SICHEL HEADS FOR SWISS 24HR SUPER-MARATHON

Sanday runner, William Sichel, tackles his first 24 hour race of the season when he toes the line in the Basle International 24hr Road Race in Switzerland on Saturday May 3rd.

This will be William’s first 24hr race since setting a new Guinness World 24hr Treadmill record in Kirkwall at the end of last year.

In fact William is returning to the scene of his life-time best performance, as in May 2000 William won this prestigious event with a personal best distance of 153.3 miles that still remains as his best today.

“Basle holds very fond memories for me. It was the first time I had won an overseas race and the distance was a big personal best for me that I still haven’t beaten. I’m looking forward to returning.”

This leading road race is held on a scenic, one mile loop in St Jacobs park in Basle. A field of about 100 starters is expected in this ‘go as you please’ event. In 24 hour events the runner decides whether to run, walk or jog. All distance covered is recorded by teams of supportive lap counters. The Basle 24hr race has a world wide reputation as being of one of the best organised and most runner-friendly events. Many outstanding performances have been achieved in this race over the years.

With the combined World & European 24hr Championships being staged in Holland in October, William’s main aim is to try and achieve the qualifying distance, set by UK Athletics, of 140 miles for the individual ‘A’ standard or 137 miles for the ‘B’ team standard.

“In order to have a chance of selection for the GB team I need to achieve one of these distances before July 14th. I haven’t run that far since the last time I was in Basle but I feel I have a good chance this time. Anything can happen in these super-marathons, you just have to try and control what happens and keep mentally strong.”

William had a good start to 2003 with a strong run in March’s Barry 40 mile track race where he recorded a 40 mile track personal best time of 4hrs 41minutes 40secs to take 4th place.

William was voted Orkney’s first ‘Sportsman of the Year’ in November 2000. He is a member of the Orkney Athletic Club. With his wife, Elizabeth, he runs the Orkney Angora mail order knitwear business in Sanday.

William is grateful to sponsors Orkney Meat (main sponsor), The Ayre Hotel, The Orcadian and Crantit Dairy (Orkney Ice Cream).

Making contact:

William Sichel, Upper Breckan, Sanday, Orkney KW17 2AZ. Tel/Fax: 01857 600421. Mobile (whilst travelling only) 0794 128 3506. william@williamsichel.co.uk Running web site: www.williamsichel.co.uk

Photographs:

Newsline Scotland (Press Agency). Tel 01224 594000. photos@newsline-scotland.co.uk

Ken Amer, Orkney Photographic. Tel 01856 873574, Mobile 07808 961780 info@orkneyphotographic.co.uk

William Sichel, ‘Free to use’ photographs can be down loaded from my on-line photo album. Go to: www.williamsichel.co.uk and click on ‘Photos’.

28/4/03