THE ENDUROMAN ARCH TO ARC TRIATHLON IS AN ULTRA-DISTANCE TRIATHLON FROM LONDON TO PARIS. Update: John is likely to start the event on 26-Aug at 0700. Follow his progress! The triathlon starts with an 87-mile run (140km) from London’s Marble Arch to Dover on the Kent coast, then a cross-channel swim (shortest distance 21 miles/33.8km) to the French coast, and finishes with a 180-mile (289.7km) bike from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The clock starts at Marble Arch, London and stops at Arc de Triomphe, Paris. Only 25 athletes have ever completed the challenge, and until 2011, more people had walked on the moon, than completed this event. Frenchman Cyril de Blanchard is the current world record holder in the event, with a time of 59h 56m. John van Wisse of Australia, was the world record holder between 2014 and 2016 - his record at 61 hours and 27 minutes, was a full 12 hours and 12 minutes faster than the previous record, held by the UK’s Mark Bayliss. This year in September 2017, John plans on again breaking the World record for this event by a considerable margin. John is passionate about helping others, either coached athletes, or people who for whatever reason need might need our help. To this end we are working with two outstanding charities who will each receive 50% of all donations made, Cure for MND Foundation (Fight MND), and TLC for Kids CURE FOR MND FOUNDATION - FIGHT MND Motor Neurone Disease (MND) or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is the name given to a group of diseases in which the nerve cells (neurones) controlling the muscles that enable us to move around, speak, swallow and breathe fail to work normally and eventually die. With no nerves to activate them the muscles gradually weaken and waste. With no residual muscles or strength, MND patients are left motionless, mute, and trapped within their once active bodies. In the majority, the mind and intellect are left intact, with the sufferer bearing witness to it all. The patterns of weakness and rate of progression vary from person to person, and while some people can live a long time with MND, the average life expectancy is just 27 months from diagnosis. Fight MND are passionate about funding the best and brightest MND research within Australia – to discover treatments and ultimately, a cure. TLC FOR KIDS Rushing a sick child to hospital and enduring long-stay admissions can be a stressful, world-shattering event. TLC for Kids is a children’s charity dedicated to providing practical and emotional support to sick kids and their families in these challenging times. No matter the child’s condition, TLC for Kids will do whatever they can to assist them through their trauma, during their hospital stay and beyond. TLC for Kids identifies strongly with John van Wisse’s commitment to going the distance, doing the tough yards to achieve something good. It is fitting that John’s personal endurance challenge will be able to help kids and families facing their own challenges. His fundraising will help TLC for Kids to support the children neglected by other services. This includes sufferers of accidents and burns, rare illnesses, abuse, mental health issues, and long-term conditions, as well as those facing painful or traumatic procedures. Thank you to everybody supporting to cause. YOU CAN HELP We encourage you to make a donation via the fund raising links below. Any money you donate is split 50:50 with these two outstanding charities.