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Coal champ on form
John Hunter prepares for his 23rd coal hump at Easter, followed by an Iron Man challenge in July. 120748. Picture Kevin Allen.
n JOHN Hunter won the Scarborough Coal Hump 13 times during its original run – it came to an end in 2005 but was resurrected four years later and followed a different route.
SCARBOROUGH’s coal hump champion John Hunter is gearing up for two major challenges in the coming months.
The 47-year-old builder will be doing his 23rd coal hump on Easter Monday at Gawthorpe, near Wakefield.
And on July 1 he will be taking part in an Iron Man challenge in Nottingham which includes a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run, one after the other.
John said: “I’m training all the time. This will be my first Iron Man event and I’m not the best swimmer, but I’m looking forward to it.
“I’ve never started anything I’ve not finished!”
He added that having done his first coal hump in 1990, the training and competitions have become a huge part of his life over the years.
John said: “I’m still plodding on and I still enjoy it. I’m up for a challenge!”
Last year he won the coal hump contest in Scotland and was hoping to try to defend his title this year, but the date clashed with the Iron Man event.
John is hoping he will do well in his age category, which is 45-49 year olds, and he will have had his 48th birthday by that time.
He is also feeling positive about the coal hump at Gawthorpe, having won it eight times and never dropped out of the top four in 23 years.
With eight wins he has equalled the current world record, so a win at Easter would be a historic moment for John and for the event.
He said: “On a good day, you never know.
“It just depends how it goes on that particular day.”
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Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North east
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