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news
Vedangi Kilkarni (picture via Facebook).PNGBournemouth University student becomes fourth fastest woman - and the youngest - to cycle round the world
A Bournemouth University student has become the fourth fastest woman to cycle round the world, as well as the youngest – and the quickest Asian, male or female, to do so.
Vedangi Kulkarni from Pune, India, set out on her circumnavigation from Perth, Australia in July and was set to fly there from Kolkata on Christmas Eve to ride 15 kilometres back to the start point and formally complete her 29,000-kilometre trip in 159 days, reports the Times of India.
The Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by a female cyclist stands at 124 days, set by Scotland’s Jenny Graham earlier this year.
During her ride, Kulkarni, who celebrated her 20th birthday along the way, was chased by a grizzly bear in Canada, being robbed at knifepoint when cycling in Spain, and camping out in sub-zero temperatures in Russia.
Her journey took her through 14 countries including New Zealand, Portugal, France, Germany, and Finland with an average daily distance of more than 180 kilometres.
She lost time along the way due to visa difficulties, which also hampered her progress through Europe and Russia as winter set in.
She said: "My parents have done a great job in giving a 19-year- old all the required mental support and encouragement to explore the world, standing strong when the going got tough, always being on the other end of the phone and at not letting the curiosity die out due to ill experiences even though the parental instincts told them otherwise."
Among those to congratulate her on social media was the men’s Guinness World Record holder, Mark Beaumont.
Huge congratulations Vedangi - a ride with courage and spirit https://t.co/P2J9jZQ5KT
— Mark Beaumont (@MrMarkBeaumont) December 24, 2018
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
- S.E. 13 min 53 sec ago
Is the front wheel also locked, to make it so difficult to move them a few meters away?...
- IanGlasgow 18 min 35 sec ago
I used to cycle to school in the suburbs with those. They were useless....
- slc 1 hour 26 min ago
Joking aside, governments could require new cars to be fitted with smart ignition systems that operate only for a licensed driver. No doubt there...
- wtjs 9 hours 23 min ago
There is an increasing 'disconnect' between comments in this topic and reality. Cords are either all cotton or mostly cotton and are going to last...
- ktache 9 hours 54 min ago
There are people out there who will make you the belt out of your old tyre.
- chrisonabike 9 hours 55 min ago
Furry dice and an air freshener for your helmet.
- Simon E 10 hours 43 min ago
Ah yes, those are hopefully not the 'master craftsmen' that has constructed a wide range of shoddy Italian cars and motorbikes over the years with...
- Simon E 11 hours 5 min ago
A SuperSix is definitely not an all-rounder....
- chrisonabike 11 hours 57 min ago
Just get them to walk a treadmill - or better, ride exercise bikes to power path lighting.
Add new comment
24 comments
impressive achievement at any age but at 20 - way impressive
...as to "yachting" if not read Ellen MaCarthur's bio' and the personal sacrifices made and the dangers faced suggest should before dismissing
Now I think of it, I remember being quite cynical when told to I had to celebarate some round-the-world-solo-yatchtswoman. I recall thinking 'big deal, she went on a very long holiday, I hope she enjoyed it, but how does it make the world better in any way?'.
But I find myself reacting completely differently to this. I'm honestly impressed and happy to cheer her (though with a tiny twinge of envy).
I guess I'm just modeist (prejudiced based on mode of transport). Maybe I can justify it by arguing she's promoting an environmentally-beneficial form of transport?
Yeah, I'm gonna go with "there's a difference between pushing a normal everyday means of getting around to its limit, vs indulging in a minority affluent-person's hobby".
How much do you think it would cost to cycle around the world over the period of time it was done in, plus all the flights involved.
You know so that we can assess if it requires somebody being affluent in a minority hobby, because that applies to cycling too doesn't it?
You do realise that she (McArthur) didn't own the boat she sailed around the world in, that it was a sponsored boat (B&Q being the main one), her parents were teachers, hardly 'affluent'.
MCArthurs first boat was bought (a rubber dinghy) with her own money she saved over three years! McArthurs achievement is beyond what was done here IMHO and by a long way
There's no packing up and going home if things get a bit tough, there's literally nowhere to hide and your life is at risk every day, the physical and mental demands of a solo circumnavigation by boat, particularly in that timescale and type of boat is beyond what most people can imagine.
Suggest you bother to actually understand what others are doing and how they got to do things instead of making stupid and wildly inaccurate presumptions!
Nah. Still don't care about yachting.
Interesting.... https://road.cc/content/news/234618-uk-based-student-aims-become-fastest-woman-ride-around-world
Where are you now @alansmurphy?
(good spot @janusz0)
A quick Google says a minimum of 29, 000 kms. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Around_the_world_cycling_record
We done Vedangi, I'm trying to remember what I was doing at 19/20 years old.
Good point. I tried to do LEJOG when I was 19 but gave up after a week because it was a bit wet (though I was camping and probably missed my mum as well).
That's an easy one for me, I joined the army straight out of college, 88/89 was a very memorable period of time and the start of a new adventure and shaped my life forever, I think I'd rather have been cycling every day instead though.lol!
Out of interest, how is 'round the world' defined?
At one of the polar research bases they have a regular 'round the world' race. I think the winning time is usually a matter of minutes!
Good going though. A test of fitness, dealing with the world's border cops, and coping with the everything the planet's crap drivers can throw at you. Not sure which would be the greater challenge.
IIRC you have to visit both N and S hemispheres and pass through a two points that are globally opposite.
New Zealand and Portugal are the usual antipodal points that people choose. My pipe-dream rtw has me going through Mongolia and Chile.
https://www.antipodesmap.com/
Guinness World Records have a very detailed definition, minimum of 18,000 miles, 2 antipodal points, and no significant East/West backtracking (which in itself makes for an interesting challenge in selecting the route).
Superb effort. A ride of superlatives. 'Epic' doesn't do it justice.
"She encountered temperatures ranging from -20 degree Celsius to 37 degrees Celsius during the ride".
It's a shame the writer didn't extend any effort in the selection of the photo - that's not even her circumnavigation bike.
Given that the World's media and a plethora of professional photographers weren't there to greet her, I would guess the author possibly didn't have much to choose from, this looks like a quick picture grab by a bystander or friend and might be all that was available.
It's from her Facebook feed. And whoever picked it will have had to scroll past much better and more appropriate images to get to it.
Just sayin'.
Another Hurrah! from me to Vedangi. What an amazing woman. That's an achievement to be incredibly proud of.
Isn't that the picture that was used in the article (that probably I read here) when she was planning her journey and raising funds? The article may well have been on road.cc, but I've tried the search farcility too often to expect to find the article again.
Fair enough
Given all the issues, 112.5 miles a day on average, every single day for 159 days is some going! Take into account having to deal with extreme weather conditions also and only being 19 turning 20 really pushes that up another notch.
An epic achievement and one she will be able to take much from and memories for a lifetime.
Amazong achievement, well done to her.
Chapeau, Vedangi.
SpikeBike - do one.
Ditto
Could have got a better picture. She looks as miserable as sin
A woman barely out of her teens manages an achievement as amazing as this and the only thing you can do is comment on her appearance. What a nob.
Sorry please don't try and make this comment into something it isn't! We are all cyclists on here and I of course I am in amazement at the achievement. I should have led with that and for that I am totally sorry. It was an off the cuff comment about getting a picture of smiling happy pic of that achievement. Nothing more.
Again sorry for any offence.