One of Leicestershire's leading triathletes has received a major boost in his bid to make another breakthrough.
"White has set his sights on his next big target -breaking the magical nine-hour barrier for the Ironman event"
Mark White, who was the second Briton home in last October's world-famous Hawaii Ironman,
has won a place in the TRI UK team and, with it, handsome sponsorship worth around £4,000 for the year.
Now the 36-year-old is setting his sights on his next big target - breaking the magical nine-hour barrier for the
Ironman event which involves swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running a 26.2-mile marathon.
White set a landmark performance in covering the Hawaii course in 9hr 26min 36sec, despite temperatures that
touched 45 degrees Centigrade, and now believes he can go that extra step.
According to the Wigston firefighter, an elite group of less than 10 Britons have beaten nine hours.
He already has a lifetime best of 9hr 6min from Wolverhampton's Longest Day Ironman earlier last year, even though
his Hawaii performance is rated far higher by those in the know and he hopes he can beat the clock when he tackles the world's biggest triathlon, the Quelle Challenge Roth, which takes place near Nuremburg, Germany, on July 3.
White believes that a sub 9hr clocking would give him a top 30 place overall and top-five in the strongest of all the
age categories, the M35-39 section.
And, he says, it might even open the door to Great Britain selection.
The German event, which regularly attracts 3,000 triathletes and around 50,000 spectators, doubles as the World Firefighters Ironman Championships, and White has also been given £350 by the Leicestershire Fire Service Sports & Social Club towards competing. Crucially though, the sponsorship package from TRI UK, a Yeovil based company which is the biggest triathlon
retailer in the world, has lifted a weight off White's shoulders.
He is one of a select few to receive the elite package which includes a £2,500 Cannondale racing bike, a top of the range
Foor wetsuit, Saucony training and racing shoes, a full Foor triathlon kit and nutrition supplies.
"I'm very honoured and very lucky to get the deal," said White.
"I'm one of a few athletes to come in at this level on the elite package".
"It's humbling to think that they think that highly of me but of course, there's now the pressure on me to go out and perform."
White is also keen to inspire other up and coming triathletes and is in the process of setting up his own website:
www.markwhite-ironman.co.uk
 
By Graham Melton (Leicester Mercury)
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TRI UK The World's Largest Triathlon Store - Official Elite Sponsor Of Mark White