Rhian Roxburgh competes for Team GB in the World's Toughest Challenge - with $100,000 prize money.

*Pictured above - Rhian Roxburgh prepares for the race with her team mates.

Rhian Roxburgh competes for Team GB in the World's Toughest Challenge...with $100,000 prize money.

Report by Don Hale.

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

 

Top North Wales triathlete and coach Rhian Roxburgh has been selected to represent Team GB as part of a four-person team to compete this week in the ‘World’s Toughest Challenge,’ and she could win a share of a $100,000 reward.

The Llandudno based award-winning all-round endurance athlete is currently travelling to Sweden to take part in the One Water Race against nine other rival teams from Australia, France, Canada, Sweden, plus other combined nations teams from 19-21st August, during a gruelling event that will last for about 60-hours non-stop over 5 varied stages

The race covers a distance of about 250 km, the equivalent of 6 marathons, and is split up into approximately 200 km running, and 50 km swimming events. The running takes place on all types of terrain, rocks, cliffs, gravel roads, paths but mostly unpaved and difficult terrain, with swimming staged in the open sea, and can often feature strong winds, currents and waves.

The event combines extreme physical endurance with tactical navigation and teamwork, and using only a map and compass, teams must battle unpredictable weather, cold waters, rugged terrain, day, night and the complete darkness. Along the way, they must locate and pass unknown checkpoints, making strategy and decision-making just as crucial as physical.

 

The One Water Race aims to elevate endurance racing to a new level, both as a concept and by offering higher prize money of $100.000 to help inspire and enable athletes to invest more in their sport and be compensated for the effort required to overcome this extreme challenge.

 

Team GB confirmed this week: “We have a dedicated squad united by one mission, to represent Great Britain in this One Water Race. Since January 2024, they have been training relentlessly for this extreme challenge, where endurance, strategy, and teamwork will be the key to success. The goal is not just to compete – they want to grow, learn, and develop as a team, and our Team 4 features - Gaz Roberts, Rhian Roxburgh, Chris Goodfellow with support Mike Alexander.

 

Rhian Roxburgh (*pictured above) just before she left for her race explained: “Just a few days to go until I embark on my biggest adventure, the One Water Race – 250km of swimming and running across 30,000 islands in Sweden’s Stockholm Archipelago. Eeek! 

“I’m racing as part of Team 4 GBR, the first-ever British team to take on this challenge. Three of us will be on course at all times, mostly bungeed together, with one on the boat keeping us fed, prepped, and helping with navigating! It’s way out of my comfort zone – my first SwimRun was only last year – but we’ve trained hard, we have prepped well and we’re ready to go! 

“Big thanks to everyone who has supported me so far, shared their learnings, trained with me and those who have helped me through challenging times of combining training with family, work and club ‘stuff.' No phone, no GPS, just swimming, running, navigating and a lot of grit. See you on the other side!”

*The event is also an initiative to raise awareness about water issues and sustainability, and for the audience, it’s a unique opportunity to witness an incredible struggle where only the strongest and most united teams reach the finish line. 

*And people can follow the drama and cheer on the participants in this epic challenge, with the entire race live streamed with information available 24hrs a day, on their website: onewaterrace.com/teams/team-4-gbr

Follow live: onewaterrace.com