Slinfold golfers do Triathlon

A team of Slinfold Ladies set aside their golf clubs to compete in the Steyning Triathlon in support of The Virtual Doctors.
By The Newsroom
Published 18th May 2015, 10:52 BST
Slinfold GC ladies section members take on triathlon SUS-150513-095121001Slinfold GC ladies section members take on triathlon SUS-150513-095121001
Slinfold GC ladies section members take on triathlon SUS-150513-095121001

Five finely tuned athletes – also known as Mel Wedgbury, Kate Leyshon, Karina Gill, Liz Roberts and Marie Paul Ahanda from the Slinfold GC ladies section – braved the pouring rain, strong winds and generally miserable weather on Sunday May 3 to swim, cycle and run in the Spring Steyning Triathlon... and all in aid of the club’s Lady Captain’s charity – The Virtual Doctors.

The team was ably supported by fellow golfers Ruth Gutteridge, Beckie Mabbutt and Ann Grain – who was supposed to take part but had to pull out because of an ear infection.

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The Slinfold Five gathered at Steyning Leisure Centre at 7 am as they had to be ready to swim just after 8am – and they needed that time to register and generally cover themselves, their helmets and bikes in their race numbers.

From beginning to end the rain and wind did not let up making the cycle and run particularly challenging.

Amazingly all five finished the ‘Sprint Triathlon’ (400m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) well within two hours – and they had smiles on their faces! In fact all came in between 1.32 minutes to 1 hr 40 minutes. Impressive for a first ‘Sprint’ triathlon!

Huw Jones, Executive Director and Founder of The Virtual Doctors, said: “We are extremely grateful and proud that Ann Grain at Slinfold GC has chosen us as her Lady Captain’s charity for 2015. And we are delighted that five ladies from the golf club decided to bravely take on the ‘Sprint’ Triathlon at Steyning.

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“The money the five have raised for Virtual Doctors not only helps us to save lives in rural Africa, but motivates us to work even harder to serve some of the poorest communities on earth.”

At the last count (May 5) the team had raised a staggering £855.22 pounds – and the target set was £500.

The Virtual Doctors is a telemedicine health project using the local mobile broadband network in Africa to connect rural clinics with doctors around the world, for diagnostic and treatment advice. Please visit www.virtualdoctors.org for more info or ‘join’ our Facebook Cause www.causes.com/virtualdoctorproject

Report and picture contributed by Ann Grain.

Related topics:DoctorsSlinfold