Other : Super Fan Niels Bernsden

Before Departure

Information from the Eidos Interactive UK Website
Niels Bernsden, Tomb Raider fanatic and ardent Lara Croft fan, is to cycle from his home in Amsterdam all the way to Derby, England in order to meet the Tomb Raider design team at Eidos-owned developer Core Design and the official Lara Croft model, Lucy Clarkson.

Lara Croft made quite an impression on Niels when he first encountered her in Tomb Raider back in 1996. He has now played all four Tomb Raider games extensively, owns practically every single piece of Lara Croft merchandise from boxer shorts to a life-size mannequin, and produces an incredible wealth of his own Tomb Raider memorabilia including letters and cards to Lara Croft and her creators, poems, imagery, Tomb Raider-inspired music compilations and even videos that explain his devotion to the world’s most famous cyber-heroine.

Niels is proud to say that Lara Croft has had a profound effect upon his life, encouraging him to venture to new countries and take up sports such as mountain-biking, skiing, scuba diving and target practice. He writes regularly to Core Design and also to Lara, often concerned for her safety and always signing his letters as ‘the one who always, always will give for, care for and love Lara Croft’.

When asked to explain why he is such a fan Niels says: ‘Lara means a lot to me. She has changed my life. Thing’s I wouldn’t do in the past like all the extreme things that Lara is doing, I’m doing now. For example scuba diving, mountain climbing, extreme skiing and, of course, adventuring. I do not shoot guns. (smile) To me, Lara Croft is much more then just a beautiful archaeologist adventurer. She’s intelligent, strong… she’s got an enormous amount of willpower, She’s extremely athletic… and she’s very charming… to the fans that is. To me she’s the one… the number one.’

Core Design and Lara Croft are extremely proud to have such a dedicated fan. PR Manager, Susie Hamilton says: ‘Lara receives thousands of letters from fans but we’ve never encountered anybody as devoted, sincere and enthusiastic as Niels – his letters are beautifully written and illustrated and he keeps us updated with all his thoughts and ideas about Lara every week.’

When Niels recently proposed his trip to meet Lara’s creators, Core embraced the idea. Managing Director, Jeremy Heath-Smith adds: ‘Our fans are of paramount importance and we hope that by showing our support for Niels we can go some way toward expressing our thanks to all the people out there who have bought and love Tomb Raider.’

Core immediately set about helping Niels with his long journey – a round trip of almost 500 miles. Niels will be wearing exclusively branded Lara Croft cycling gear whilst on the road plus a range of Lara Croft merchandise during his evenings spent camping at locations in Cambridgeshire and Leicestershire. He will also be carrying a banner to brand his tent area, along with Lara Croft cut-outs, stickers, postcards, posters and flyers for the fans he meets along the way. Lucozade, which features Lara Croft in its television advertising, is supplying as much of the Lucozade Energy brand as Niels can drink – a surefire way to keep his energy levels boosted, ensuring he reaches his destination on time – this is one date he certainly won’t want to be late for!

Niels first overnight stop is scheduled for 3nd September at a Cambridgeshire campsite, followed by a site in Leicestershire the following evening. Here he will be met by Susie Hamilton, Core Design’s PR Manager, plus the editor of the world’s most authoritative Tomb Raider website The Croft Times. Luis Cuna of Croft Times is being flown into England courtesy of Core Design to document Niels journey and also to share insights about Tomb Raider.

Upon his arrival, scheduled for 4pm on Tuesday September 5th, Niels will be greeted by the Tomb Raider Design team, Core’s Directors and by Lara Croft herself, aka Lucy Clarkson. After a champagne presentation and pictures, Niels and ‘Lara’ will be going out for dinner together… a dream date and certainly a dream come true for her biggest fan!
Information from The Croft Times - August 27th 2000
Niels Berndsen, one of Lara's biggest fans, will leave Amsterdam in the Netherlands next September 3rd by bicycle on a tour for Lara. He will be camping in Cambridgeshire on the night of 3rd and in Leicestershire on the night of 4th, before arriving at Core Design's headquarters in Derby on the 5th.

