The British Heart Foundation’s annual Afan Team Challenge took place in South Wales’s popular Afan Country Park recently and attracted a record number of participants.

The Afan Challenge, sponsored by online mountain bike store Tredz, is a one day multi-stage team event set in and around Afan Country Park. All teams involved challenge each other for the fastest time, the best team spirit and to raise the most sponsorship for the BHF. The event format involves two MTB stages, two 5km runs, a mental agility challenge, three river crossings and a lake crossing (they were given a dinghy for that, though).

Huw Arthur from London, a member of Team Soph, said: “We decided to take part in the Afan Challenge for two reasons. We were keen to support the pioneering work of the BHF as my fiancée suffered a cardiac arrest at 30 years old. Secondly, we’d heard so much about Afan Forest and wanted to experience the thrill of mountain biking the well known trails. The event was a great day and a real team challenge for us all, we are definitely on board to take part again next year!”

Mali James, Event Organiser for the BHF in Wales said: “The BHF spends over £100 a minute on life-saving research and team challenge events are an excellent way for companies to fundraise for charities. We hope to build on this great event for 2007 and raise even more funds to fight heart disease in the UK.”

There’ll be another Afan Team Challenge in 2007 – registration will open early next year, but you can express an interest by calling BHF’s Wales Events Office on 0800 783 6970 or by email.