Thursday, May 27, 2010

Rob Forbes Swim-Bike-Runs his way from England to South Africa

The Sun reports

Superfit England fan Rob Forbes has arrived in South Africa for the World Cup after CYCLING and SWIMMING all the way from home.
Rob, 27, set off from Cirencester, Glos, on his epic eight month, 11,800-mile journey last October.

He PEDALLED through Europe to Gibraltar then SWAM the 16 miles across to Africa.

Since then he's clocked up ten hours in the saddle each day to get to South Africa - where he plans to RUN 90KM in a gruelling local marathon.

Determined Rob - a Spurs fan - set himself the exhausting goal of completing the world's longest triathlon to raise money for charity.

But on the way a competition was launched to find 'Britain's biggest football fan' - and he's now made the final four for that.

And most importantly he is on schedule to see England's opener against the USA on June 12.

Rob, a freelance ecologist, said: "As a hugely patriotic England fan and triathlete I was left with no choice but to swim, cycle and run my way to the World Cup.

"I have had plenty of hurdles to overcome before I can revel in the glory of a successful England campaign, but I've no doubt I will be there to cheer our boys on.

"I've got tickets for all of England's group matches and hope to follow their progress all the way to the final.

"The last thing I want to do is miss the kick-off after all the effort to get there."

Rob came up with the idea of getting to the World Cup by cycling, swimming and running to raise money for the Re-Cycle charity which collects second hand bicycles and ships them to Africa.

For most Africans, without public transport or cars, they become their only means of getting around.

Rob, who set himself a £19,000 fund-raising goal, has cycled through 21 countries and two continents and is currently in Pietermaritzburg in South Africa.

He is enjoying ten rest days before he takes part in the gruelling 89km Comrades Marathon in Durban on May 30.

From there he will cycle the final 700km leg of his trek to Rustenburg in time for England's first game.

Rob, whose girlfriend Helen Hazzledine cycled with him for several weeks through Africa, will be joined on the final leg by two friends.

He said: "Swimming across the strait for six hours was a huge physical and mental test. But I saw whales and dolphins.

"Cycling across Africa I was approaching village chiefs to sleep somewhere secure and it was a voyage of discovery.

"You get desperately hungry cycling for up to 10 hours a day, and I ate caterpillars, porcupine, camel and crocodile from street sellers."

Other contestants in the Continental tyres competition include pregnant Spurs fan, Carrie Hobbs, who delayed a caesarean section for 10 days because it clashed with a game.

Aston Villa supporter Jonathan Fear went to a match against his doctor's orders after being diagnosed with a rare brain condition, fearing he might not live to see another.

And Manchester City fan Chris Sagar called off his wedding day which had been two years in planning because it clashed with a big game at Wembley.
 
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