Long-distance swimmer and passionate environmentalist Ross Edgley (above left) teamed up with legendary Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy and unstoppable athletics icon Dame Kelly Holmes to compete in a Relay Triathlon in Edinburgh last month in a bid to raise awareness for the vital importance of our wild seas, and Talisker’s ongoing support of Parley for the Oceans’ marine conservation projects.
In a never-attempted challenge, the three wild spirits raced consecutively along Edinburgh’s coastline, towards Cramond Island, which sits 1.5 km off the shores of the Scottish capital. The perfect precincts for a race, the wild challenge started in the Firth of Forth, where swimming stalwart Ross Edgley dived into the crisp 10 degree waters of the famous Scottish Estuary.
Propelling himself across the 1.5km to the shore, it took Ross just 18 minutes to reach Silversands Beach, where Sir Chris Hoy was waiting. Once Ross had run up the beach and tagged him, Chris embarked on a stunning 15.8km cycle which took him across the iconic Forth Road Bridge and along the Scottish coastline in a rapid 34 minutes to meet Dame Kelly Holmes.
A sprint until the very end, Kelly raced through the triathlon’s final 11km in an incredible 48 minutes, completing the final leg along the causeway before it was taken by the tide and leaving the three wild spirits victorious.
Coming together with the shared goal of raising awareness for the need to preserve and protect sea kelp forests in Scotland, the athletes competed with marine ecosystems in mind. The research, that Talisker has helped fund through their long-term partnership with Parley, is being carried out at Edinburgh-based Heriot-Watt University, who along with Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and the Blue Marine Foundation are undertaking independent scientific research in the Orkney Islands.These islands offer a remote, biodiversity-rich and abundant area of underwater kelp forests.
Native to Talisker’s home, the Isle of Skye, sea forests are prime underwater habitats which cover 25% of the world’s coastline and play a critical role in planetary health, but are vanishing four times faster than rainforests. Parley for the Oceans and their partners will help to showcase how essential these underwater forests are and encourage greater levels of protection.
Dame Kelly Holmes said, “It was close but we did it! I was incredibly excited to be partnering with Talisker to undertake this epic race in the name of ocean conservation. The triathlon was a great challenge and I was delighted to have two legendary sportspeople on my team to race in and alongside Scotland’s beautiful waters to Cramond Island, uniting our sporting strengths to beat the tide.”
Talisker’s connection with the ocean goes back hundreds of years starting when founders, the MacAskill brothers, stepped onto the shores to set up the first distillery on the Isle of Skye. Talisker Whisky is very much a product of its coastal home, the ocean that surrounds it has created and shaped the signature maritime and briny notes that can be tasted in its whisky today.
Follow Ross, Chris and Kelly’s Race for the Sea on @Talisker, @ Parley.Tv, @RossEdgley, @ChrisHoy1 and @DameKellyHolmes
Please drink responsibly. For the facts drinkaware.co.uk.
