WaterAid congratulates Cisco Euro Challenge champions

1 October 2009

Exhausted but elated at the finish line.

Credit: IMG

Teams from water, telecoms and IT industries across 11 countries took part in a grueling three-day challenge, raising over £55,000 through sponsorship for WaterAid.

The Cisco Euro Challenge, which tests fitness, intelligence and strategic thinking, took place in Norway. It comprised six stages of challenges including night navigation, running, mountain biking and kayaking.

There were 37 teams in total including Scottish Water and Southern Water, who both won recognition for their performances with two separate awards.

Scottish Water won the Team Fundraising Award, having raised an incredible £11,000 for WaterAid. Southern Water raised almost £9,000 and finished in 11th place, the highest position achieved by a UK novice team. They won the Water Industry Cup which was awarded for the first time this year.

Other top fundraisers included Azzurri Communications raising £20,564 across three teams, Cisco Denmark £3,553, Cisco & Accenture Team £1,040, Cable and Wireless £1,020 and Panduit Europe raising £925.

All funds will go towards WaterAid's work helping communities throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific Region gain access to safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation.

WaterAid's Rebecca Poyntz said: "The Cisco Euro Challenge is a truly unique event and we are delighted that the teams have done so well with the fundraising element of the challenge. When you think that £15 could provide a lasting supply of safe water and sanitation for one person, money raised from the event could help over 3,500 people take their first steps out of poverty.

"We are extremely grateful for all the hard work they have put in to fundraising for us and would like to pass on our thanks to all those that have supported them. Special praise is due to Scottish Water for winning the Team Fundraising Award and for Southern Water for winning the Water Industry Cup. Also to Azzurri Communications who won the Company Fundraising Award, raising over £20,000 across three teams."

Footage of the event will be shown on Channel 4 at 8.00 am on Sunday 25 Oct. It will also be shown on Setanta Sports in Ireland and Canada. Full broadcast details can be found at www.intelligentsport.com.

To secure a place for next year's challenge visit www.wateraid.org/cisco.

Media contact:

Brenda McIlwraith
t: 020 7793 2245
e: brendamcilwraith@wateraid.org

Notes to editors: 

WaterAid enables the world's poorest people to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. Our vision is of a world where everyone has access to these basic human rights which underpin health, education and livelihoods forming the first, essential step in overcoming poverty.

• At least 4,000 children die every day as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation.
• 884 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world's population.
• 2.5 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation, this is almost two fifths of the world's population.
• WaterAid projects providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene education cost just £15 per head.

The Cisco Euro Challenge is an event organised by IMG as part of the Intelligent sport® series, for more information on IMG Events visit www.intelligentsport.com.