Niels is asking all fans to send him their signatures, drawings and pictures, poems, letters, as well as requests to the TR design team. All the fan mail, signatures, pictures, etc. will be delivered to Core Design as a petition to continue the adventures of Lara Croft and also to continue the battle against anyone who gives Lara a bad name and reputation... namely sites like Nude Raider.

If you want to know more about Niels and the reasons behind this tour, check out his interview.

You can either send it to Niels by e-mail to [email protected], or better yet meet him at his camping sites. We'll be covering Niels' tour and will be present at the Leicestershire camping location on September 4th, as well as on Niels arrival at Core the next day.

The tour will also be covered by several TV stations, magazines and newspapers. Support Niels initiative and send him your contributions now, after all he his "the one who always, always will give for, care for and love our Lara Croft!"
Interview with a Fan - The Croft Times - August 27th 2000
Niels Berndsen, 24, is probably Lara's biggest fan. Niels lives in Amsterdam and right now is an audio-visual technician. We've talked to him about Tomb Raider, Lara, and his tour.

The Croft Times: When did you first heard about Tomb Raider and Lara Croft?
Niels Berndsen: That was in PlayStation Magazine official UK.

TCT: When was that?
NB: That was in 1996. They had a preview special about Tomb Raider. It was issue number 13. The Game was rated a 10 out of 10.

TCT: What made you interested in playing the game?
NB: Lara of course and the entire genre around it. Being able to go on an adventure.

TCT: What were your expectations? Was it better than you expected?
NB: Absolutely... As the magazine wrote "It was unique in it's design and kind of genre.

TCT: Was it love at first sight, or did it grown on you?
NB: You could say that it was love at first site, yes. It did grow stronger with every episode of Tomb Raider.

TCT: What do you like more about the game?
NB: The travelling, exploring, adventuring, facing danger, being fearless and the archaeology.

TCT: And about Lara?
NB: She's extremely beautiful... but that's not the only thing about her. She's fearless, intelligent, strong, wise, charming, daring and, yes... beautiful.

TCT: Are you a bigger fan of the game or of Lara?
NB: I think both. I mean would there be a Tomb raider without Lara? Lara is the main character and without her it wouldn't be Tomb Raider.

TCT: Do you think there's a difference between being a TR fan and a Lara fan?
NB: I don't think so. Lara is part of Tomb Raider and also visa versa.

TCT: Do you know all the secrets from every game? Do you re-play them a lot?
NB: No... I have to admit that I do not know all the secrets. Yes... I replay the games from time to time. Last month I have started again with Tomb Raider 2 on the PlayStation. On the Dreamcast and PC I'm still busy with TLR. On the Gameboy... I'm stuck.

TCT: You mean you play every game on all systems?
NB: Sure... I'm a Tomb Raider fan, aren't I? :-)

TCT: Do you read the comic books?
NB: Absolutely... these stories are really splendid.

TCT: What kind of TR/Lara merchandising do you have?
NB: I've got all the 6" and 9" action figures, the 2 statues, a whole lot of posters, 3 music CD's, Picture postcards, sticker's, 3 cardboard cut-out standees, about 9 T-shirt's, 2 times fleece, 1rugby like sweat shirt, about 7 or 8 mouse mat's, a mouse holder box that I use as a pen holder, 2 calendars, of course all the games on PC, PSX Dreamcast and Gameboy colour, several shop articles like banners and my most beautiful piece of merchandise... a live size statue of Lara.

TCT: How do you get it?
NB: Some of these merchandise I was glad to receive. Other's I've purchased and bought of my own money.

TCT: How did TR change your life?
NB: It changed in a positive way. Thinks like all the extreme things that Lara is doing... I wouldn't even dare to think of it doing that. Like Extreme skiing, Scuba diving, rock climbing and Mountain biking. Although I haven't seen Lara performing those sports in any of her adventures. Could be nice though.

TCT: What is your "relationship" with Lara?
NB: Gosh... I see myself as a caring friend of her. I've been writing many times that if she would need any help what so ever, it doesn't matter what, then she could ask me. You could say... an companion in times of need.

