Adventurer to head to Borneo for mountain challenege (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Adventurer to head to Borneo for mountain challenege

2:00pm Saturday 26th December 2009 in News By Gemma Casey

SURVIVING in the heart of a bug-infested jungle is the latest challenge for a Cotswold adventurer.

Running, rafting and abseiling are just some of the challenges 37-year-old Mike Ponting, from Winstone, near Cirencester, will endure when he attempts to climb Borneo mountain Kinabalu next month.

He is hoping to raise £10,000 for youth development charity, Raleigh International.

Mike and seven colleagues from Musikscool have written, recorded and produced a five-track CD of original songs. They created the CD in just 24 hours and will donate the profits to the charity.

Mike will head to Borneo on January 22. The Kinabalu Challenge is a nine-day adventure race in the heart of the jungles. It combines running, biking, rafting abseiling and trekking, culminating in a dawn summit of Mount Kinabalu at 4,100m above sea level.

To help prepare, Mike swims a mile every day and runs 10K twice a week. He even took part in the 10k Cirencester fun run in June.

He said: "I am a bit concerned about the sustained level of physical effort in 80 humidity and jungle temperatures.

"But taking part in an expedition like this is both challenging and extremely rewarding."

Michael Brown, co-founder of Musikscool said: "Through Musikscool we have raised well over £100,000 for charity. We are thrilled to be able to help Mike get to the top of Mount Kinabalu."

Mike was inspired to go on his first expedition when his father, Mick, returned from Mongolia in 1992. In 1995, Mike visited Guyana in South America with Raleigh where he walked 338 miles in three weeks delivering vaccines to remote communities.

To support Mike’s challenge visit www.justgiving.com/makingthelink. To purchase the £10 CD, e-mail mike@makingthelink.co.uk with your full postal address.