Challenges for Chris raises over $6,000

It's been a tough and emotional year for Desiree Clarke-Noble, but also a very rewarding one.

The UK-based Kiwi completed four events in a series of gruelling challenges in memory of her brother Chris and she managed to fundraise a total of $6,119.49 for Surf Life Saving in the process.

Christopher Perreau drowned in Mokihinui on the West Coast in January 2012 and lifeguards from the Buller Surf Life Saving Club responded very quickly and recovered Chris's body.

"Though nothing could be done to save Chris, the team from Buller Surf Life Saving Club worked heroically to recover his body within hours. This meant we could have Chris at home with us to say our goodbyes, goodbyes that were tragically many years too soon, but were incredibly healing for all of Chris's family and friends," she says.

Her first challenge was on April 21 where she joined around 37,000 other runners in the London Marathon and on August 4 she joined around 20,000 other cyclists at Olympic Park in East London to take on the London-Surrey 100 mile bike ride.

Then, she completed the Vitruvian half Ironman distance triathlon through Leicestershire which involved a 1.9 kilometre swim and 85 kilometre cycle, topped off by a 21 kilometre run. And finally, she completed the Pembrokeshire Coast Challenge, which involved running 42 kilometres a day for three days (a total of 126 kilometres) along the rugged Welsh coast.

Desiree has covered the costs of all her events and every cent she has raised is being passed on to Surf Life Saving New Zealand and the Buller Surf Life Saving Club.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand CEO Paul Dalton says on behalf of the organisation, he would like to extend his thanks to Desiree.

"Running one marathon is hard enough, let alone completing four gruelling challenges. You should be very proud of what you have achieved and we are incredibly grateful for your amazing efforts," he says. 

Desiree says she is really humbled by the support and amazed by the total amount that she managed to raise. "I didn't have a set target so I have been really touched by all the support from so many people who didn't even know Chris," she says.

To read Desiree's blogs and see some photos, visit her fundraising blog page at challengesforchris.wordpress.com.

For more information, please contact:

Lisa Honeybone, Media & Communications Specialist, SLSNZ
Phone 09 303 9335 or 0276 488 823
Email lisa.honeybone@surflifesaving.org.nz