9Bar Star...

 

Novembers 9bar star is Lucy Gossage

Lucy told us "I'm a cancer doctor and I'm doing a research PhD based around kidney cancer in Cambridge. I'm also one of those crazy people who races ironman - the silly super long triathlons which incorporate a full marathon after a 2.4 mile swim and a 112 mile bike ride. Last month I raced the Ironman world championships in Hawaii which was an incredible experience; hot, humid, windy and hard - but totally and utterly fulfilling. Crossing the finish line knowing I had given absolutely everything I had is a memory I hope I'll treasure for a long time. I discovered 9bars in the springtime,. I bought one to try and soon became a convert. In fact they fuelled the majority of my epic rides over the summer - as well as those of my friends who soon became as enthusiastic as I am about them!

 

Our october 9bar star is Kitesurfer Lee "Pasty" Harvey

Lee tells us "I started Surfing and Sailing around the waters of my home in West Cornwall at age 5 and as I grew older naturally progressed into Windsurfing which combined the two elements of wind and waves. While working as an instructor in the med during 2009 a new and exciting sport suddenly exploded onto the scene which enabled you to do massive jumps without any waves. I just had to be involved and quickly took up this new sport of Kitesurfing instantly becoming hooked on the buzz of flying up to 50ft above the ocean. With my surfing background I had found my ultimate watersport. I really enjoy this new aspect and am doing my best to get to the Olympics in Rio 2016 for which it is hopefully going to be selected. My goals for 2011 and beyond are:

• Win British Wave & Race Championships
• Top 10 ISAF Race Worlds
• Top 5 Race Europeans
• Podium place on Wave World Tour
• Further the growth of my school Pasty Adventures
• Develop Kite Racing & Wave riding within the UK
• Ultimately gain selection for 2016 Olympics

Our 9bar star for September is Kitesurfer Nicky Rudd

Nicky started kitesurfing three years ago after having windsurfed for five years. Nicky says “When I flew the kite and rode across the water for the first time I was hooked. I spent the winter in the Dominican Republic and started competing on the British Freestyle Tour the following season. In a competition the riders have to perform as many tricks as they can in seven minutes, whilst they are judged on power and style, and technical difficulty. I achieved 3rd place on the British Freestyle Tour in 2008, and 2009, as well as 2nd Place in the Course Racing.  I spent last winter training and instructing in WA and have competed on the European and British tours this summer. I competed in five different countries, against riders from fourteen different nations, achieving 3rd place over all for Womens European Freestyle. I am currently ranked 2nd on the British Tour, with one more competition left to go.I really enjoy competition and the sense of achievement it brings, it is a great chance to watch others ride, and appreciate their skill, and I feel very privileged to be involved in such an incredible sport, which has so much to offer. I plan to spend the winter training in WA, with the hope to compete in the Europeans and Worlds in 2011.Thanks to 9 Bar for keeping me well fueled and giving me the energy I need on the water!

For August Kieron Jackson is our 9bar star

Kieron is a member of rochdale triathlon club and have entered events from sprint to ironman distance over the past 3 and a half years. Last year after a steady improvement he realised he had great potential. He works full time as an electrician and struggles to fit in the required training sessions but he has amazing determination and we are proud to say that he has qualified to represent GB at the world triathlon champs in hungary sept 2010. Kieron hopes to turn proffessional in 2-3 years time and feels 9bar is helping him achieve this. He says "it is often difficult to eat a healthy nutritious snack when life is so busy but 9Bar fits the bill." We are sure Kieron will realise his dream, good luck in September.

 

Our 9bar star for July is Jo Kilkenny

In her relatively short time in ultra running she has become one of the best female ultra runners. Her many achievements include the Marathon of Britain, a 175mile race across England. In 2007 Jo took the ladies title. Jo says "This race was an obsession of mine from the moment I pulled out in 2006 to the minute I crossed the finish line in 2007. I honestly believe that this taste of failure is part of what spurs me on now. It drove me to prove myself and never, if possible, experience it again.

My most recent achievement is the Gobi Challenge. With this I knew I was capable of finishing so was aiming for a placing, top 5 overall would do so I was delighted with 1st woman and 3rd overall. This is my best result so far and it was a fantastic race, I’d recommend it to anyone.

I am hoping to add Enduroman Arch 2 Arc to my list of achievements next year and am swimming loch lomond in preparation for it this September. Coming up this year I am doing Eagle Isle Ultra and (hopefully) Indo Ultra as well as an event called Loch Lomania, running the length of Loch Lomond, swimming it then cycling. I will also be running the Might Contain Nuts Ultra series in Wales (www.mightcontainnuts.com) This is all in aid of the Yamaa Trust."

 

Our June 9Bar Star is Ultra Runner Jen Salter

Next year, Jen Salter will be chasing her Guinness World Record Dream by running the length of Ireland (346 miles) in less than 7 days, 9 hours and 36 minutes (The Current Record). Her aim to smash the record and run 75 plus miles/day is a long way from where she started out running Ultra Marathons last year. In January 2010, Jen won her first 40 miler… over 51 minutes ahead of the next Lady… in preparation for the 2009 Marathon des Sables (the 156 mile Sahara Marathon, The World's Toughest Footrace) where she was the highest placed GBR Athlete.

