Subscribe to L2P News London, UK. 15 June 2010
The man who helps mastermind the showbiz careers of some of the UK’s top TV presenters and a leading plastic surgeon are joining forces for The London-Paris 2010.
Russ Lindsay, the co-founder of James Grant Management and Catina Bernadis, from St Thomas’ Hospital, will be riding to raise funds for the charity DebRA, which helps people who suffer from the genetic skin condition Epidermolysis Bullosa. Patients suffer painful blisters at the slightest touch.
Catina explained: “Part of my work involves surgery on patients with EB. I most commonly operate on hand deformities. Patients’ fingers are sometimes so contracted by scar tissue that they no longer work independently.
“EB is a genetic disease and, in its worse form, causes ulceration covering most of the body which requires daily, painful dressings. The scarring from ulceration causes contractures which may involve the eyelids, neck, elbows, wrists, hands, knees, feet. Yet despite the daily challenge that people with EB and their families face, I am constantly overwhelmed by the way those involved refuse to be defeated,” she said.
Surgeon Catina Bernadis and Russ Lindsay
Catina, who cycles to work each day, is looking forward to riding The L2P: “I was first told about the L2P ride by one of the dermatologists a couple of years ago. Without really thinking about the miles, let alone the hills, I thought that it would be fun to cycle to Paris,” she said.
Russ, who was married to the late Caron Keating and whose clients include Ant & Dec, Fearne Cotton, Piers Morgan, Davina McCall, Richard & Judy, Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, said: “I rode 323 miles to Paris last year with the ICAP DebRA team so know how hard the three days are. Day One saw a 7am start and 110 tough miles to Dover. On Day Two we cycled through torrential rain for five of the eight hours of riding but, thankfully, Day Three was glorious as we rode the last leg into Paris. I’ll never forget the sense of achievement as the Eiffel Tower came into view.
The ICAP DebRA Team on the road to Paris 2009
“We raised over £40,000 last year and this year we have set ourselves the same target. No matter how hard it is for us out on the road, we never forget that it’s much harder for people suffering from EB.”
The other riders in the ICAP DebRA team are Hell’s Kitchen star Grant Bovey, Richard Hennah and Barry McGovern.
The London-Paris 2010, (June 24 - 26) staged by HotChillee, the global media, marketing and events company, is the UK’s premier cyclosportive. It is recognised as the closest the amateur rider can get to the Tour de France experience.
The ride covers 550km in three days with a rest day in Paris. The Daily Telegraph has named The L2P as one of the world’s top 25 events, alongside the London and New York marathons, and as one of the top ten adventure events for women.
Also riding The L2P 2010 are Tour winner Stephen Roche, Olympian Rebecca Romero, ex-pro Magnus Backstedt, leading cycling coach Scott Sunderland, former Formula 1 world champion Nigel Mansell, ex-England rugby captain Will Carling and former footballers Geoff Thomas and John Salako.
This year’s L2P partners are adidas, Science in Sport, Specialized, Cyclevox, Sigma Sport, Mavic, Ambrosia, Map My Tracks, DHL, C37 and Sportique.