Ex-parachute regiment officer from Lewes aims for rowing record
He set off from Newhaven on Wednesday in a Canadian-designed boat called Pegasus which is a combination of a sea kayak and an ocean rowing boat.He will go in a clockwise direction, stopping inland every so often to replenish supplies."I'm least looking forward to hitting Thurso, which is one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the UK, maybe in the world," he said."But I've trained hard for this challenge and taken advice from experts to ensure I'm equipped to deal with the wild waters there unscathed."Mr Ellicock will raise funds for the Parachute Regiment Charity.
Following his recovery from being wounded in action in Sierra Leone, Mr Ellicock said he "had the privilege of commanding paratroopers on operations again before making a successful and rewarding transition into civilian life".He added: "Not all my former brothers in arms were so fortunate, and that's why I'm looking to use this challenge as a way to honour them while raising money for charities close to my heart."He will also fundraise for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.In 2013 he broke a Guinness World Record for running the London Marathon with a 40lb (18kg) pack in three hours, 25 minutes and 21 seconds, and has previously taken on the Devizes to Westminster canoe race, which runs over a 125-mile course from Wiltshire to London."This upcoming challenge is from another league though. It's like the next level," he said.
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Daily Mirror
16 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Alexandra Burke admits baby dream on hold as she sets sights on intense challenge
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Belfast Telegraph
20 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
The Open: First hole-in-one of the week while Rory McIlroy's game ‘ready' to launch moving day bid
3 minutes ago Ollie's started 'dell Finland's Ollie Lindell, who is 291st in the world rankings and last year finished third on the Challenge Tour's order of merit, is into the top-10 at the Open Championship as he birdies his opening two holes to get to -4 early doors. Is he the unexpected man to go low today and get himself into contention? 6 minutes ago Shane finally has a birdie He's had to wait 10 holes to get it but Shane Lowry has finally put a red number on the scorecard as he holes a putt from just off the green for the three at the par-four and to finally get something behind him. Back up to level-par for the tournament, as is Jon Rahm who also birdied the 10th, and headed to 11 trying to get something going on the back nine. 14 minutes ago HOLE-IN-ONE! We've had a couple of close calls today already but we finally have an actual hole-in-one as John Parry holes his tee shot on the 192-yard par-three 13th! That's an achievement in itself but it's also taken the Englishman up to -3 for the week and he's now four-under-par for the day! 15 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Rory on the range Rory McIlroy (-3) is at the driving range with under an hour until his 2.30pm tee-time this afternoon. He starts the day seven behind world number one Scottie Scheffler, so it seems it's going to take something seriously special to get him right in the mix. But he is Rory McIlroy. 21 minutes ago Second eagle of the day! It comes for Tommy Fleetwood on two as, playing alongside Justin Thomas for the third day in a row, he more than makes up for bogey at one by rolling in a lengthy eagle attempt and punching the air. Goes to -2. 29 minutes ago Clubhouse leader Out in the first group of the day but holding the clubhouse lead after a birdie on the par-four 18th, Corey Conners is currently the man to beat as a five-under 66 sees him shoot up into a share of 10th at -4! That will obviously be beaten as the day goes on but, for now, that's the score to be caught. Really tidy round for the Canadian, only one blemish on the scorecard at the par-four ninth, but six birdies mean he should have an afternoon tee time for the final round! An unexpectedly tough hole Eleven groups have now made their way through the ninth hole and there has been only one birdie, from Takumi Kanaya, and four bogeys. It is a tough hole in general but today it looks like it's going to cause some serious problems. Not to Wyndham Clark, though! The former US Open champion rolls in the second birdie of the day at the hole for his third gained shot of a bogey-free front-nine to turn in 33 and become the latest to hit -3! 31 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Bryson's frustrations show That run of birdies on the front nine feels a long time ago now. A poor tee shot on the downhill par three 13th drops into the front bunker and, despite nearly holing it, he can't save par as the bunker shot runs out and he doesn't make it coming back. Club smashed into the sand sums up the fall-back to -1. 36 minutes ago Back nine bites back Henrik Stenson is the latest to drop back to -3 as he flies the par-four 14th green long and left and cannot recover to save par, missing the par putt from 30-feet and falling back courtesy of his first bogey of the day. Scoring has really dried up over the last hour or so. What had looked like a day where someone could potentially go very low has suddenly become a slog for plenty. Stenson still the lowest tournament score on the course, alongside Corey Conners, at -3. 