The competition, as well as the weather, was hot at this year’s annual JLL Property Triathlon and Property Swim. Some 3,500 competitors descended on Dorney Lake in Eton, Berkshire, where they donned Lycra onesies (and, in some cases, budgie smugglers!) to swim, bike and run their way round the famous sporting location.
The Property Swim, a 2.2km splash down the length of the lake, was back for its third year, with more than 160 competitors taking part.
Wetsuits were optional as temperatures soared, but most chose to wear theirs for the extra buoyancy. The male winner, Sebastian Young from MJ Mapp, stormed the swim, covering the length of the lake in just over 26 minutes. The female winner, Sarah Moore from MRPP, finished just three minutes behind.
This year JLL introduced a race for the industry’s non-swimmers – a sprint duathlon. The race, comprising a 5km run, 21.5km cycle and 2.5km run to the finish line, attracted 180 competitors in its inaugural year. Marc Leyshon from Wedlake Bell was the male winner with a time of 1 hour, 5 minutes. The female winner was Estates Gazette’s deputy editor Samantha McClary, who notched a time of 1 hour, 15 minutes.
More than 1,130 property professionals (and four Ninja Turtles) took part in the traditional sprint triathlon, aiming to emulate the speed and grace of JLL-sponsored triathlete and two-time world champion Helen Jenkins. First-timers and seasoned pros braved the hot sun and traditional Dorney headwinds to swim 750m, cycle 21.5km and run 5km.
Knight Frank’s Tom Wade won the male race with a time of 1 hour, 2 minutes, followed less than 30 seconds later by Tom Higgins from SJ Higgins Property Consultants. In the women’s race, Opus Land’s Kate Curran crossed the line first in 1 hour, 11 minutes.
Male, female and mixed teams joined forces for the relay races, with wins for
TP Bennett, Groundsure and Trowers & Hamlins, respectively.
The event, now in its 9th year, raised more than £167,000 for its chosen charity, Starlight, which grants wishes for seriously and terminally ill children. Since the Property Triathlon began, competitors have raised a total of more than £1.3m for charity.
And there is an opportunity to boost that figure further. Spaces are still available in JLL’s new event, the Property Triathlon North. In partnership with Peel Holdings, a day of racing is being staged at Media City in Salford, Greater Manchester. More than 700 people have already signed up for the individual and relay events.
