Nicky Farrugia has completed the first part of a new attempt to break the Enduroman Arch to Arc world record but rough conditions mean he does not know when he will attempt to cross the English Channel.

Farrugia, 49, is running, swimming and cycling between Marble Arch in London and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The current record is 81 hours, five minutes.

The first part of the challenge, a 140km run from Marble Arch to the Dover coast, was completed between Saturday and Sunday. Nicky started the run on Saturday at 10 p.m. (UK time) and covered the distance in 24hrs, 47mins and 47sec. The support team reported that he was tired but in high spirits.

He must now swim 33km across the English Channel to the French coast and cycle 290km from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe.

The current world record was set by Eddie Ette and stands at 81 hours 5 minutes.

His support team said Nicky will rest until he is given the go-ahead to start the swim across the Channel.

"After much discussion and looking at weather predictions we decided to start the run. The reason to start the run without a clear swim start time was made because no one could see any clear window to attempt the swim. We felt it was better to get the run done so that Nicky could be ready to swim on very short notice should the weather allow it. The tide is good up until Wednesday of next week, after that the spring tide will be too strong to swim."

Nicky Farrugia has been an athlete all his life. He crossed the English Channel on his fourth attempt in August 1989 in 12 hours 40 minutes.

He was the first Maltese to complete an Iron Man Triathlon, in Almere, Holland, in 1991. Subsequently he took part in 13 Iron Man events.

Nicky Farrugia attempted the Enduroman Arch to Arc earlier this year but had to stop short when he was lifted from the channel, a mere one mile away from the French coast.

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