44 minutes ago Gareth Hanna 'GO ON BRYSOOON….. MY MVP!' Two guys have been shouting that before every shot these last few holes. Got to admire their consistency if nothing else. Their man gets pin high in two on the par five but his eagle putt pulls up a couple of feet short. Ooooo his birdie putt isn't very MVP either as it misses left and he stays -2. A nasty three-roll. 47 minutes ago A birdie! Yes, it's a birdie for Maverick McNealy on, of all holes, the par-four 11th as he hits in a brilliant approach to six feet and holes the putt! Fairways in regulation: 7/9 Greens in regulation: 11/11 Putts: 21 Birdies: 11 Pars: 10 Score: -1 (E for the tournament) Quoted message Today 11:38 AM Adam McKendry Maverick watch Why not? This has the potential to be a special (yet boring) scorecard from the American. Fairways in regulation: 6/7 (a miss to the left at the ninth!) Greens in regulation: 9/9 Putts: 18 Pars: 9 Score: E (+1 for the tournament) 50 minutes ago Adam McKendry Shane's stuttering stays Even when presented with a par-five that most of the field have birdied so far, it's just a par for Lowry who remains +1 for his round and the tournament having failed to pick up a shot all day. Rahm does likewise. This group is flat, no matter how much the crowd try and pick them up. 52 minutes ago Another Bryson bomb on 12 It's the unhinged nature of his driving ecosystem that hooks the crowd, I think. His tongue licks out of his mouth mid-backswing as he gives that one the full message, 346 yards to set up a 175 yard second into the par five. 52 minutes ago Struggling Schmid It's been a really tough day for the German, who has had just two birdies in a round that has also contained three bogeys and three double-bogeys. The last man in the field last Sunday, through his finish at the Scottish Open, is now +8 for the tournament, four shots worse than anyone else and ELEVEN behind playing partner Corey Conners, who is still at -3 going down the par-four 17th. Today 11:57 AM Gareth Hanna Bryson not walking alone on 11 Former Liverpool duo Jason McAteer and Don Hutchison are following the American round as he sets up a gettable 15 footer for birdie, hitting it pin high on 11. Meanwhile, trouble for Kimsey as he goes left into the thick, thick stuff and can only move it a few feet. Edit: No golden sky finish to this hole for Bryson. He cuts a VERY frustrated figure as he hole-bound putt pulls up short. He needed one or two of those recent ones to drop ahead of the par five to continue a real run. Today 11:55 AM Of course, as soon as I mention the pair they go and bogey their next holes, Kanaya at the 13th and Svensson at the eighth, to fall back to -2. I've got to learn to wait before I post... Quoted message Today 11:44 AM Adam McKendry Two unlikely chargers The two hottest men on the course? Nope, it's not Bryson DeChambeau or even Henrik Stenson. No, that honour instead goes to Takumi Kanaya and Jesper Svensson, who are four-under-par thru 12 and seven holes respectively. Sweden's Svensson looks particularly well-placed to put together an impressive card as he's spun off three straight birdies at the fifth, sixth and seventh to go with another at the second as he hits -3, while Kanaya converts on the par-five 12th for birdie to reach the same score. We may keep an eye on Svensson. He has a lot of time and a lot of gettable holes coming up to rack up a low score today. Today 11:54 AM First to -4 It's Henrik Stenson, who looked to be in an awkward position short right of the par-five 12th green having misjudged his approach, but instead he plays a lovely bump-and-run up the hill and in tight for the easy birdie - his third of the day, along with an eagle - to get to -4 and into a share of fourth! Today 11:48 AM Gareth Hanna 'Jesus' An involuntary prayer from a woman on the edge of the 11th tee box as her life flashes before her eyes while Bryson's drive whistles away. It is a different noise of sheer power than his playing partner Nathan Kimsey. It ends up 331 yards down the left edge of the fairway and 145 yards out into a gentle left-to-right breeze. Today 11:48 AM Low spirits Shane Lowry cuts a really frustrated figure as he gives himself a good look at birdie on the par-three sixth with a fine tee shot to 13-feet but then can't hole the putt, leaving it low to the right, and the look on his face says all you need to know. He remains +1 and with little to no momentum behind him, although he is headed onto the par-five seventh that has yielded eight birdies to the first nine groups. Jon Rahm, meanwhile, with a fantastic up-and-down from right of the green to rescue a par and also remain +1. Today 11:44 AM Two unlikely chargers The two hottest men on the course? Nope, it's not Bryson DeChambeau or even Henrik Stenson. No, that honour instead goes to Takumi Kanaya and Jesper Svensson, who are four-under-par thru 12 and seven holes respectively. Sweden's Svensson looks particularly well-placed to put together an impressive card as he's spun off three straight birdies at the fifth, sixth and seventh to go with another at the second as he hits -3, while Kanaya converts on the par-five 12th for birdie to reach the same score. We may keep an eye on Svensson. He has a lot of time and a lot of gettable holes coming up to rack up a low score today. Live Blog Software
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Race pitting runners v horses over 23 miles returns to Quantocks
Runners looking for something a little different this autumn have been invited to try racing a horse for 23 miles through the countryside. The gruelling Man v Horse endurance race is returning to Somerset's Quantock Hills for the second time in unusual event, which was first held more than 40 years ago in Powys, Wales, sees runners given a head start of only 15 minutes."Like all great ideas, it was hatched in a pub," joked Philip King, one of the organisers. Mr King told BBC Radio Somerset the "challenging but incredible" race was "definitely a spectator sport". "One thing that really makes the event are our volunteers and the people who come along to support and spectate," he said. "Frankly, if you are running or riding and you've got that adrenaline going, there's nothing better than having people cheer you on." Beating a horse over 23 miles might seem like a long shot but over the course of the race's history, four runners have done just that, while the first race held in Somerset 2023 saw a tie. This year's event will raise money for Project Pegasus – a therapy programme centred around horses for children and young people in Somerset who have been affected by drug and alcohol use in their family. The programme is run by Equi-Librium Coaching and Therapy, which was co-founded by Mr King, a child therapist."Very often traditional therapy isn't for [these children]," he said."But being outside, in the outdoors – in the forest, working in the field with a horse – they can start to rebuild trust and connection and learn what it is to have positive relationships when they've had such hard times."The race, he added, "is all about hopefulness and joy".