TCT: What do you expect in future TR games? What are your hopes for Lara's future?
NB: Of course I hope that Lara's adventures will continue for a long time. The comics of TR, made by Top Cow Comics, have just started, they are maybe going to make 3 TR movies. Above all... there are still so many location that Lara hasn't visit yet. I know that there are still many mysteries that are unsolved. There are still many fans of Lara Croft who are standing with Lara Croft and the number of fans is still growing.

TCT: How did you come up with the idea of doing this cycling tour?
NB: The first reason for this tour was the news about the ending of Lara in TLR. I did not agree with the fact that she had to go like that. I started to write letters to Core that I would do anything, anything at all to get her back. then came the wild idea to doing this tour. Now that I know that there's going to be another Tomb Raider adventure, uncertain about if Lara returns at the end of it... I've got this feeling that she will, I had to find another reason. That reason came to me when I went through several news paper articles of Lara's past. There was this one article of a site named Nude Raider. According to the news article, there was a lawsuit against the makers of this site. I am also against those sites. They are the ones who are giving Lara a bad name and reputation. I wanted to do something against it and so it became the new reason for doing this tour.

TCT: What do you hope to achieve with it?
NB: Full support of the fellow fans of Lara, hoping that Core will continue the battle against Nude Raider and sites like that and, above all, that Core will continue with the adventures of Lara Croft. I know that there are still allot more mysteries, secret locations and unsolved archaeological sites to be discovered.

TCT: What do you think is going to be the best thing about it?
NB: The publicity around it. I hope that Lara's popularity will grow more thanks to this tour.

TCT: Are you looking forward to meet other TR/Lara fans?
NB: For sure. I would love to hear other fans talk about their experience with Tomb Raider and Lara.

TCT: How about meeting Lara (Lucy) and the Core team?
NB: Probably the biggest wish I've ever had... I ever will have. I mean... who wouldn't want to meet The TR team and Lara Croft?

TCT: That's it! Thanks Niels!

Departure & The Journey

Information from Eidos' Website:
​Niels Bernsden, one of Lara Croft's biggest fans, has started his epic cycle journey from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Core Design Studios in the UK to meet Lara.

The Dutch Croft Times was there to capture his departure. Here are some pics of the departure in Veenendaal.

Arriving at Core Design

Information from Eidos' Website (annotations to picture) - September 11th 2000:
​Niels' arrival at Core Design - Lucy Clarkson (the official Lara model), rushed out of the building to catch him just as he was about to collapse from exhaustion.... or was it emotion?!

Lucy and Niels pose for a picture before going into the restaurant for a well deserved meal... the 350km bike ride has given Niels quite an appetite!

The second night camping in the UK. Niels pauses for a refreshing break,knowing that he's going to need as much energy as possible for tomorrow's rendezvous.

The date - Lucy and Niels toast the occassion with a glass of champagne - Lara's favourite.

Niels and his favourite woman on either arm... a dream come true.
Niels was able to meet some of the Core Design team - Jeremy Heath-Smith, Adrian Smith, Peter Connelly, Andy Sandham, Phil Chapman, Martin Gibbins - and he was presented with some Tomb Raider goodies and a personalised photo of Lara.
For those who are curious, Tomb Raider fan and collector Luke Earle now has this photo in his collection.
Sources:
The Croft Times Fansite
http://web.archive.org/web/20001018173402/http://www.cubeit.com/ctimes/news/2000/08/news0626.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20001205144500/http://www.cubeit.com/ctimes/news/2000/08/news0627.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20001017123814/http://www.cubeit.com/ctimes/news/2000/09/news0631a.html - The Croft Times Pictures

Eidos Interactive
http://web.archive.org/web/20010418131733/http://www.eidosinteractive.co.uk/newsinfo.html?nwid=48
http://web.archive.org/web/20010418103204/http://www.eidosinteractive.co.uk:80/tombraider/news_archive/august/neils.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20001202235100/http://www1.eidosinteractive.co.uk/newsinfo.html?nwid=51
https://web.archive.org/web/20010116011500/http://www.eidosinteractive.co.uk/newsinfo.html?nwid=52

Tomb Raider Official Tumblr
https://tombraider.tumblr.com/post/148301704920/fan-cycles-from-holland-to-meet-laras-live-action