Carlson Wagonlit Travel, the global travel management company, today announces its sponsorship of Team Endeavour, a four-strong endurance cycling team taking part in the 34th Race Across America in June 2017. Team Endeavour is raising money for ECPAT International, a global network of civil society organisations campaigning to end the sexual exploitation of children.
The team aims to complete the 4,900 km relay race in nine days, non-stop, raising at least $100,000. The team members are Andrew Jordan and Jasper Hasell (London, UK), and Lisa Akeroyd and Brendan Cox (Sydney, Australia). All four work at CWT. They will cycle from west to east across twelve US states, supported by a crew of doctors, bike mechanics, nutritionists, and a team manager. The race starts in just under 100 days’ time.
“The work of ECPAT is very close to our hearts,” said Kurt Ekert, President & CEO of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. “By providing sponsorship for Team Endeavour on such a tough, high profile challenge, we hope to help raise awareness – and money – for their important work.”
“Children who are victims of sexual exploitation face some of the toughest physical, social and psychological challenges imaginable. Their endeavour to recover and transition from being victims to survivors requires formidable endurance and strength of spirit. ECPAT International is excited that Carlson’s Team Endeavour has taken on the tough physical challenge of riding 4,900 km in nine days for these child victims,” said Dorothy Rozga, Executive Director, ECPAT International.
“The drive and endurance of Andrew, Jasper, Lisa and Brendan symbolize the strength and determination required of child victims. ECPAT hopes that Team Endeavor’s willingness to endure this challenge will inspire each of Carlson’s extraordinary team of 18,000 employees to do his or her best for some of world’s most vulnerable children.”
CWT’s sponsorship enables the team to achieve their goal of taking part. Other partners and sponsors are being brought in to provide services in kind and support with logistics.
“The generous support of CWT lets us focus on the event and our fundraising drive,” said Andrew Jordan, team captain and CTO of CWT. “By connecting people and networks from around the world we can really make a difference – and help EPCAT fight the sexual exploitation of children.”
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ECPAT began in 1990 as a campaign to End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism, since when its ambitious mission has seen them build a very unique kind of organisation, mixing broad geographical coverage and first-hand experience of the issue with advocacy at national, regional and international levels, all informed by high quality research and analysis. ECPAT works through a growing network of 95 civil society organisations in 86 countries.
Their work and solid partnerships have earned them a reputation as a world-class expert on sexual exploitation of children. Governments and civil society organisations worldwide recognise ECPAT as the only international NGO network solely dedicated to the fight against sexual exploitation of children.
The ECPAT International Secretariat is based in Bangkok, Thailand, where the ECPAT movement was born.
Team Endeavour
Team Endeavour comprises four Carlson Wagonlit colleagues from the UK and Australia.
- Andrew Jordan (London) is team captain and one of the most experienced riders in the team. Andrew is a veteran of 5 Etape du Tours, Maratona dles Dolomites and countless other long-distance endurance rides. He has competed in some of the toughest endurance rides in the world, in extremes of hot and cold, but admits this is going to be the toughest challenge yet.
- Brendan Cox (Sydney) began his love affair with cycling at a young age through competitive BMX and Mountain bike racing. Never one to shy away from a challenge, more recently he has taken to pushing his boundaries with triathlons and Ironman events. The only Australian rider in the team, Brendan is counting on his resilience, determination and relentless positivity to see him through his biggest challenge to date.
- Jasper Hasell (London) is probably the most experienced all-round ultra-athlete in the team having competed in some of the toughest sporting events all over the world. From triathlons in Alpe D'Huez, to coming third in the Alcatraz Ironman triathlon, he thrives on pushing the limits. He also holds two Cambridge Blues having taken part in two winning Eights in the Oxford-Cambridge boat race.
- Lisa Akeroyd (Sydney) is an ultra-marathon runner and experienced triathlete. She has competed and won many tough sporting events, from some of the world's hardest triathlons, to racing 250 miles across the Gobi desert but she admits that RAAM could be the toughest challenge yet. Outside of competitive sport, she is also a qualified life guard on the beaches of Manly in Australia.
Race Across America (RAAM) is the longest endurance cycling event in the world - an ultramarathon cycle race across the USA which started in 1982 as the Great American Bike Race and four competitors.
Relay teams were introduced in 1992 and it is now established as one of the longest annual endurance events in the world - all entrants must prove their abilities by competing in any of several qualifying events, completing a course within a specified time period.
In length the RAAM is comparable to the Tour de France, but differs in that the direction has always been from the west to east coasts of the United States and is a non-stop event without stages.