One of the world’s largest duathlons has announced a new partnership with rugby charity Restart, in a bid to support and unite the rugby community.
Restart Rugby, the official charity of the Rugby Players Association (RPA), has become the Headline Charity Partner for London Duathlon, which heads to Richmond Park in London on 3 September.
The relationship will see many people from within and around the rugby community, including former players taking part in the run, bike, run event to fundraise for Restart.
Following a turbulent period for rugby, event organisers for the London Duathlon, LimeLight Sports Club, wanted to utilise south-west London’s rugby heartland location to give back to the rugby community, providing a powerful platform to fundraise vital funds to support those that have been impacted by the sport’s financial challenges in recent years.
Premiership Rugby sides Wasps, Worcester Warriors and London Irish have all slipped into administration following devastating financial uncertainty, resulting in the loss of three clubs from the domestic game in England.
As a result, players and all staff were forced to leave the clubs and find employment elsewhere, in many cases overseas.
Now, the leading run, bike, run race in the UK, which expects to see around 4,000 head to Richmond Park, will also see those in and around the rugby community from fans to former players entering the race as part of Restart. Information on those taking part will be announced shortly.
Former professional rugby player for Saracens, Worcester and Leicester, Dan Zaltzman, who now works with LimeLight Sports Club, said: “It’s been an extremely challenging period for the professional game, with a devastating impact that goes way beyond the pitch. As individuals lose their livelihoods, families are uprooted and supporters say goodbye to an integral aspect of their communities.
At LimeLight Sports Club, we know about the power of major events and how they can bring together communities and unite.
This is why the London Duathlon wanted to partner with Restart to offer a platform which can bring the rugby community together to help those directly impacted by the destruction we’ve witnessed recently.
Taking place at Richmond Park, the London Duathlon is located perfectly in south-west London’s rugby heartlands with Twickenham just around the corner and not far from the former home of London Irish.”
Gus Fraser, Head of Fundraising at Restart Rugby added: “Through our exciting partnership with LimeLight Sports Club, we are now asking people to step up to the start line at the London Duathlon and fundraise for Restart Rugby.
The power of our collective effort will shape a brighter future for rugby players in need. After a turbulent period for the sport, we can all come together to run, cycle, and score for a stronger, more resilient rugby community. Together, we can make a lasting impact.”
The London Duathlon is one of only a small number of closed-route duathlons in the UK, making it a must-attend for people looking for personal best times.
Participants can choose from three distance options and a relay race: the half duathlon involves a 5k run, followed by a 22k bike ride, and a further 5k run; the full duathlon is double that distance (10k run, 44k bike ride, 10k run); and the ultra duathlon option challenges participants to run 20k, cycle 77k, and run a final 20k.
The event is aimed at people of all levels and as well as a superb stand-alone event, it is also seen as a great way for runners and cyclists to begin to build their way up to taking part in a full triathlon.
To sign up to the London Duathlon, visit www.londonduathlon.com.