, and Disability Snowsport UK.

Spencer's experience working with skiers in the 2010 Paralympics Alpine Ski events in Vancouver inspired him to raise funds for Disability Snowsport UK. His sister's diagnosis of lupus at age 13 motivated him to help support the Lupus Foundation of America. Paul supports the work of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America because of the recreational and other opportunities that the organization provides to children.

Spencer, who was born in England, will celebrate his 30th birthday days after crossing the finish line. He is an avid athlete, who is also an accomplished skier and ski instructor, a cyclist, as well as a surfer, rock climber, kite-surfer, sky diver and triathlete. He has participated in many endurance cycling events, including British Columbia's Nimby 50 mountain bike race, cycling 874 miles from John O'Groats to Lands End in Great Britain, and mountain biking more than 600 miles from Lhasa, Tibet, to Katmandu.

He plans to complete the Tour D'Afrique in 2011, a 7,500 mile journey from Cairo to Cape Town, and aspires to one day climb Mt. Everest. For more information, visit www.yeshesmad.com

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