Browne Craine & Co will be supporting The Children’s Centre’s annual Granite Mann Challenge next year.

Taking place on Sunday, September 22, 2019 at Cringle Plantation, the challenge is the only off road triathlon in the Isle of Man in which participants can take part in either as an individual or as a team.

The triathlon will include a 400 metre swim in the reservoir, followed by a 10 kilometre mountain bike ride using the trails around the plantation with the final element being a five kilometre scenic trail run using the tracks in the plantation.

The chartered accountancy firm based at Burleigh Manor, Peel Road, Douglas, wanted to get involved and support the event because it helps raise money for a ’fantastic’ local charity and its staff regularly take part in events which are organised throughout the year by The Children’s Centre.

In September, a Browne Craine women’s team, compriging Alex Catlow, Lynsey Smith and Amy Killip, took part in the event and were the first ladies squad to cross the finish line.

Lynsey Smith, director at Browne Craine, said: ’We’re so excited to be supporting the Granite Mann Challenge.

’This year myself, Amy and Alex took part in the event and thoroughly enjoyed it.

’We had no expectations about what we’d take from the event but we were the first ladies team to finish!

’With the triathlon being off-road, there is no other event like it.

’The event was fun and very well-organised so I’d encourage anyone who is thinking about taking part, whether it’s by themselves or as a team, to sign up and give it a go!

’It’s testing of course but you won’t regret it.

’Next year we are taking part again and we’ve managed to encourage a few others to take part in it too.

’The Children’s Centre is a fantastic charity and we hope we can help them raise lots of money through this event.’

The Children’s Centre and Browne Craine have agreed a three-year sponsorship which will see Browne Craine supporting the event until at least 2021.

The charity has always been close to the hearts of Browne Craine; in 2016, director Craig Mitchell climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of The Children’s Centre and raised more than £6,500 for the charity.

Lisa Motley, fundraising co-ordinator at the Children’s Centre, said: ’We’d like to thank Browne Craine for supporting the Granite Mann Challenge for the next three years and for all they’ve done for us to date.

’The event has been a great success for the last few years and I hope we can continue to grow it. We want to encourage everyone at any ability to come and take part in this event and just enjoy themselves!"

To find out more about the event or to express interest in taking part in the Granite Mann Challenge 2019, contact the Children’s Centre fundraising team: [email protected]

Lisa Motley, Matt Davies, Lynsey Smith, Amy Killip, Alex Catlow, Bayleigh Mitchell and Danny Foulis

The victorious Browne Craine women’s team at the last Granite Mann event