SQ2SQ 2008 Team prepares for departure on Saturday 30 August 2008

The Square to Square Charity Cycle Challenge 2008 starts on Saturday 30th August 2008.

The challenge will see a team of Isle of Wight Firefighters cycling 1,400 miles each over 14 days from St Thomas’ Square, Newport, Isle of Wight, Great Britain to St Peter’s Square, Vatican, Italy.

The Square to Square Charity Cycle Challenge 2008 Appeal is raising money for the diagnosis, treatment and care of Isle of Wight cancer and leukaemia patients. The total raised to date is £57,500, with the current target of £60,000; the original target set on launch of the challenge in August 2007 was £25,000. The appeal has received tremendous support from the public, as well as local, national and international businesses.

The challenge is dedicated to and in memory of Anthony Minghella, CBE, by kind permission of his parents.

The SQ2SQ 2008 Team comprises of ten cyclists and five support crew and they will start their departure day with a cycle around the Isle of Wight, starting at 8am from St Thomas’ Square, Newport, Isle of Wight on Saturday 30th August 2008.

During this circuit of the island they will be calling at all ten Isle of Wight Fire Stations, returning to St Thomas’ Square, Newport at approximately 2pm.

The SQ2SQ 2008 Team then rest for a few hours before returning to St Thomas’ Square, Newport at 6.30pm for the send off, with a speech from the Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight and the Chief Fire Officer, Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service.

The Team then leave the square at 7pm.

Sincere thanks to Mark Adams, of British Cycling, for his kind assistance and knowledge in planning the route.

SQ2SQ CHARITY CYCLE CHALLENGE 2008 ROUTE AND DAILY SCHEDULE

The SQ2SQ Team 2008 will be cycling a minimum of 1,400 miles each over 14 days.

DA PIAZZA A PIAZZA Sfida ciclistica per beneficienza 2008

DE PLACE À PLACE Défi charitable en vélo 2008

Saturday 30 August 2008 to 13th September 2008: Square to Square Charity Cycle Challenge starts -

Provisional timetable (subject to confirmation near the date of the start of the challenge).
8am leave Newport Fire Station – SQ2SQ cycling around the island calling at all fire stations – anti-clockwise direction – circa 70 miles

A1 (Newport) – A10 (Yarmouth) via St Thomas’ Square

Start time 0755 hrs from Newport Fire Station to St Thomas’ Square

08.00hrs leave St Thomas’ Square to A10 (Yarmouth)

Arrive A10 (Yarmouth) approx 0840 hrs. Depart 0845 hrs

Arrive A9 (Freshwater) approx 0900 hrs. Depart 0905 hrs

Arrive A8 (Ventnor) approx 1030 hrs. Depart 1035 hrs

Arrive A7 (Shanklin) approx 1050 hrs. Depart 1055 hrs

Arrive A6 (Sandown) approx 1110 hrs. Depart 1115 hrs

Arrive A5 (Bembridge) approx 1145 hrs. Depart 1205 hrs(20 min lunch break)

Arrive A4 (Ryde) approx 1230 hrs. Depart 1235 hrs

Arrive A3 (East Cowes) approx 1305 hrs. Depart 1310 hrs

Arrive A2 (Cowes) approx 1320 hrs. Depart 1325 hrs

Arrive St Thomas’s Square 1345 hrs.

2 to 2.30pm approx. return to Newport Fire Station

6.30pm St Thomas’ Square – Attended by HM Lord Lieutenant and Mrs White, Chief Fire Officer Paul Street

7pm leave St Thomas’ Square

Wightlink ferry: Fishbourne to Portsmouth – 30th August 2008 (2008/08/30) – 8pm

LD Lines ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre- overnight on 30th August 2008 (2008/08/30) – 11pm – arrive Le Havre at 8am on 31st August (2008/08/31).

The distances are conservative, for many of the days the distances will be plus 10 miles.

Day 1: Sunday 31 August 2008: Le Havre , France to Evreux, France – 105 miles/169km

Day 2: Monday 1 September 2008: Evreux, France to Orleans, France – 102 miles/164km

Day 3: Tuesday 2 September 2008: Orleans, France to Nevers, France – 101 miles/163km

Day 4: Wednesday 3 September 2008: Nevers, France to Roanne, France – 106 miles/171km

Day 5: Thursday 4 September 2008: Roanne, France to Creys Mepieu, France – 107 miles/172km

Day 6: Friday 5 September 2008: Creys Mepieu, France to Briancon, France – 105 miles/169km

Day 7: Saturday 6 September 2008: Briancon, France to Asti, Italy – 101 miles/163km

Day 8: Sunday 7 September 2008: Asti, Italy to Milan, Italy – 100 miles/161km

Day 9: Monday 8 September 2008: Milan, Italy to Palma, Italy – 100 miles/161km

Day 10: Tuesday 9 September 2008: Palma, Italy to Ostellato, Italy – 98 miles/158km
Civic reception from Ostellato Town Mayor.

Day 11: Wednesday 10 September 2008: Ostellato, Italy to Forli, Italy – 100 miles/161km

Day 12: Thursday 11 September 2008: Forli, Italy to Siena, Italy – 91 miles/146km

Day 13: Friday 12 September 2008: Siena, Italy to Sutri, Italy – 103 miles/166km

Day 14: Saturday 13 September 2008: Sutri, Italy to St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, Italy – 40 miles/64km

The distances are conservative, for many of the days the distances will be plus 10 miles/16km.

Updates for the route will be shown on this page.

The route shown below is as accurate as possible within the limitations of Google Maps systems.

The total distance will exceed 1,400 miles due to the need to use minor roads.