Aberdeen

Monster success at Hazlehead…

150 RUNNERS AND RIDERS TACKLE THE CITY'S FIRST EVER BIKE AND RUN EVENT

Around 150 competitors enjoyed the sunshine and tackled the first ever Aberdeen First Mini Monster today (Sunday 7 June) raising money for Save the Children and other charities.

The family bike and run event for teams of four took place at the citys Hazlehead Park. With a race for families and a more challenging one for adults, there was plenty of entertainment for the spectators and supporters.

One of the worlds top endurance athletes, Aberdeen ironman triathlete Scott Neyedli (30), won the adult event. Scott had planned to tackle the entire event solo, however a hand injury prevented him from cycling. He called upon the services of First Monster Challenge Champion, Steve Boyd (39), himself one of Aberdeens fittest athletes, to take on the two cycling legs. So with Scott sprinting the two running legs, and Steve tearing up the course on his bike, they achieved an incredible time of 1 hour and 5 minutes, way ahead of the rest of the field.

The 2007 Ironman UK Champion said: "It was a brilliant event. The atmosphere was fantastic. It was great to see so many youngsters and families taking part. I certainly hope the First Mini Monster will become a fixture in the calendar.

Scott added: "Although I am used to running and cycling much longer distances, the event has helped me sharpen up ahead of the Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii later this year. I will certainly be back next year to take on the First Mini Monster!"

Finishing in second place was the First Aberdeens Lost Property Team led by John Ralph (56). He tackled the First Mini Monster kitted out in lost property items from Firsts Aberdeen bus operations. In the adult race, John completed his 3km run dressed as celebrity chef Marco Pierre White, after a chefs outfit was left behind on one of Firsts buses recently. John also decided to run an extra leg dressed as a woman, wearing a combination of items left on buses. He said: "I really enjoyed the event, although I did have difficulty keeping my nightie on " the wind kept blowing it up! The main objective was to raise cash for Save the Children and it was great to see so many people cheering me on." The Lost Property Team finished the event in 1 hour 17 minutes.

Winners of the Family event were Team Thissen in a time of 41 minutes and 45 seconds. The Family event was half the distance of the adult race - between the four they completed two 1.5km running legs and two 5km cycling legs. The team consisted of Tom and Marianne Thissen and their children Michelle (13) and Dylan (11).

FirstGroups Communications and Public Affairs Director, Paul Moore, completed the entire event solo " a total of 6km running and 20km cycling. His impressive time of 1 hour 25 minutes was one of the talking points of the event.

Organisers FirstGroup hailed the inaugural Aberdeen First Mini Monster a resounding success. "It was a fantastic day," said Sir Moir Lockhead, Chief Executive of the Aberdeen based transport giant. "It was wonderful to see such a large and enthusiastic field, and particularly pleasing to see so many families and of course First staff and First customers participating. My congratulations go to each and every competitor. Although we have yet to calculate a grand total, lots of money has been raised for Save the Children and other charities."

He added: "What impressed me most about the event was the broad range of competitors the event attracted. We had parents with children as young as three years old, and we had some grand-parents also taking part. Meanwhile in the adult event Scott Neyedli, arguably the fittest athlete Aberdeen has ever seen, was competing alongside a whole range of runners and riders of varying abilities and fitness levels."

Sir Moir started the races today and cheered on ‘Team Lockhead in the Family Event. The team consisted of a combination of Sir Moirs children and grandchildren and finished third.

The Aberdeen First Mini Monster comprised two relay races, one for families and one for adults. The family race saw teams of four complete two running sections, each 1.5km long, and two 5km cycling sections. In the adult event teams of four also tackled two runs and two cycles " the run was 3km and the cycle 10km. In both races, each team member completed one leg only.

Entry to the Aberdeen First Mini Monster Challenge was £5 per person (or £20 per team). FirstGroup will donate 25 percent of the entry fee to Save the Children.

Aberdeen is one of five cities throughout the UK to host a First Mini Monster Challenge. Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Bristol will also stage an event. For more information, visit www.firstmonster.com

In 2008 the First Monster Challenge in Inverness and the First Mini Monster events raised over £150,000 for charity.

2009 First Monster Events