To promote the upcoming QIPCO Champions Day, Great British Racing ran a promotional challenge called ‘Race A Champion’ between a team of UK athletes and the world’s best sprint horses.
The initiative saw members of the public, plus cyclist-turned-jockey Victoria Pendleton, fellow jockey Oisin Murphy, England and Harlequins rugby star Danny Care and European 4x100m relay Champion Adam Gemili take on the world’s quickest horses in a 10m sprint.
The experiential challenge took place a month ahead of the QIPCO British Champions Day (on Saturday 20 October at Ascot) and took the form of a special pop up experience at Exchange Square, Broadgate in London on Thursday 20 September, showcasing the speed of some of the world’s best horses.
As well as the famous sports stars, members of the public were aalso invited to come and challenge themselves in a sprint challenge over 10m against LED lights set to the speed of Battaash – arguably the world’ fastest equine sprinter and one of the horses entered to run on QIPCO British Champions Day.
With Gemili coming out on top.
At the end of the 10m sprint, all participants were able to see their time and based on that were subsequently matched to some of the other horses also set to run on QIPCO British Champions Day.
The activation, developed in conjunction with London creative and experiential agency The Park (founded by Jack Lamacraft, Lloyd Major and Will Worsdell).
Each person taking part in the challenge was also given a bespoke photograph of their sprint along with their time, while one lucky participant also scooped an exclusive VIP package to QIPCO British Champions Day itself.
The experiential stunt race was amplified across the usual digital and social channels, including YouTube,
Twitter,
Ahead of QIPCO British #ChampionsDay we challenged star athletes @Adam_Gemili, @V_Pendleton, @DannyCare and @OisMurphy to take on one of the fastest horses in the world, BATTAASH. pic.twitter.com/GwZXvMnB2p
— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) September 21, 2018
Facebook and Instagram.
The similar ‘Race A Champion’ challenge will also be on course for racegoers to have a go at on QIPCO British Champions Day itself at Ascot on Saturday 20 October.
Naomi Lawson, Head of PR for British Champions Series said, “It’s been really exciting for us to put on a challenge like this ahead of QIPCO British Champions Day and it’s been fantastic to have so many incredible British athletes, as well as members of the public get involved. We knew that over the course of a race it would be impossible for a human to beat a horse but we thought over 10m some might have a chance. We wanted to create a really engaging activation that showed the public just how powerful and athletic the racehorses heading to this year’s QIPCO British Champions Day are and to encourage people to come down to Ascot on 20 October and see them in real life action.”
QIPCO British Champions Day ambassador and World and European 4x 100m relay Champion Adam Gemili said, “I really enjoy going to the races and doing the 10m sprints today gave me a real sense of just how quick and powerful racehorses are. For a half ton horse like Battaash to be able to cover ten metres from a standing start in 1.71seconds is pretty incredible and I’ve even more respect for the jockeys for staying on board during that acceleration. I love going to QIPCO British Champions Day, and taking on Battaash today will make me appreciate even more what amazing athletes racehorses are at this year’s event.”
Double Olympic Champion cyclist Victoria Pendleton famously switched saddles and rode at the Cheltenham Festival said, “I really enjoyed taking part in this challenge, and as a former track cycling sprinter I thought I might have a bit of explosive speed to have a chance against some of the others but the time just goes so quickly! Having trained to be a jockey myself I’ve been lucky enough to work closely with lots of amazing racehorses so I know how much power they generate. They are incredible creatures but I am normally sitting on one rather than trying to race against one on foot! Hopefully today’s activity shows everyone what I already knew about how powerful they are.”
England and Harlequins rugby player Danny Care said, “I never really appreciated how fast these champion horses went until I had to race against one! In rugby it’s all about power and speed and I can’t imagine what it takes for a jockey in terms of agility and strength to stay on board when they’re travelling so quickly.”
Jockey Oisin Murphy, who is enjoying a fabulous season having won four QIPCO British Champions Series races already this year, said, “I think my time demonstrates why I ride the horses and don’t actually sprint myself. As a jockey you get used to travelling on board a horse at such speed but it was really interesting to look at it from a different point of view and see how some of Britain’s top sports stars compared.”
Comment:
A simple, yet striking and effective way to promote British Champions Day: the richest race day in the UK and forms the finale of the European flat racing season.
It also seems smart to test the public and the pro athletes against Battaash: a horse rated the best sprint horse in the world.
Baltaash’s 10m sprint speed of 1.71 seconds was bettered by Gemili’s 1.47 seconds.
But Care (1.88), Pendleton (1.93) and Murphy’s (2.03) were all slower than the horse.
Now in its eighth year, the day will see some of the best horses and jockeys from across the globe compete for a record breaking £4.35 million purse and be crowned kings and queens of the turf.
As well as unbeatable action on the track, Britain’s Ultimate raceday also features a glitzy opening ceremony, the crowning of the Stobart Champion Flat Jockey and a spectacular after party featuring pop stars Ella Eyre and Jax Jones with accompanied under 18s attending for free.
Links:
British Champion Series
http://britishchampionsseries.com/
https://twitter.com/ChampionsSeries
https://www.facebook.com/britishchampionsseries/
https://www.instagram.com/championsseries/
https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialBCSeries
