The Extreme Sport Challenges Association is a young group of teens from Essex. They take part in 'extreme' sporting challenges every year to raise money for Cancer Research UK and The English Federation of Disability Sport. Pervouis challenges include: Swimming the English Channel [2013], Canary Wharf Abseil [2014], and London to Paris Cycle [2014.
The Team
The Extreme Sports Challenges team includes; Harry Fox age 14, Daniel Robinson and Kieran Goodwin age 15, Charlie Fox age 16, Alex Merchan 17, Aiden Robinson age 18 and Kiefer Piccio age 19. Harry Fox has competed at National level in swimming for numerous years and so has Charlie Fox who took part in 2013. The Team all attend local secondary schools including: Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College, Coopers' Company and Coborn School, Havering Sixth Form College, The Albany School and Robert Clack School. The age range of the ESCA team is 14 (Harry) being the youngest and 19 (Kiefer) being the oldest.
History
In 2013 the 'Killerwhales Channel Swim Team' as they were known then, swam the English channel, England to France on the 28th August 2013. They completed it in 8 Hours and 25 Minutes which is officially recognized as the fastest relay team since the year 2000. Also in 2013 they all competed at the 'Speedo Open Water Nationals' held at Lakeside where they won their 4x800m relay. Earlier in 2013 the team also traveled up to Norwich where they swam a 5000m race where they swam exceptionally well. Kieran Goodwin and Kiefer Piccio competed at the Open Water Nationals 2012 held at Sheffield where Kieran Goodwin finished 15th and Kiefer finishing 9th.
Charities
The ESCA takes great pride in all their work with the two charities they support. Cancer Research UK (CRUK) is a world leading research charity, finding life changing cures for all 200 Cancers. CRUK has doubled survival rates in the last 40 years in all 200 cancers. In 2014 the team have been invited to attend a lab tour with Cancer Research to see what the money is going to. The ESCA team had Claire Marmion, a Cancer Research UK volunteer who helped the team build up their publicity. The English Federation of Disability Sport is a charity campaigning for disabled athletes in sport. They are the largest UK disability charity and has world wide recognition for its amazing work. Becky Lee from The English Federation of Disability Sport was our link between them and us. Becky supplied fundraising tours and got the ESCA team a lot of publicity. The Extreme Sports Challenges Association always raises money for the two charities. In their previous venture the ESCA raised £5000.00.
