Three-legged bid to enter record books

By John Hill on March 6, 2008 2:31 PM |

Tagged with:

MANY Wharf workers grumble about trudging down the stairs of One Canada Square for fire drills.

But two fitness fanatics are daring to go one step further – by scaling the tower with their legs tied together.

Thrill-seekers Heather Derbyshire and Karen Fingerhut hope to set a world record by enduring a gruelling three-legged climb up the stairwell of the building next month.

The attempt will kick off a series of globe-trotting charity challenges for the pair, who are hoping to raise as much as £44,000 for When You Wish Upon a Star, a charity which grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

Stockport-based fitness instructor Heather, 28, said: “It’s quite hard to break existing world records. So we decided to do something no one had done before.
“Somebody went up the CN Tower in Canada on a pogo-stick once, but so far no one’s been daft enough to ring up Canary Wharf Group and ask if they can hop up their tower.
“It’s really difficult to find a complete stairwell that’s big enough to train on.
“We’ve been going up and down a set of 30 stairs in a park in Stockport again and again, and people think we’re very strange.”
The dynamic duo will have to brave 4,388 stairs during their attempt on April 6. They will then return to the north west to try to set a record for the biggest mass three-legged race on April 13.
Heather and Karen will set off around the world for eight months in late April, attempting trials in four different continents. They will trek 500 miles over the French Pyrenees to north-west Spain, before braving an eight-day hike along an Inca trail to the ruins of Machu Picchu. On arrival in Australia, the girls will take on an Olympic distance triathlon before saddling up for a 260-mile bike ride from Bangkok to Khao Sam Roi Yot.
Self-employed report writer Karen, 37, said: “We want to raise as much money as we can, and have a fantastic time as well. This whole trip is self-funded, so every penny donated will go to the charity. It’s all slightly mad, but we’ll be raising money for a good cause.”
A spokesperson for Canary Wharf Group said the company was delighted to help support a very worthwhile cause.
She said: “A lot of departments in Canary Wharf Group have lent their support and help to this project, from Security to Health & Safety, and we all wish the ladies the very best of luck.”
To donate money or follow the pair’s progress, go to www.2fitbirds.com.