TT RIDERS John McGuinness, Michael Rutter and Johnny Barton took time out of their busy schedule to lend their support to firefighters training for a Guinness World Record ladder climb attempt.
The trio visited the practice scaffold in the grounds of the old prison in Victoria Road, Douglas, this week to find out how the 10-strong team are getting on with their preparations for the 24-hour event.
The charity challenge will take place in Regent Street, Douglas, on July 13 and 14.
As it stands, the latter climb record is 109.59km, or 68.1 miles, over 24 hours. It is held by the New Zealand Fire Service and was achieved in Auckland, on the North Island, in December 2005.
To beat this, each team member must climb 460m per hour. A minimum of 11,040m per person is required to beat the record.
To put this challenge into context, Mount Everest stands at 8,848m, which means each team member has to climb 2,192m higher than that summit in 24 hours.
The charities set to benefit from the firefighters’ efforts are Help for Heroes, the Firefighters’ Benevolent Fund, the Hyperbaric Chamber, Rebecca House, Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation and the joint Isle of Man Newspapers/Manx Diabetic Group campaign Pumps 4 Kids. Pumps 4 Kids is raising money to pay for pump therapy for children with Type 1 diabetes, eradicating the need for injection therapy.
The attempt will begin at 4pm on Friday, July 13.
On the Saturday, firefighter Gary Kirby, who is organising the event, is hoping that there will be a bit of a party atmosphere in the street as the team continue to push through their gruelling task.
To that end, he has secured permission to use part of the nearby Royal Bank of Scotland International car park in which there will be a fire engine, aerial ladder, bouncy slide and burger van.
‘It’s going to be a big day hopefully,’ said Gary.
If you would like to sponsor the firemen tackling the challenge, visit their website where you can donate through Paypal – see {http://www.ladder24.im.ladder24.im}.