Endurance athletes complete the Arch to Arc

Sunday 31 July 2016

Two Islanders have achieved a remarkable goal in the triathlon to beat all triathlons - running, swimming and cycling all the way from People’s Park to Paris.

Andy Truscott and Paul Burrows, pictured at the L'Arc De Triomphe, covered the 250 miles over the weekend, all in aid of Jersey Hospice Care. Mr Truscott, who 'won' the two-man challenge, even vowed to one day do it again. "Never say never," he said, while nursing a beer at the French capital.

The hardy pair left Jersey Hospice Care Arch in the park at 07:00 Saturday morning for the 11-mile run to St Catherine’s Breakwater on the eastern tip of the island. 

From there they swam the 21 miles to Port Bail in France before donning their cycling shorts for the 218-mile gruelling ride to L’Arc De Triomphe in Paris.

Originally the pair were going to do the ultra triathlon in relay, but several months ago they decided to go for the full distance each, from Arch to Arc. 

Pictured below is Paul Burrows at the end of his running section and just about to get in the water for the swim to France. 

Mr Truscott said he was worried about the swimming element as it was an equal distance - 21 miles - to his longest swim. 

Mr Truscott, a sales representative, said: "Please don't ask me to this ever again.

"It was tough, really tough. I came home in 34 hours, 31 minutes and 28 seconds about ten minutes ahead of Paul, but to be honest, that doesn't interest me at all. It is the toughest thing I've ever done.

"The cycle was the toughest of the lot. I'm a good swimmer and broke my record doing the 21 miles in six hours, 37 minutes. The cycling on top of that made it really hard.

"Never say never. I certainly won't be doing it again next week."

Mr Burrows, a financial consultant, said: "Andy is a much better swimmer and he made up so much time on that stage, but it was great. I'm feeling a bit ropey and I might be sick. But other than that, I feel great."