The RAF Around the World in 80 Days Challenge – RAF Leeming Throws Down the Gauntlet

RAF Leeming has thrown down the gauntlet by inviting other stations and units to take part in the RAF Around the World in 80 Days challenge. This virtual event encourages competitors to join their station or unit’s team to collectively see if they can be the first to virtually race around the world.  Starting on 27 June 2021, live tracking will allow participants to see in real time which station is leading the race with the aim of being the first to arrive back to London by Battle of Britain Day, 15 September 2021.

To my fellow Station Commanders – bring out your best – you’ll need them – we are throwing down the gauntlet.

RAF Leeming’s Station Commander, Gp Capt Crawford says: “This challenge provides a terrific opportunity to get the whole Station involved in exercising outdoors, enhancing our fitness levels and setting a positive mindset for the challenges following the pandemic.  With RAF Leeming being situated in the heart of God’s Country, I think we hold a spiritual advantage over the other Stations in our quest to get around the globe in record time.  Phileas Fogg was obviously a Yorkshireman, and having the speed of a Whippet, I expect an early Leeming lead to increasingly grow, fuelled by copious amounts of Yorkshire tea and fruitcake laced with wensleydale.  To my fellow Station Commanders – bring out your best – you’ll need them – we are throwing down the gauntlet.”

As well as Station challenge event, the virtual race has also been designed as a charity fundraiser with a portion of the funds raised from each entry going directly to supporting the RAF Central Fund, the charity that supports sport and physical activities across the RAF.

RAF Central Fund’s CEO, Ross Perriam says: “Our charity’s mission is to support all serving personnel through sport and physical activity and this challenge provides a great way for us to achieve this. At a time when lockdown has clearly had an impact on physical activity levels, the RAF Around the World 80 Day challenge provides a great way to motivate our beneficiaries and encourages them to do more. What’s more, as a charity fundraiser, the money raised from this event will enable us to provide more opportunities for sport and physical activities across the RAF.”

The RAF Around the World in 80 Days challenge gives Stations the opportunity to compete with each other to complete 40,000  kilometres by running, walking, cycling, rowing, swimming, crawling, or any other (self-powered) way they see fit, over a period of 80 days. Once registered, an account is created so that each participant can upload evidence of their activity (usually a screenshot from a fitness app) with every completed effort moving their team’s marker further along the route map. The first team to get back to London will win but every participant will receive a challenge medal for their efforts.

So SIGN UP, get moving and earn your medal!