Grantham’s Ross Edgley, Sir Chris Hoy and Dame Kelly Holmes complete epic Triathlon for the Sea
Long-distance swimmer Ross Edgley, alongside two Olympic champions, have taken on an epic triathlon challenge to raise awareness of ocean conversation.
Strongman Ross, from Grantham, alongside Sir Chris Hoy and Dame Kelly Holmes took on the relay triathlon today (Monday) along the coastline from Edinburgh from the Firth of Forth towards Cramond Island.
The three took on the never attempted challenge to raise the importance of the wild seas and Talisker Whiskey’s ongoing support of Parley for the Oceans’ marine conservation projects.
In an Instagram post, Ross thanked his teammates and said: “It was a race against the tide but we made it!
“With no clear of the Cramond causeway now, we celebrate this epic Triathlon for the Sea!
“Thanks to my teammates @chrishoy1, @damekellyholmes and @Talisker whisky and @Parley.tv for driving awareness to a great cause!”
The challenge started in the Firth of Forth, where Ross dived into 10 degree waters of the famous Scottish Estuary.
He then swam 1.5km to the shore, taking him only 18 minutes to reach Silversands Beach, where Sir Chris Hoy was waiting.
After Ross ran up the beach and tagged him, Chris then embarked on a 15.8km cycle which took him across the Forth Road Bridge and along the Scottish coastline.
In a cycle ride that took him only 34 minutes, he then met Dame Kelly Holmes.
Kelly raced through the triathlon’s final 11km in an incredible 48 minutes, completing the final leg along the causeway before it was taken by the tide.
The three athletes all had a common goal in mind of raising awareness for the need to preserve and protect sea kelp forests in Scotland.
Dame Kelly Holmes said: “It was close but we did it! I was incredibly excited to be partnering with Talisker to undertake this epic race in the name of ocean conservation.
“The triathlon was a great challenge and I was delighted to have two legendary sportspeople on my team to race in and alongside Scotland’s beautiful waters to Cramond Island, uniting our sporting strengths to beat the tide.”
The research, that Talisker has helped fund through their long-term partnership with Parley, is being carried out at Edinburgh-based Heriot-Watt University, who along with Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and the Blue Marine Foundation are undertaking independent scientific research in the Orkney Islands.
Just off the north coast of Scotland, these islands offer a remote, biodiversity-rich and abundant area of underwater kelp forests.
Setting out to help protect the magical world beneath the surface of Scotland’s waves, this scientific research aims to better understand kelp forests’ critical role in preventing climate change and the value they play in the biodiversity of Scotland's fragile and beautiful marine ecosystems.
