UpUnder 2011

A Chester cycling fanatic is preparing for his third and most challenging charity cycle ride yet– the equivalent of cycling from Chester to London 17 times.

Hot on the wheels of rides from London to Monaco, and from Land’s End to John O’Groats, Jon Shorter is now set to ride more than 2,800 miles from the southern shores to the northern tip of Australia over 40 days and raise funds for Prostrate Cancer charities in Britain and Australia.

Jon, a mature forensic computing student, set himself the challenge of pledging his summer university holidays to raise awareness and fundraise for different charities over three years.

Jon, who will attempt the epic ride in July, said “I wanted to make the best possible use of my time as a student and setting myself ever more ambitious challenges and fundraising targets seemed a better idea than the typical student holiday of lazing around, costly festivals or backpacking!”

A typical day on the trip will see Jon and his Aussie cycling partner Chris ride more than 100 miles, each pulling a trailer weighing 65 pounds across the desert sands of North Queensland crocodile-infested rivers and the snowy peaks of the Baw Baw National Park. The pair will carry all their equipment with no back-up vehicles or support.

Jon would like to raise £15,000 from this ride. He said: “Prostrate cancer affects around 37,000 people a year in the UK and I would dearly like to help fund more research into what is now the most common form of cancer in men. If any businesses would like to get their logo on to our jerseys I’d love to hear from them.”

To find out more about Jon’s trip and to sponsor him visit www.UpUnder2011.com