Swimovate Ltd, swim sponsors at Challenge Henley triathlon, have put together a celebrity relay team for the event on 18 September. The team, which will be raising money for the Tri4Japan charity, consists of radio1 DJ Vernon Kay, celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli and adventurer Rosie Swale-Pope.
Vernon will lead the team on the 3.8km swim in the Thames handing over to Jean-Christophe to cycle 180kms in the demanding Chiltern Hills, before passing over to Rosie to bring the team home by running a 42.2km marathon. Competitors have 17 hours to complete the entire event.
Although Vernon and Jean-Christophe have competed in shorter triathlons before this distance will be completely new to them and will require dedicated training and will be an enormous personal challenge. For Rosie on the other hand is well used to endurance events and a marathon should be no problem, she holds the record for the longest unsupported run in the world of 20,000 miles! Rick Kiddle, triathlon coach will be providing his experience and coaching in the build up to the race and will himself be competing.
Lisa Irlam, CEO of Swimovate, says “We are delighted to be working with such incredible people. I have raced long distance triathlons myself and know the training and dedication that is involved. We are honoured Vernon, Jean-Christophe and Rosie are giving their time, training hard and we are looking forward to an amazing day. It has been an amazing year for Swimovate and I am happy to be watching this time!” 2011 is the first running of Challenge Henley, the latest in the Challenge family of long-distance triathlons in the fabulous countryside around the picturesque Oxfordshire town.
The team will be raising money for Tri4Japan, a charity set up by triathletes Mike and Reiko Trees to help the people of Kamaishi, a town devastated by the recent earthquake and tsunami.
More at www.challengehenley.com
