One of Hot Chilli Triathlon’s 2011 highlights – going beyond double-iron distance for Children in Need.

Watched and supported by new Bradford on Avon resident Sharon Davies (MBE), Hot Chilli Triathlon Club’s Children in Need Fundraising Challenge started at 12 noon on Friday 11 November at Trowbridge Pool.

With a swim distance target of 7.6km the relay team, Bob Smith (Club Chairman), Richard Smith (Club Coach), Danny Raudsepp, Jodie Maslen, Mark Blake, Kevin Govers and Amanda Carroll, made light work of clocking up the lengths at Trowbridge Pool and surpassed the target total after just two hours, finally completing a total distance of 9650m in three hours.

The next stage of the challenge, a bike leg of a minimum 360km, continued in the entrance to the Trowbridge Tesco  Extra store. Watched by shoppers intrigued by the presence of the lycra clad Hot Chilli Tri fundraisers, generous donations started flooding in. As the collection buckets filled the relay team upped the tempo of their ride moving beyond the target distance as they approached the early hours, motivated by the Tesco night shift staff and the occasional party goer.

Sharon Davies with the Hot Chilli Triathlon relay team

With 510km clocked on the bike, the final leg started at 0200hrs. With tired legs and minimal rest the 84.4km run looked a more daunting challenge. Running on a treadmill, generously donated by Precor and DC Leisure, the relay team set about chipping away at their double marathon target. The early hours were tough but as a new day dawned, both donations and Tesco shoppers started to increase in numbers. The team’s spirits lifted again and by the time the Club chairman Bob Smith took to the treadmill for the last half hour, the run distance had moved well beyond 100km.

By 12 noon on Saturday, a total of 115km running, 510km cycling and 9650m swimming had been completed and over £3000 raised for Children in Need.

Children in Need fundraising by Hot Chilli Tri Club continues this week through donations and sponsorship. It is hoped that the Club will be able to present an even bigger cheque at the Children in Need event at Western-Super-Mare on Friday evening.

Hot Chilli Tri Club said they would like to thank Sharon Davies (MBE), Tesco Trowbridge, DC Leisure – Trowbridge Sports Centre and Castle Place Leisure Centre, Precor Treadmills, Logo Logistics, votwo Events, Ashford Homes and Travis Perkins for their help and support of the Challenge fundraiser.