Doing some-fin amazing for our sharks!
The Blue Mile is back for a fifth year – with brand new title sponsors Rockfish and new charity partners, the Plymouth-based Shark Trust, teaming up with event organisers Sport Environment.
The newly christened Rockfish Blue Mile will make its first big splash on Saturday 5 September in Plymouth on the opening weekend of the Ocean City Festival. And, for the first time in 2016, the event is heading to Brixham, home to Rockfish’s new flagship restaurant which opened earlier this year.
As ever, the Plymouth event will start from the historic Mayflower Steps, with participants swimming, kayaking and stand up paddleboarding their way around the waterfront in a one-mile circular course. Thousands of people are expected to line the Barbican and Hoe to cheer on family and friends in the popular event, which encourages people to get actively involved with the blue environment.
Rockfish owner – restaurateur and keen watersports enthusiast Mitch Tonks – says the Blue Mile shares the same passion as his restaurants for the South West coastline, which Rockfish has dubbed ‘Britain’s Seafood Coast’.
Mitch said: “Whether it’s the food it gives us or the fun times, Rockfish seafood restaurants are everything to do with the sea. So we’re delighted to be supporting an established event that gets everyone involved with everything that’s fantastic about our coastline in the South West.
“Our own staff have just set up a paddleboarding club. We’re very lucky to be on the coast and have that sort of opportunity right on our doorstep.”
All those taking part in the Rockfish Blue Mile are being asked to fundraise for the Shark Trust. The Plymouth event aims to raise £10,000 to support the Trust, which works globally to safeguard the future of the iconic species through positive change.
The charity’s managing director, Paul Cox, said: “The Shark Trust is delighted to be the new charity partner of the Rockfish Blue Mile. All the event partners are dedicated to protecting our blue environment and we look forward to working together to raise awareness and much-needed funds to help achieve this.”
Paul explained the dangers facing sharks and the work being done to help them: “Our current No Limits? campaign targets an end to unmanaged shark fisheries in the Atlantic. Without sharks, marine ecosystems face an uncertain future and wide support is paramount to securing a future for several key local shark species including the valued Blue Shark – a regular visitor to our own coastal waters.”
The Trust is hoping the link-up with the Rockfish Blue Mile will reach new supporters to help with such work.
Council Leader Tudor Evans said: "It's great to see this key event at the Ocean City Festival - you can paddle it, swim it or as I prefer to do - walk it!
And it's great to see Rockfish back this fantastic opening event and help raise money for a very worthwhile cause."
The Blue Mile was created by triple round-the-world sailor and ocean advocate, Conrad Humphreys, with the aim of encouraging the nation to get active in support of the blue environment.
Conrad, of Plymouth-based Sport Environment, said getting Rockfish and the Shark Trust on board was great news: “We’re thrilled that Mitch and the Rockfish team have agreed to support the Rockfish Blue Mile and that we are joined today by Paul Cox and the Shark Trust as our new official charity partner.
“The goal of the Blue Mile has always been to connect people with our blue environment and encourage the nation to get out and enjoy our wonderful coastline. We’ve got a range of disciplines and we want people to sign up to take part and, crucially, to get family and friends to sponsor them. Let’s raise that £10,000 for the Shark Trust.”
For Mitch, the Plymouth Rockfish Blue Mile is just the start: “We’re building up to seeing an event like this in Brixham next year that will get everyone involved – athletes, beginners, young and old alike. We want to inspire as many people as possible to get out onto the water.”
Visit www.thebluemile.com for more information and to register to take part.
