Peru Cycling Challenge

Published 22 October 2012

Students and lecturers from the University of Brighton in Eastbourne have cycled hundreds of miles – inside the town's Arndale shopping centre.

The cyclothon, plus two similar exercise-bike "rides", chalked up more than 6,000 miles – the distance from Eastbourne to the Peruvian city of Cusco where the students and staff will undertake voluntary work and field-based research.

Rebecca Relf, Hannah Webb, Ben Perry, Leanne Simmons, Jacob Miles and Charlotte Thompson take part in the cyclothon

The cycle challenge, started at the university's Eastbourne campus on 11 and 12 October and finished at the Arndale Centre on 13 October. It aimed to promote their research and the expedition which will take place next April.

On the expedition, students from the School of Sport and Service Management in Eastbourne, will complete physiological and medical research on the human responses to altitude exposure after heat and hypoxic acclimation at sea-level. They will also hike to the 15th-century Inca site of Machu Picchu and spend 10 days teaching, implementing educational activities and helping with the running of Huacarpay primary school, 30 minutes from Cusco.

The whole team together at the Arndale shopping centre

Dr Alan Richardson, senior lecturer and trip leader said: "Students on the BSc(Hons) Sport and Exercise Science degree will get the chance to study theoretical and practical aspects of environmental physiology. Cuzco is situated at an altitude of 3,400m at which human responses are greatly challenged. The project therefore provides a fantastic opportunity to enhance students' scientific skills through real life research in the field."

Mark Hayes, lecturer and organiser of the cycle challenge said: "The final day of the event was completed at the Arndale centre in Eastbourne where the students had the opportunity to interact with members of the public to discuss the project, their course and some of the research that is conducted in sport and exercise science at the school."

“Students were very professional in this role and portrayed the school and university in a very good light.”

Find out further information about the Peru trip.

Harry McCullough shows off more details about the project