Two former rugby teammates are preparing to push themselves to the limit in an extraordinary one-day endurance challenge across the Island, to support Mountbatten Isle of Wight.

Endurance enthusiasts Sam Tyson and Kemp Price will swim, cycle and run 100 miles in a single day on 11 July to raise vital funds for the Island’s hospice charity.

Their ambitious route begins with a two-mile ‘pier-to-pier’ sea swim from Sandown to Shanklin, before the pair immediately set off on a gruelling 70-mile cycle around the Island’s coastline.

To finish, Sam and Kemp will take on a 28-mile run following the iconic Walk the Wight route, with an additional Newport loop added to ensure they complete the official ultramarathon distance before crossing the finish line at Freshwater Bay.

“Anyone who’s done Walk the Wight knows it feels like far more than a marathon,” said Sam. “The elevation alone is tough, even on fresh legs. Combining that with a full Island cycle and a sea swim is going to be a serious test of endurance.”

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Above, from left: Kemp Price and Sam Tyson.

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The pair said they wanted to take on a challenge big enough to inspire people to support Mountbatten at a time when many charities are facing increasing financial pressure.

“People don’t have money to spare right now, so we knew it had to be something significant,” Sam added. “Lots of people have cycled around the Island or completed Walk the Wight on their own, and they know how hard those are individually. Doing all three together is what makes this such a challenge.”

Sam and Kemp are aiming to complete the feat in between 12 and 14 hours. “Hopefully we’re not still going at two in the morning,” Sam joked. “But if we are, we are.”

Originally setting themselves a fundraising target of £2,000, after strong early support, the duo has set their sights on raising £5,000 for Mountbatten’s end-of-life care and bereavement services.

“My dad has recently had Mountbatten support him at home,” shared Kemp. “Once that care touches your family, you realise just how important it is.”

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Funds raised from the challenge will help Mountbatten continue providing 24/7 expert care across the Isle of Wight. Around 85 per cent of that care is delivered in people’s homes, alongside support provided through the charity’s inpatient unit in Newport and outpatient and day services at the John Cheverton Centre on the same site.

The challenge is already attracting support from across the Island community. Beach Boys Water Sports will provide safety cover during the swim, while friends and family will assist the pair throughout the day.

Members of the public are also invited to join Sam and Kemp for parts of the challenge, including sections of the cycle and running route, although they stress this is not a formal event and participants take part at their own risk.