INSPIRE
Good SPORTS
Thousands of children take part in schools’ triathlon series to raise nearly £300,000 for charity
Y
outh-led charity Restless Development partnered with Royal Russell School, Bradfield College, Cranleigh School and Marlborough College to put on its 2017 schools’ triathlon series. More than 2,500 children aged between seven and 14 took part across the four events in April and May, raising nearly an amazing £300,000 for charity. The fun and inclusive format saw the triathlons run as a relay in teams of four, with each team member completing all three disciplines. The swim came first, with younger teams from school years three and four doing a total of 200m in the pool and older teams swimming 400m. It was onto the bike
section next, with 4,000m (Year Three and Year Four teams) or 8,000m (the older ones) completed on an off-road track in school grounds; then a 3,000m or 6,000m relay run split equally between each four team members to finish. Now in its second year, the Flight Centresponsored event is the brainchild of entrepreneur and long-time trustee of Restless Development Jim Sewell. The father of three saw a gap for fun, sportsbased fundraising for children and plans to roll out more triathlons around the country, with the aim of raising £1 million a year. He said, “It was brilliant to partner with such great schools and see the children throwing themselves into it. I am so excited about the potential for this event – I want this to become the schools’ equivalent of the London Marathon.” Martin Reader, head of Cranleigh School, said ››
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