PROPERTY LIFE

EG EVENTS

Longitudinal line-up: the sun shines in Greenwich, it's too late to book with easyJet, and property's finest spokes-people start their six-day expedition

A Cannes-do attitude was clear as 63 delegates made their own way to MIPIM

Wheelmeet gain at MIPIM show It was all in the name of charity, not saving fares in the credit crunch, that 63 cycling enthusiasts from the property industry took to two wheels to travel to MIPIM in Cannes.

Setting off from Greenwich Park, London, on Thursday 5 March, they took six days to cover the 1,500km in relay, passing a specially designed

baton from team to team. When they arrived in sunny Cannes, the baton was passed one last time, to London mayor Boris Johnson.

Johnson, himself a keen cyclist, albeit around the streets of London, said: "I take my cycling helmet off to these intrepid adventurers. I find pedalling around London a daily challenge, let alone

crossing the length of France:' Among the cyclists were James

Tottle and Richard Eyley of Savills, Ed Sneddon of Derwent London,Thorn Kilvert of Hopkins Architects, Barry Hughes of HOK International and Patrick Hawkins of British Land.

The fund-raising target was £280,000, with five charities set to benefit, including Land Aid

and the Sarah Matheson Trust. The riders were assisted by

rolling road closures and a motorcycle escort and clocked up an average speed of 27mph.

The trials and tribulations of the ride were recorded by Annabel Rootes, one of the three women taking part. See www. estatesgazette.com/blogs/ mipim-2009/cycle2cannes.

The red team looked a bit too pleased to be leaving the slow speed area Spoke in the wheel: on-the-spot repairs kept cyclists on the road

481 Estates Gazette 21 March 2009

Red carpet treatment: MIPIM organisers may not have liked the tyre marks but after cycling 1,SOOkm across France the teams deserved their moment

21 March 2009 Estates Gazette 149