========================================================= PPP healthcare Sport Relief Row in association with Concept 2 ========================================================= Sport Relief is the spangly new initiative from Comic Relief that aims to unite the world of sport behind the single goal of raising kit-bags full of cash to help change the lives of young people forced to live unimaginably tough lives here in the UK and across the world. Everyone can get active, raise money and do some good for Sport Relief and a number of sport's greatest names have already offered their support to the campaign, including Mike Atherton, David Beckham, James Cracknell, Lawrence Dallaglio, Tim Henman, Ellen MacArthur , Mick McCarthy, Katherine Merry, Matthew Pinsent and Sir Steve Redgrave. The PPP healthcare Sport Relief Row is the easiest way for indoor rowing enthusiasts up and down the country to help raise money for the charity, and today sees the launch of the Sport Relief Row web site at http://www.concept2.co.uk/sportrelief. There are a number of ways you can help to raise coin, but whatever your speciality, however you use the machine, wherever you are, please try and take time out for one of the most deserving causes around. Below you can find information on what the Sport Relief Row actually involves, as well as details on the 500 metre challenge involving James Cracknell and the three 30-39 Hwt gold medallists from the recent World Indoor Rowing Championship. For further information, check out the web site, e-mail us at sportreliefrow@concept2.co.uk or drop us a line at (0115) 954 5522. ---------------------------------------------------- "I was delighted when PPP healthcare approached me to take part in the Sport Relief Row. I have been involved with the rise in popularity of indoor rowing as a sport and a way of keeping fit over the past couple of years, and I can think of no better way of spreading the Sport Relief message across the country. Even if everyone who sits on an Indoor Rower between now and Sport Relief Day gives just one pound, a great contribution towards the work of Sport Relief will be made". James Cracknell, Olympic and World Champion. ---------------------------------------------------- There are three main planks to the PPP healthcare Sport Relief Row. Row The World: This is the challenge for clubs and institutions. The name of the game is for you and your gym comrades in arms to try and chalk up as many metres as possible between June 1st and July 12th and see how far around this big old ball of wax your gym can get. It's a touch over 40 million metres to circumnavigate the globe, but there's a host of other distances you can aim at if you can't quite manage this. http://www.concept2.co.uk/sportrelief/rowtheworld.php for more info. ---------------------------------------------------- "The Row has made getting involved with Sport Relief very easy and that is the key to its success. I can think of no better reason to get hot and sweaty and out of breathe than to raise cash for such a great cause." Mick McCarthy, manager of the Republic of Ireland football team. ---------------------------------------------------- The Golden Mile: For the first time ever in the history of indoor rowing, the Golden Mile (1,609 metres) is offered as a competitive distance. July 13th, the big day of the Sport Relief campaign, has been designated the Golden Mile Moment, and we're encouraging everybody to get as sweaty as possible and try and stamp their mark on this distance. Everybody who completes the distance and sends in their time to us will appear in the special commemorative Ranking that will be produced as soon as possible after the event. As the Mile is virgin territory, we locked three-times Olympic rowing coach Terry O'Neill into a room until he produced the world's first ever on-line interactive Training Programme. All you have to do is enter your fitness level, the number of sessions a week you can train and the number of weeks left until July 13th, hit the button and et voila, you'll have your own personalised training programme. http://www.concept2.co.uk/sportrelief/mile.php for more info. ---------------------------------------------------- "If it means nothing else, the Sport Relief Row will give everyone the chance to get involved with what promises to be a great summer of sport. All those people taking part in the Row will be able to identify with the professional sportspeople they will see across the country, and the world, doing their part for Sport Relief." Shirley Robertson, Olympic Gold Medallist in the yachting Europe class. ---------------------------------------------------- The 100,000 metre Team Row: Now a well-established part of the indoor rowing firmament, the 100,000 metres offers a number of challenges. As most teams operate a quick rotation strategy, ensuring people aren't on the machine for much more than a minute, you'll need good explosive power to make the most out of your minute. Because it takes most teams over 5 hours to complete, however, it also requires a good level of endurance to keep on blasting out as low a time as possible. If you're aiming for a good time, you'll also need teamwork to make sure your changeovers are as swift and efficient as possible. http://www.concept2.co.uk/sportrelief/100k.php for more details. One of the highlights of last year's Red Nose Row was the Head 2 Head between Royce's Gym from Wigan and a Steve Redgrave-led Leander Club for the 100,000 metre World Record. Now, Royce Banks is promising to assemble an even bigger and better team to try and wrest the title back. Having gathered together a scratch squad of rowers, they'll be going hell for leather at the Monaco Ballroom in Hindley, Wigan on May 19th, where, in addition to banging out ridiculously low splits for just under four and a half hours, they'll also be aiming to raise as much money for Sport Relief as possible. ---------------------------------------------------- "The beauty of Sport Relief is that it covers the whole range of sports, and the beauty of the row is that pretty much everyone can have a go at raising money through sport. I am sure that the Row, and Sport Relief as a whole, will be a roaring success." Jensen Button, Formula One racing driver. ---------------------------------------------------- The official launch of the PPP healthcare Sport Relief Row was on March 20th at the River and Rowing Museum in Henley. The event, compered by former Brookside and Celebrity Big Brother star Claire Sweeney, also doubled as a reception for all the World IRC medallists, with James Cracknell and his pairs partner Matthew Pinsent on hand to award the certificates. The highlight of the day was a special 500 metre race between Olympic and World Champion James Cracknell and the three men who so thrillingly tied for gold in the 30-39 Hwt event at this year's World Indoor Rowing Championship, Chris Rushton (Wigan), Tony Larkman (Molesey BC) and Nik Fleming (Cambridge). With all four men capable of doing the distance in 80 seconds or less, the race was always going to be a right royal rumble, especially with the rest of the medallists cheering everybody on. After less than a minute-and-a-half of ferocious action, Tony Larkman just managed to hold off a surging Cracknell to win in a time of 1:19.0, just 0.4 seconds ahead of the Olympic champion. Nik and Chris came in just behind in 1:20.5 and 1:20.8 respectively. An exhausted Cracknell said: "It was always going to be tough against these guys who really are powerful but I thought I was just going to catch Tony at the end. Full credit to him, he recorded a very fast time indeed. "Hopefully now we have shown that the PPP healthcare Sport Relief Row is something that everyone can get involved with - and people should rest assured that they are not expected to record times like the ones we have seen here today!" The race will be broadcast on BBC Two on Grandstand at some point this Sunday. You can also find pictures, and a rather cool graph, at http:/www.concept2.co.uk/sportrelief/launch.php. ---------------------------------------------------- "I would urge everyone who has the chance to take part in this event to make the time. Rowing is a great way of keeping fit and the fact this event is going to take place in gyms and clubs across the country should give everyone an incentive to raise as much money as they can." Chris Boardman, World and Olympic Cycling Champion. ---------------------------------------------------- ========================================================= PPP healthcare Sport Relief Row http://www.concept2.co.uk/sportrelief sportreliefrow@concept2.co.uk =========================================================