ENGLAND'S hopes will be riding high on a group of friends from Herefordshire, planning to take part in a major international sports challenge.
Clare Fenton, Ian Gamble, John Utley and Stanton King will be the only English team in Kyrgyzstan next April, competing in Raid Gauloises.
The 10-day charity event will stretch Team Kumala to their limits as they take part in challenges ranging from white water swimming and sea kayaking to climbing and mountain biking.
Frantic pace
Stanton King from Hereford, who organised the team, competed in the Jordan Desert Cup last November and wanted to take part in another big event and raise money for county charities, yet to be decided, at the same time.
Team Kumala will first have to qualify by taking part in a series of intensive weekend events, each covering a distance of up to 220km, between now and October in Sweden, France, Colorado, Austria and Spain.
"The different sections follow each other at a frantic pace with up to 8,000 metres covered in two days, the equivalent of Mount Everest. The top 30 overall teams will qualify for the Raid event in April 2003," said Stanton.
The super fit team that includes Clare, a fitness instructor at Hereford Leisure centre, Ian, a PE teacher and John, a builder from Leominster, is in with a fighting chance.
The team is partly funded by Western Wines but is desperately seeking additional support.
Anyone who can help may contact Stanton King on 01432 370632 or 07974 222552. For further information visit the website www.raidseries.com
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