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Alex Jones, Angellica Bell, Hal Cruttenden, Doon Mackichan, Ore Oduba and Suzi Perrset set sail today, Monday 7th March, at approx. 7.30am from Belfast Harbour. Gale force winds are due to hit the south coast of England on Wednesday so they'll be racing against time to make it around Land's End as quickly as possible.
This decision was made late Sunday night that sailing north was no longer an option as the boat would encounter 10m high waves around the Orkney Isles, which no sailboat can sail in! Not even Ian Walker, the first British skipper to win the Volvo Ocean Race and the skipper on the challenge, fancied his chances running into waves this big as he has never faced waves of such height during the whole of the Volvo Ocean Race!
The mammoth challenge will see them battle fearsome winds, freezing temperatures and rough seas, in a feat of pure physical, mental and emotional endurance. The challenge is sponsored by BT, a long-term supporter of Sport Relief challenges since 2009.
Ian Walker, Volvo Ocean Race Skipper, said “The celebrities will really need to use all of their strength and all get stuck in to make sure we sail past Land’s End in time to find shelter for 24hrs between Tuesday night and Wednesday night whilst the storm hits us. However, they will not be getting off the boat so no getting their hopes up as we will be like sitting ducks, dropping the anchor somewhere between Falmouth and Portsmouth to sit out the storm!”
The celebrity crew are all paired up into a buddie system so they are able to carry out their daily tasks of manually hoisting the sails with the largest sail being as big as two and a half volleyball courts, steering the boat, and much more in four hour shifts. The team are living, sleeping and working on the Volvo Ocean 65 - a carbon-fibre speed machine that has been optimized for maximum performance. At 65 feet, and weighing in at 12,500kgs the vessel is as long as five cars and weighs the equivalent of twelve great white sharks.
The incredible feat kicked off in Belfast on Monday 7th March after a weekend of intense training, with The One Show audiences and Sport Relief supporters able to track the team’s progress by tuning in for live updates on BBC1’s The One Show, every day from 7pm. Suzi Perry will also be chatting to Simon Mayo live on Radio 2 every day during the challenge.
The crew need the public’s support to spur them on at sea by sponsoring them now at sportrelief.com/highseas
Inspired by the challenge? Then take on your own challenge by signing up to the Sport Relief Games, go to sportrelief.com/events to find out how.
The money raised from the BT Sport Relief Challenge: Hell on High Seas will help transform the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people both at home in the UK and across the world’s poorest communities.
The BT Sport Relief Challenge: Hell on High Seas isn’t the first Sport Relief Challenge BT has sponsored. From Davina’s Beyond Breaking Point, John Bishop’s Week of Hell, David Walliams’ epic swims, not to mention Jo Brand’s Hell of a Walk earlier this year where she trekked an incredible 135 miles from one side of the country to the other; BT has been there all the way.
ENDS
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Red Nose Day Media Team:020 7820 2500media@comicrelief.com(opens in new window)Press area07984510473 (out of hours only)
About Comic Relief
Comic Relief is a UK charity which aim to create a just world, free from poverty – where everyone is safe, healthy, educated and empowered. Since 1985, Comic Relief has raised over £1 billion. That money has helped, and is helping, people living incredible tough lives, both here at home in the UK and across the world.
For information about Comic Relief and the work it carries out, please visit comicrelief.com.
Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland).
For the latest news, statements and exclusive content direct from the Comic Relief Press Office follow @ComicReliefNews(opens in new window).
