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From left, FUW president Emyr Jones, vice president Lorraine Howells, Cefin Evans, FUW vice president Richard Vaughan, deputy president Glyn Roberts, vice president Brian Walters, Gareth Jones and FUW finance and organisation committee member Eifion Huws.[/caption]
The Farmers' Union of Wales insurance services arm is sponsoring two Ceredigion farmers on an "awesome" bike ride in the Himalayan Mountains next month to raise funds for Wales Air Ambulance.
Cefin Evans, of Cwmwythig, Capel Bangor, and Gareth Jones, of Morfa Farm, Llanrhystud, have stepped up their training to take part in the "Yak Attack" - the highest mountain bike race on earth and one of the toughest mountain bike stage races on the world calendar.
Taking place in the mighty Himalaya, comprising of 10 stages, covering 400km and with a total altitude gain of over 12,000m, the race throws every obstacle under the sun at the adventurous riders daring to take it on.
There's the altitude with the course peaking at 5,416m, where oxygen levels are only 50 per cent of those at sea level. There's the weather - up to 30 degrees centigrade over the first four days and then rapidly decreasing to a frostbite inducing -15c (before wind chill) as the race crosses the Thorong La pass.
Then, after all that, there's the terrain with potentially bike-wrecking rough descents, soft sand climbs, streams, suspension bridges, mud, landslides and invariably snow.
"Previous competitors have said things like it is the most awesome riding they've ever done, it isn't racing, its torture," said Cefin when he and Gareth met the FUW's presidential team at Aberystwyth before leaving for the race start point at Katmandu.
"Yak Attack is not just a race - it's a life experience," said Gareth. "It's like a roller coaster, literally and emotionally, and will leave us battered and bruised but with unforgettable memories of a beautiful country inhabited by beautiful people."
Both cyclists have agreed to use the race to raise money for Wales Air Ambulance. They plan to hold a fund-raising event at the Marine Hotel, Aberystwyth, on February 10 and will fly to Katmandu from Heathrow Airport on February 29.
Wishing the cyclists a safe journey, FUW president Emyr Jones said: "The union is pleased to help them achieve such a memorable life experience and, at the same time, raise money for a worthy charity which my predecessor as FUW president, Gareth Vaughan, successfully adopted as his chosen charity in his final year in office."