Olympic roadshow to attend Exmoor Ironman contest

AROUND 1,500 international athletes will be competing on Exmoor this month in the gruelling UK Ironman 70.3-mile triathlon.
The event centres on Wimbleball Lake and takes place on Sunday, June 17.
The athletes will be aiming to be included in the 100 places available in the Florida, USA, world championships next November.
The triathlon includes a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run, and as it is now an Olympic sport, the London 2012 Roadshow double-deck bus will be attending Wimbleball as part of its summer UK tour to inspire and motivate people of all ages to participate in sport.
More information is available by logging on to www.half.ironmanuk.com or http://www.activeexmoor.com/.
Exmoor Canoe Club is looking for volunteer kayakers to support the triathlon swim in the lake for about an hour-and-a-half from 6 am. Anybody interested should email info@exmoorcanoeclub.org.uk.
The UK Ironman 70.3 Triathlon is one of several global contests, six of which also carry slots for the Ford Ironman World Championship held in Hawaii every October when the distance is doubled to140.6 miles.

Table top sale helping to stop Chinese moon bears cruelty

MOON Bear Rescue kicks off its next 12 months of fund-raising events in West Somerset with a table top sale in Holford Village Hall on Sunday, May 27.
All proceeds from the event go directly to help the Animals Asia Foundation free Chinese Moon bears from horrendous coffin cages on bear farms and to negotiate with the Chinese government to ban the cruel trade in bear bile.
The table top sale, which includes a teddy tombola, giant raffle, and refreshments, starts at 2 pm.
AAF says 7,000 moon bears farmed in China for their bile in the most horrendous conditions are relying on animal-friendly people all over the world to raise enough to help the charity achieve its ambitious goal of closing down the bear farms forever.
Jill Robinson, who founded AAF and is its chief executive, said next year’s Beijing Olympics could herald a new life for the farmed moon bears.
She and the AAF team have been working for the past 14 years toward the day when the Chinese legislate against bear bile farms and, she hoped perhaps the Beijing Olympics next summer could be the catalyst to make it all come true.
Moon Bear Rescue organizer Lee Gibbins said: “It is vital that AAF receive enough funding to continue its work right up to the opening day of the Olympics.
“AAF will continue liaising and negotiating with Chinese officials at all levels, fund-raising globally, and telling the true story about bear bile production to the Chinese people, a majority of whom do not know of the existence of bear farms, nor that bear bile in medicine can be replaced by synthetic and herbal alternatives - at least 54 different kinds - and are appalled when they discover the pitiful lives to which the animals are condemned.”
More information about the table top sale and other fund-raising events being held by Moon Bear Rescue, including an annual Quantock sponsored walk, and to find out about Jill Robinson’s UK Roadshow, telephone Lee Gibbins on 01278 741648, or AAF UK director Dave Neale on 07764 161981, or contact Animals Asia Foundation by email at info@animalsasia.org.
Photo submitted.