Charity bid hits the wall
Thieves throw spanner in works for Charlie’s world cycling trip
A WORLD record attempt has been jeopardised after a young Englishman’s bike was stolen in Townsville.
Charlie Condell, 18, from Bristol, is attempting to be the youngest person to cycle around the world.
Having survived cycling through 17 countries from Eu- rope through to Asia, including “a few close calls” in Serbia and India, it was a stopover in Townsville which brought his trip to a standstill.
“I got in Monday lunchtime and stayed at a hostel, at the Rambutan. I had my bike in the garage then I got up at 5.30am hoping for an early start, but it was gone,” he said.
“( Thieves) took pretty much everything, that was all my camping gear.
“They’ve nicked my passports … and even my socks. It was a sickening feeling. I was like: ‘ God, what do I do now?’”
It is alleged thieves entered the hostel and stole the black and green Cervelo bicycle that was secured by a locking device.
Mr Condell started his journey 104 days ago in July, travelling from England through Europe and into Asia.
Mr Condell plans on cycling down the east coast of Australia before crossing the Tasman Sea to New Zealand.
He intends to cycle around the world unsupported in the hope of being the youngest person to do so.
It is a record he hopes to claim from fellow Englishman Tom Davies, who was 19 when he completed the epic feat in 2015.
Mr Condell said the trip had had plenty of dangers along the way. He described cycling through India as “absolutely mental” with trucks hurtling past him at 120km/ h.
While his journey has come to an abrupt halt about a third of the way through, Mr Condell is hopeful he will still be able to claim the record and finish his journey.
“I’m looking at getting around it,” he said.
He plans on leaving Townsville in a “matter of days” to continue his trip around the world.
Mr Condell is using the trip to help raise money for Mobile Midwives, a charity which donates bicycles to midwives in Africa.
If you have any information in relation to the location of this stolen bicycle, contact Policelink on 131 444 and quote the reference number QP1801917416.