 

Returning to the UK, she qualified to represent Great Britain in the European Triathlon Championships and has won most of her races since, even winning the Marathon Stage of the Marathon des Sables where she was placed third overall in the 2010 running of the six day, six stage race - the highest placing ever achieved by a British competitor.

 

Training and Nutrition are extremely important to Jen and the 9Bar Nutty is her particular favourite. 'The power-to-weight ratio of the 9Bar makes it ideal for my Ultra Running. 9Bars will play a very important part of my 2011 season,' Jen adds. Her progress can be followed on www.ultrarace.co.uk.

 

Good Luck from all the 9Bar team.

 

Our amazing 9Bar Stars for April/ May are Neil Bryant, David Miles and Mark Cockbain

We don’t usually group our 9Bar stars together but these guys certainly made a fantastic team. During 2 weeks in late April, early May they ran the full length of the country, 860 miles from John O Groats to Lands End. That’s an average of 60 miles a day, more than two marathons. Competing in the 2010 9Bar ultraJOGLE they were the only contestants out of 14 to make it all the way. Over the last week they team up and ran together, giving each other a huge amount of support and encouragement. We followed them down and were there to see them arrive and can tell you it was a very emotional moment. We have huge admiration for all who attempted this ultimate endurance race but these guys are truly something else!

 

It was such a buzz 9Bar has decided to do it all again so look out for details of the 2011 9Bar UltraJOGLE, if you dare!

 

Our 9Bar star for March is Rob Woollen - this is why we love him... 

As an asthmatic child, I was in and out of hospital and unable to participate in sport for most of my schooldays At around the age of 15 I began to try running. I soon found that I loved the freedom of running in woodland - something I had never been able to do before. At the age of 16 I regularly entered 10km runs, and just loved running whenever I got a chance but due to work time was tight and I was rarely able to train. In 2000 I entered my first triathlon, the London Sprint, came in 43rd and really enjoyed it. Many family and friends began to ask me to help them get ready for a run or race, and in 2005 I took the decision to become a full time personal trainer. I have never looked back. I now help dozens of people to get the best out of themselves. I also give back to my sport, I marshal and help to maintain the Toughguy assault course and have also helped out at Race for Life as a marshal.

 

Sport has changed my life completely, but more than that it has given me an opportunity to change other people's. In Toughguy 2009 I was a top 100 finisher (97th place out of 5000) I was a sickly child and now I am an Ironman! That says it all!

 

Our 9Bar star for February is mountain runner Kevin Gadd - this is why we made him our 9Bar star... 

I am a mountain runner and a full time firefighter in the London Fire Brigade. Previously I have competed for Great Britain in several World Biathlon (swim-run) Championships, however my current focus is running. I was Triathlon bronze medallist in the World Firefighter Games Bronze Medallist (21 - 29yrs), London Fire Brigade cross country champion 2009-2010 and in the UK Fire Brigade National X-Country Team 2009 -2010. In 2009 I ran in the Canigou mountain race and managed to raise £1400 for the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund. This year I plan to run a series of mountain marathon races in 2010 within Europe. These include the Salomon Endurance series and the gruelling transalpine challenge. I will also be racing in this year's London Marathon, and have a place for the New York marathon later in the year.

 

Our 9 bar star for January was  triathelete Nick Dunn - this is his sporting story :

I played football and county tennis as a kid and did a few half marathons as a teenager but was not really into multi sport and had never heard of triathlon until the 2001.  That is when I did my first race – a novice sprint.  I love it and started training for my second one.  Unfortunately while training for this I was hit by a car and crushed two of my vertebrae.  I never got to do that second race in 2001, had to wear a plastic corset for 6 months and didn’t do any physical activity for over a year.  It was not until 2005 that I did my second triathlon and ever since then I have been partaking in triathlons and duathlons from super sprints to ½ ironman.  Each season has got better and better with the pinnacle being winning gold and being crowned 2009 world age group champion for the 25-30 age category and fastest British athlete overall.

Are you or do you know a 9Bar star?

We want you to write in and tell us about your active achievement. We want to hear about sports that don’t hog the limelight and the individuals who live for them. We want to know how you got into it, what your journey was and what a difference it has made for you now. We don’t necessarily want medal winners, what we want are big personal achievers. For example we have already heard from a surfer who didn’t begin until he was 65, a water skier who started at 38 and won the senior British championship. We have also heard from people who were over weight, heavy drinkers, smokers, been through illness or emotional despair who are now super active and loving it.

If this sounds like you or someone you know send in your nomination and once a month we will pick out the one that inspired us most. They will win 4 boxes of 9Bars and we will post their story on this 9Bar page. From the 12 selected over the year one will be given the 9Bar Star annual award, winning sponsorship for them personally and for their nominated activity association or event.

 

Click here to apply to be a 9Bar Star!