500 triathletes took part in the Jenson Button Trust Triathlon at the Luton Hoo estate in Bedfordshire, UK, on Sunday 14 July, raising more than £30,000 for the event’s charity Help for Heroes. Watched by over 2,000 spectators, Jenson Button competed twice during the day finishing in 17th place, in a time of 00:55:41, against a strong field of triathletes.
The unique format saw competitors take part in a 300m lake swim, 9K bike and 2.5K run, all within the grounds of the beautiful Luton Hoo estate. The top 50 from each wave then went into a final consisting of 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run. The remaining participants from each wave contested a ‘wooden spoon’ race-off, giving all competitors a chance to race twice.
In the evening, participants and spectators joined the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver at a post-race party and prize giving, where entertainment was provided by beatbox band, Duke.
All those who took part were encouraged to fundraise for Help for Heroes, with money still coming in. Now in its fourth year, The Jenson Button Trust has raised vast sums of money for a number of charities close to Jenson’s heart.
The event was devised by the Formula 1 driver, a keen triathlete, as part of his training and to raise money for good causes.
Chobani, SNO Iceland Glacier Water, Santander, Huub and Maxifuel all supported this year’s event.
Jenson Button said “It was a fantastic day with a great level of competition but with a relaxed atmosphere. There is a real family feel to the day, with a buzzing event village for both spectators and triathletes to enjoy, and we had some great partners that helped to create the festival vibe that I was keen to capture when we launched the event last year.”
He continued, “Most importantly, I’m delighted that we’ve a raised a good amount of money for Help for Heroes. The guys and girls do so much for us, so it’s great to be able to give something back. I’d like to thank everybody who donated and supported this year’s event and I can’t wait for next year!”
To sponsor and help in the raising of funds for charity visit: www.justgiving.com/jensonbutton.
www.jensonbutton.com/triathlon
