Man of steel leaves for gruelling challenge

Raising money for charity will be the driving force behind triathlon athlete and Iron Man winner Nicky Farrugia when he competes in a series of gruelling endurance events starting Tuesday.

Mr Farrugia will be taking part in the Enduroman Arch to Arc (A2A) in the UK, a solo challenge that tests the body and mind of the most experienced athletes. In the meantime he will be raising money for Dar tal-Providenza and Inspire (the Eden and Razzett Foundation).

He will run 140 km from Marble Arch to Dover, swim 33 km across the English Channel to the French coast and finally cycle 276 km from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

The athlete has had his heart set on this challenge for seven years, though he started preparing for it last year.

The training involved demanding work, including long distance swimming, plunging himself into freezing, rough water, forcing himself to stay on his legs for a long time and working against his body clock.

"Endurance plays an important part in my being able to succeed," he explained.

Mr Farrugia has always enjoyed a challenge. By the age of 13, he had made his first team debut with waterpolo club Sirens, in the first division of the league. Built for endurance, he raised eyebrows when he turned his attention to long-distance swimming. He wanted to be the first person in the world to swim from Sicily to Malta.

"As a child I would look out across the sea and would always dream of crossing it, over the horizon," he recalls. And he did it in 1989.

Twenty years on, he is aiming for a bigger challenge: "Since I'm doing such a big thing, I want to do it for a good cause," Mr Farrugia said. Having a sister using the services of Dar tal-Providenza makes his mission more meaningful. "I know what it takes to care for someone; they need constant attention".

Taking part is not enough for Mr Farrugia and the 48-year-old athlete will also attempt to become the sixth Enduroman by breaking a world record in the triathlon.

The last world record was set by British athlete Eddie Ette, who completed the feat in 81 hours and five minutes. Mr Ette is one of only five athletes in history to have completed the arduous challenge. Interestingly, Mr Ette and Mr Farrugia have the same personal trainer.

Mr Farrugia has collected more trophies and medals than people have socks.

Described by his friends as gregarious, talkative, intuitive and a health freak, who lives on a diet of high protein, low carbohydrates and no smoking or alcohol, Mr Farrugia is a joker and a family man who enjoys staying home with his wife and three daughters.

People can support Mr Farrugia's world record attempt by sending a donation to Inspire's HSBC account 068-079821-050.