Sport Relief 2014: Man versus Machine as cyclists race a helicopter!

SAILORS from 815 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton will tomorrow (Thursday, March 13, 2014) be facing the ultimate test of man versus machine when they try to race one of their Lynx helicopters for Sport Relief.

Twenty personnel from the squadron will be pedal around the Merryfield airfield near Ilminster – the satellite airfield for RNAS Yeovilton – while a Lynx flies the same route to see which can cover the greatest distance during a four-hour period.

As a descendant of the world’s fastest helicopter – just under 250mph in the mid-80s – on paper the Lynx should win hands down.

But it is up against the cumulative distance the riders can manage in four hours.

PHOTO - TOP: Can cyclists out-race a Mk8 Lynx helicopter in aid of Sport Relief? Photo: Courtesy of Royal Navy.

Depending on weather conditions the team at 815 NAS expect their Mk8 helicopter to cover 480 to 500 miles in four hours.

That means the cyclists – working in groups of ten – will have to cycle at least 25 miles each if they stand a chance of beating the Lynx.

And they won’t be the only ones on the track at Merryfield. Also riding will be students from Stanchester Academy at Stoke-sub-Hamdon as they compete in their own Sport Relief challenge to run, row and cycle the equivalent distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

Gloucester RFC captain Tom Savage will get the sailor-helicopter race going at 12noon.

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