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Juliana Buhring

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Juliana Buhring
Born (1981-06-02) 2 June 1981 (age 43)
Athens, Greece
NationalityBritish-German
Occupation(s)Endurance cyclist and writer
Known forGuinness World Record holder
Websitejulianabuhring.com

Juliana Buhring (born 2 June 1981) is a British-German ultra-endurance cyclist and writer. In December 2012, she set the first Guinness World Record as the fastest woman to circumnavigate the globe by bike, riding over 29,000 kilometres (18,000 mi) in a total time of 152 days (144 actual days in the saddle).[1]

Buhring was the only woman to participate in the inaugural Transcontinental Race from London to Istanbul in 2013, finishing in 9th place overall. In 2014, she won the first edition of the Trans Am Bike Race (women) and 4th place overall, riding 7,137 kilometres (4,435 mi) in 20 days and 23 hours. She started cycling for the first time in 2011 at the age of 30, and is now considered one of the strongest female ultra-endurance cyclists in the world.

Juliana Buhring is co-author of Not Without My Sister, an international best-seller translated into 11 languages, detailing her life growing up within the Children of God and author of This Road I Ride, an account of her world cycle ride.[2]

Biography

Juliana Buhring was born in Athens, Greece on 2 June 1981. Her parents were members of the religious sect Children of God (now known as "The Family International"). Buhring was abandoned by her parents at the age of four years and fostered out to different guardians within the group. She moved frequently throughout her childhood, living in nearly 30 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe. In 2004, after the death of her sister Davida, Buhring left the group. In 2006, she reunited with her two sisters, Kristina and Celeste Jones. Together they wrote a book exposing the inner workings of the group they were born into. Not Without My Sister became a best seller in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. The spotlight Buhring, her two sisters, and others of the second generation, shone on the group helped put a stop to recruitment and funding. Together with her sisters, Buhring founded Rise International, which later merged with Safe Passage Foundation, helping children born and raised in religious sects or isolated and extremist groups. Her second book, This Road I Ride, recounting her adventure around the world by bicycle is published by Little, Brown in the Commonwealth and WWNorton in the US.

World cycle record

Looking for a way to raise money and awareness for Safe Passage Foundation, Buhring decided to cycle the world. After just eight months of training, she left from Naples on 23 July 2012, without sponsorship, support, and very little money. Her limited funds ran out while in New Zealand, and Buhring's numerous online followers started a regular chain of donations that kept her going around the world. After a total of 152 days (144 in the saddle), Buhring returned to Naples where a crowd of supporters followed her to finish line in Piazza Plebiscito. She travelled through 19 countries and 4 continents, covering 29,000 kilometres (18,000 mi), and making the first woman's record for circumnavigating the globe by bicycle in the Guinness Book of Records.

Transcontinental Race

Having completed the world cycle, Juliana looked for a new challenge. In 2013, she participated in the inaugural Transcontinental Race, the toughest unsupported race across Europe starting in London and ending in Istanbul, crossing the high cols of the Alps. Buhring was the only woman in the race, finishing in 12 days and placing 9th overall.

Trans Am Bike Race

In June 2014, Buhring raced the inaugural Trans Am Bike Race. Starting in Astoria, Oregon, and finishing in Yorktown, Virginia, the race is 4,400 miles (7,100 km) long, with 67,000 metres of climbing.[clarification needed] As in the Transcontinental Race, cyclists must ride unsupported and completely self-sufficient. This race included some of the world's top endurance riders, including Mike Hall, winner of the Tour Divide and world record-holder as the fastest man to circumnavigate the globe. Buhring finished the race in 20 days and 23 hours, winning first place in the women's category and tying for 4th place overall. The most impressive part of her ride saw her pedalling 36 hours straight for 500 miles (800 km) in her final sprint. Her performance attracted the attention of many national and international magazines, and she was defined by Women's Cycling Magazine as one of the strongest female endurance cyclists in the world.

Books

Buhring's first book, Not Without My Sister, was written with her two sisters, Celeste Jones and Kristina Jones, and published by Harpercollins in 2007. The book details their lives growing up in the Children of God group. It was number 1 on the Sunday Times best-seller list for 5 weeks, and remained in the top 10 list for 15 consecutive weeks. It has been translated into ten languages including French, German, Greek, Portuguese, Czech, Estonian, Slovenian, Swedish, Italian and Dutch.

Her second book, This Road I Ride, published by WWNorton and Piaktus in 2016, describes her record-breaking journey around the world by bicycle.[3][4][5]

References

  1. ^ http://www.outsideonline.com/1975396/how-juliana-buhring-became-toughest-woman-two-wheels
  2. ^ "JulianaBuhring.com".
  3. ^ http://womenscyclinguk.co.uk/top-stories/juliana-buhring-trans-am-bike-race/
  4. ^ "To Hell And Back".
  5. ^ "Juliana Buhring: The first woman to cycle around the world talks canines, Kardashians and religious sects".

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