Due to an overwhelming response, all places on the Tour de Sez 2018 have been taken and any additional registrations will be added to a waiting list.

A successful launch for the event was held on Saturday 3 June where over 50 of the rider places were taken up by eager cyclists. After 19 days of registration being open, organisers have now reached their target of 85 riders signed up to take on the 700 mile charity endurance bike ride from Guernsey to Amsterdam.

The Tour de Sez, in memory of Sarah Groves who was brutally murdered in India in 2013, will raise money for the Sarah Groves Foundation which aims to fulfil Sarah’s own ambition in life – to enhance the lives of young people.

Sarah Groves Foundation managing trustee and tour organiser, Vic Groves, said: “We are overwhelmed by the response we have received for the 2018 Tour de Sez and are so grateful that so many people want to take on this memorable challenge. We recently announced our pledge to donate £50,000 to the Children’s Library Project at the Guille-Alles Library so the riders and support teams have a real focus for their fundraising activities.”

Of the 85 riders signed up to take on the challenge, over 10% are employees from sponsor FCG, the parent company of UK insurance provider 1st CENTRAL, including shareholder Ken Acott and chief operations officer Simon Walker, who both successfully completed the Tour in 2016.

FCG group operations manager and part of the Tour’s organising committee, Lisa Vidamour, said: “FCG are absolutely thrilled to be supporting this biennial event once again and it’s great that our staff have shown such an interest in joining the 2018 Tour de Sez. Our goal was to have FCG represent 10% of the 85 allocated rider positions and our staff have made this happen! We are now committed to raising as much money as possible to support the tour in their fundraising efforts for the Sarah Groves Foundation projects.”

Tour organisers are asking anyone that still wishes to be involved in the tour to get in touch with them via the Facebook page so they can be placed on a waiting list for rider positions.

“All new registrations are now going on the waiting list. If you have submitted your registration form, please don’t create a JustGiving Page unless instructed to do so by a Tour de Sez committee member. We do ask that all registration forms are returned to us as a matter of urgency as the waiting list will be determined in chronological order based on your submissions date and time. Thank you to everyone who has showed an interest and signed up to take on this incredible challenge, this tour is set to be our best yet,” said tour organiser, Leon Howard.

For news about the Tour de Sez, visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1705221229722356/