On Sunday, 1 November at 07h45, Grant Lottering successfully finished his #24hour4dreams charity ride up and down the world-renowned all gravel Montagu Pass outside George in the Western Cape, having summited the climb 20 times in 24 hours.
“I rode with the names of 30 children battling life-threatening illnesses on my handlebars, the goal being to have a dream fulfilled each time I summit the Pass,” says Grant Lottering, extreme endurance cyclist, international conference speaker and Laureus Sport for Good Ambassador. “The support was overwhelming, and by Saturday morning, over R150 000 had already been raised, including a R100 000 donation from the Universal Healthcare Foundation. This amount was enough to accomplish my goal, and, make an additional ten dreams come true. Fulfilling the dreams of 30 children certainly made the suffering worthwhile!”
During the 24-hour attempt, Lottering climbed a total of 8 640m, the elevation gain of each summit being 432m over a distance of 6,7km. The descent to Lottering’s base at the restored George Tollhouse after each summit similarly proved to be mentally exhausting as concentration had to be high, especially through the night with limited visibility and numerous corners with little protection from this cliff-hugging road.
“I had an incredible support team during the 24 hours, and thanks to my sponsors, Mercedes-Benz SA, CompCare Medical Scheme and Air Mauritius, we were able to plan this attempt to the finest detail, ensuring the success of the ride and ultimately inspiring hope by granting magical dreams to 30 children between the ages of three and 18-years-old. It was truly humbling to see the support from corporates, individuals and the public at large,” adds Lottering.
Julia Sotirianakos, Chief Executive Officer of Reach for a Dream, adds, “The Reach for a Dream Foundation believes in the power of dreams. We ask our children who are facing their own mortality to close their eyes and dream, and if their dream can come true, then they can fight their illness. We cannot measure this hope that our children carry in their hearts. When Grant approached us with this idea – we thought that it would be impossible. But impossible is what we do for our children every day. Grant’s sheer determination and passion has sent our children, their families and the entire SA a clear message – if you have a dream, and you believe, then it can come true. Grant is an inspiration to all of us at the Foundation, his strength, hope and courage are what we stand for, and he is our hero!”
Following the success of his #24hour4dreams, Lottering is ready for his next big challenge, the #xtremeSA2020 Im’possible Tour. Starting on Tuesday, 24 November, in Nottingham Road, KwaZulu-Natal, Lottering will set off for Paarl in the Western Cape via the Eastern Cape Highlands, the Karoo and the Garden Route on a single continuous all gravel ride. Covering a distance of 2 020km, and a total elevation gain of 22 400m in the fastest possible time, this will be without doubt one of the most brutal and extreme attempts ever undertaken in South Africa. An endeavour that is expected to see Lottering ride continuously through five days and four nights, averaging over 500km per day.
