Tockington Manor School, Bristol played host to over 240 competitors plus their supporters from the business and property community at Colliers International’s annual TRYathlon last Friday (1 June). The popular event enjoyed full attendance for the sixth year in a row and raised £5,200 for this year’s charity partner, Gurkha Welfare Trust.
Tim Davies, Head of the South West and Wales for Colliers International, said: “It was a pleasure to see so many property professionals who have entered the TRYathlon in previous years returning and breaking records – we saw three new records set this year.
“It was also a relief to see them once again taking part in glorious sunshine. There had been so much torrential rain in preceding days it seemed likely that for the first time competitors would need to use waterproofs instead of sun lotion. However, on the day of the TRYathlon the sun shone as it has always done since 2013, although conditions were humid.”
The Colliers TRYathlon is held in accordance with British Triathlon rules, in which competitors have to swim 400m, cycle 16km, and run 5km, either as an individual or in teams of three. However, the emphasis is upon trying and having fun, as well as competing.
Results:
- Winner of the Fastest Male Under 40 category was Stan Gruncell in a record time of 50.26. Stan, of transport planning services company Vectos (South) Ltd, won the same category last year.
- There was also a new record in the Fastest Female Under 40 category, which was won by Helen Merrett of engineering, design and building consultants Arup, in a time of 1.04.53.
- The Fastest Triathlon Novice category also saw a new record set by Oliver Kolodseike, senior property economist at Colliers International, who completed the course in 54.50.
- Over 40 Male winner was Dave Wright, and Over 40 female winner was Kelly Smith of law form Burges Salmon. The winning male and female teams were respectively Vectos and Come on Tri-leen. The winning mixed-gender team was Team Langoustine.
All entry fees from the 2018 TRYathlon were donated to the Gurkha Welfare Trust, a charity which provides financial, medical and development aid to veteran Gurkha soldiers, their families and their communities. The £5,200 cheque was presented to Piers Lawson, Major Donor and Partnerships Officer at the Gurkha Welfare Trust by Tony Horrell, Chief Executive for the UK and Ireland at Colliers International, who himself ran 5km in the TRYathlon as part of a relay-team of three.
Mr Lawson, a former Army Major, told TRYathlon competitors after the event:
“Congratulations to all who ‘tried’ the TRYathlon this year and a big thank you from us we are so grateful for your support. The Gurkha Welfare Trust is the only charity in the UK that raises money for Gurkha veterans who have served the British crown. The money goes to their families and their communities in their homeland of Nepal, which you will probably recall suffered a major earthquake on 2015.
“We recently completed the construction of earthquake-proof homes for Gurkha pensioners who lost their homes, and we have now decided to build earthquake-resistant homes for every pensioner in Nepal as our gift to them and their families. I can assure you that every penny you have raised at the TRYathlon will be put to good use.”
