13 July 2011 Amateur jocks swap horse-power for pedal-power
by Carolyn Tanner
A SADDLE OF A DIFFERENT KIND: Jane (left) and Lorna are preparing for their marathon ride
Leading lady riders Lorna Brooke and Jane Williams are saddling up for a ride which is somewhat different to that with which they are associated.
On July 25 the intrepid pair of former national champions - Lorna won the Princess Royal Trophy in 2002, and 12 months later Jane took the ladies' national novice title - will be setting out from John O'Groats to cycle to Land's End to raise money for the Injured Jockeys' Fund and in particular their colleague Isabel Tompsett, who was seriously injured in a fall at Fakenham in May.
Jane - "I fell off twice last week," she laughed - does some mountain biking during the winter in order to keep fit, but admits that riding a road bike is a completely different ball game. Lorna, though, has not ridden a bike since she was a child! "I did an eight mile ride recently and at the end of it I could hardly lift my hands off the handlebars," she said.
The duo hope to complete the ride in about ten days, but this will depend upon any problems en route with mishaps such as punctures, and on a more hopeful note, any hold-ups due to fund-raising opportunities.
They have their route well planned and would be delighted to see some supporters along the way. However, they cannot say with any certainty where they might be on any given day, so anybody who wishes to turn out to cheer them on, or ride with them for a few miles, will need to contact them to check their itinerary.
They are funding the trip themselves to ensure that every penny raised goes to the IJF, and the website address for donations is www.justgiving.com/ladyamateurjockeys-johnogroats-to-landsend.
For further details contact Lorna Brooke on 07786 962911 or Jane Williams on 07841 576651, or email: lon22@hotmail.co.uk and janewilliams82@btinternet.com
