Inverness woman becomes fastest to circumnavigate globe by bike

A Scottish ultra-endurance cyclist has become the fastest woman to travel around the world on a bike.

Jenny Graham, from Inverness in the Highlands, circumnavigated the globe in 125 days.

The 38-year-old arrived at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Thursday, knocking almost three weeks off the previous record of 144 days set by Italy's Paola Gianotti in 2014.

She said: “I just set out to see how far I could go. The furthest I've cycled before was from Land's End to John o' Groats, now I have cycled right around the world.

“It's sometimes been tough, but I thrive on challenges on the road and of course it has also been so amazing!

“I knew I wanted to do something solo to test my physical and mental ability. I am the fittest I have ever been, so I thought I'd train hard and give it a go - here I am back in Berlin, I can hardly believe it.”

Fellow Scot Mark Beaumont is the current male record-holder for the feat, which he completed in September 2017.

The Edinburgh-based adventurer said: “Just phenomenal riding and all the way with a smile, with a cheer, with a sense of humility and the excitement of the unknown around the corner.”

Ms Graham her started her journey in Berlin on June 16.

She cycled 15 hours a day unsupported - managing an average of 156 miles a day - while carrying all her kit.

The 18,000 mile route took her across four continents and through 16 countries - Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Mongolia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium and Holland.

She took four flights and a boat.

To make the record official, Guinness World Records still needs to ratify the data.