GB age-group triathlete, Claire Danson (32), is the latest athlete to announce her participation in ‘the world’s longest single day triathlon’, the 255 Triathlon, which takes place on Sunday, August 8th, at Goodwood motor racing circuit in South East England.
Claire Danson was involved in a collision with a tractor whilst cycling in 2019, resulting in a spinal cord injury leaving her paralysed from the waist down. She has chosen to take on the 255 Triathlon to mark the two-year anniversary of her accident and to fundraise for the spinal cord research foundation Wings for Life.
She explained “Since the accident I have been determined to carry on doing what I was doing before; I didn’t want my accident to get the better of me. When I heard about the 255 Triathlon it felt like the perfect opportunity to really challenge myself.
“As a triathlete for Team GB, before my accident, I probably wouldn’t have considered taking on such an ambitious endurance challenge, but the possibility of taking part in this race is just one of the many amazing opportunities which have arisen for me over the past two years. I’m currently training around 20 hours a week in preparation for race day.”
The 255 Triathlon is a unique new endurance event adding almost 20 extra miles to the popular iron-distance triathlon format. The race begins with a 5km lake swim followed by a 200km traffic-free cycle on the historic motor racing circuit at Goodwood and finishing with a 50km run.
Competitors will have up to 18 hours to complete the 255km distance. The multi-lap race format will offer a spectator experience with live leaderboards and views overlooking the pit lane where competitors will have their own pit stop box to refuel throughout the day.
Claire has recently been appointed as an ambassador for Wings for Life and praises the organisation’s work in supporting research to find a cure for spinal cord injury.
She is encouraging other triathletes to join her at the 255 Triathlon in August, helping her to raise funds for Wings for Life. “The event has an exciting relay option which allows teams of up to four to take on the 255km distance together as a relay.
“This is a great opportunity for friends to take part together as a team, completing the distance between them and raising much needed funds for this amazing charity.”
