A 54-year-old cyclist will ride solo across the maximum width of Australia in a bid to break a world record and raise money for people with spinal cord injury.

June 27, 2023

A cyclist will attempt to ride solo across the maximum width of Australia in 65 days in a bid to break a world record and raise money for people with spinal cord injury.

Andrew Kerec plans to ride his mountain bike from the westernmost point to the easternmost point of Australia – a total of around 5500 kilometres.

The 54-year-old’s adventure is set to start on Tuesday June 27 from Steep Point near Shark Bay and take him through the sand dunes of the Simpson Desert before arriving in Byron Bay on August 28.

“It’s going to be a tough ride that’s for sure,” he said before the arduous journey commenced.

“But spinal cord injury is something very close and personal to me, my family and friends because of Dad.”

Mr Kerec’s father, Ludvig, suffered a spinal injury while cycling and is quadriplegic, with no movement or function below his chest.

“He was out training for an Ironman event and in the blink of an eye everything changed (when) he was hit by another cyclist,” Mr Kerec said.

“His helmet strap had become caught up on something in the collision and caused a dislocation of his spine around the C5/C6 vertebrae.”

Mr Kerec will attempt to beat the current record for the massive ride set in 2021, which is 83 days, 21 hours and 27 minutes.

He’s called the journey The Spine Tingling Ride and hopes to raise at least $200,000 for people with disabilities and medical research for those with spinal cord injury, their families and carers.

The donations will be split equally between Hartley Lifecare and SpinalCure Australia.

Kathryn Borkovic, SpinalCure Australia’s chief executive, hopes the ride will encourage people with spinal cord injury to enrol in Project Spark clinical trials that are taking place now.

“Not only could he set a new record (but) he will also raise awareness and donations for Project Spark, a series of neurostimulation clinical trials underway in Australia that SpinalCure is funding,” she said.

Neurostimulation is the world’s most promising experimental therapy for acute spinal cord injury and could be developed in a short timeframe.

“These trials are the first step in taking the groundbreaking treatment out of the lab and into the lives of people living with a spinal injury,” said Ms Borkovic.

Mr Kerec completed a similar challenge in 2017 when he rode his mountain bike 5551km from his hometown Canberra to Humpty Doo in the Northern Territory, raising $130,000.

After he reaches Byron Bay, Mr Kerec plans to continue riding south to Canberra, making his total journey 6820km in 80 days.

His father will join him on the final stretch on September 11 using a hand cycle, along with a large group of friends, family and supporters on their bikes.

There are over 20,000 people in Australia with spinal cord injury, with no current treatment available to mitigate the devastating impact on their lives and their loved ones.

The record attempt has been registered with the Road Record Association of Australia