Reid Anderton sets Around Tasmania record

On January 30th Reid Anderton set off from Huonville in Tasmania, aiming to set a new record for a circumnavigation of the island state.

With no previous official record the RRAA set a minimum distance requirement of 1,300km, with the waypoints being Burnie, Arthur River, Strahan, Cygnet, Dunalley, Bicheno, Gladstone, and Bridport.

Reid has an impressive background of charity fundraising rides both in Australia and abroad, and set a target for the ride of 77 hours, aiming to raise enough money to provide a year of schooling for 77 children in Zambia through the charity Eagles Wings.

While the weather was initially mild the hilly terrain and exceptionally rough gravel sections took a heavy toll with Reid saying "I haven't had any sweet spots". He still notched up 424kms for the first day. As he approached the west coast the weather turned, with 60kmh winds and even hail adding to the suffering from painful saddle sores.
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The saddle sores deteriorated to the point Reid was forced to ride standing up for most of the last 40+ hours. His support crew of 3 good friends "managed my emotions and the logistics like pros. They could see the state of mind I had and knew how to get me home".

With an incredible display of determination and resolve Reid finally rolled back into a warm welcome from supporters at Huonville to establish a new record time of 4d9hr24m19s.
"It was the hardest consecutive 4 days of riding I've ever done" he said.

While the record wasn't as fast as his target time, he smashed his $18,500 fundraising goal, with the tally reaching just over $30,000! 
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While long distance rides are always a test of endurance, the tenacity and sheer strength Reid showed on the way to this new record is truly exceptional, and everyone at RRAA takes our hats off to him.

​Congratulations Reid!