Jenson Button Trust team up with Barnardo’s
The Jenson Button Trust Triathlon, which will be held for the third consecutive year in Derby this July, have announced that Barnardo’s will be their official charity partner.
More than 700 people are expected to enter the event at Markeaton Park on Sunday July 23 with hundreds more families joining the mini-triathlon during the lunchtime break.
Formula 1 McLaren Honda racing driver Jenson Button will compete alongside the line-up of novice, seasoned and elite athletes on the day.
He said: “Our triathlon this July is set to be bigger than ever before and I hope that we will raise many thousands of pounds for Barnardo’s.
“This iconic charity supports children and young people who face many different challenges including poverty, homelessness, disability, abuse, drugs and alcohol, caring for a family member and unemployment.
“Whatever their problems, the charity has a wide range of services across the country which have grown dramatically over the past 150 years.
“Everyone’s support at the triathlon will be invaluable in helping Barnardo’s transform the lives of vulnerable children and young people and will therefore make a real difference to people who most need our support.”
There will be a variety of ways for triathlon competitors to raise funds for Barnardo’s including through Just Giving, via the online entry system and by requesting a fundraising pack with inspirational ideas.
Organisers, Derby-based HUUB Events, report that entries are now flooding in for the Jenson Button Trust Triathlon.
The preliminary will consist of a 200m swim in Markeaton Lake, 10km cycle from the park and on closed roads into the city’s Cathedral Quarter before returning to the park to complete a 2.5km run.
In the individual event, the top male and female performers will then go on to the finals and will complete a 400m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run, with the runners up entering the wooden spoon race.
The Team Challenge participants will race again in the afternoon over the Super Sprint distance and the team with the fastest average time will emerge victorious.
The prize fund available to competitors is one of the largest for a UK based sprint triathlon. A grand total of £7,000 will be on offer, split between the male and female categories.
During the lunchtime break there will be a free to enter family triathlon in the park which is open for children aged between seven and 15, accompanied by an adult.
This consists of a 50m swim in the lake then heading out onto the closed roads for a 2.5km cycle before a 750m run.
Also in the lunch time break, this time in the city centre, there will be a children’s criterium hosted by Cycle Derby CC with young people taking part in a series of races around closed roads in the Cathedral Quarter.
The day will culminate in medal presentations by Jenson Button and a post-race party for participants with live music and locally-produced food and drink.
