Tablers in peak of fitness to help keep ambucopter flying

Rasen Round Tablers are putting their own spin on one of the most well-known endurance events to support a life-saving Lincolnshire charity.
Some of the team out on a training rideSome of the team out on a training ride
Some of the team out on a training ride

Seven charitable gents will be taking on the national three peaks challenge, starting this weekend.

However, although they will still be climbing Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, the difference will be they are cycling between the mountains.

Undertaking the full 470-mile ride and 26-mile hike are Dan Quint, James Quible, Matt Weeks, Rob Weeks, Tim Rinaldi, Richard Hollingsworth and Sam Sweeney.

Main organiser of the challenge, Matt Weeks, said the team had been out training over the past few months.

He continued: “We have had group bike rides twice a week varying from 40 to 100 miles.

“Our target is to complete the challenge in five or six days tops.

“That means we have to cover about 100 miles a day.

“It is not so much the distance it is the hills.”

Dan Quint added: “It will be a personal challenge for us all.

“None of us are athletes. We have all walked distances, but it will be hiking up the mountains that will probably be the thing that gets us.

“We will have to take in about 5,000 calories a day, so that will be a challenge too.”

The team will be well supported in the efforts by a crew of six – Alice Weeks, Paulius Siauciunas, James Wooley, Nick Young, Rob Pearce and Josh Hanson – who include a GP and physio.

The team will be starting at Snowdon and then riding up to Scafell Pike and finally to Scotland’s Ben Nevis.

The Round Tablers are no strangers to charity challenges, having rowed from Ramsgate to Belgium three years ago.

Dan said: “Our main aim is to raise money for charity and we like to keep the support local.

“The Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance is a great charity to support and we are pleased to do what we can to help them continue their life-saving service.”

The team is hoping to raise £5,000 through their challenge, which would fund around two missions for the ambucopter.

Once the ambucopter starts to fly 24-hours a day, the operational costs alone – funding the helicopter, crew, medical supplies, fuel, medication etc – will cost around £4million a year.

Like all charities, the coronavirus pandemic has hit fundraising hard.

Anyone who would like to support the Round Tablers on their ‘Bike and Hike’ challenge can visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mrround
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