A Malvern woman will be hoping to smash a world record as she attempts to pull a car weighing the equivalent of a hippopotamus around a circuit constantly for 24 hours at the Three Counties Showground.
Emma Chetwynd Jarvis will pull the 1.5-ton vehicle, which will also include a driver, using a body harness as she looks to break the Guinness World Record for the farthest distance pulling a car over 24 hours. The record currently stands at 21.08 miles and is a record that has been held by Slovakian Juraj Barbaric since 2018.
The mum-of two, who also competes in Strongwoman events, will also be raising money for St Richard’s Hospice in Worcester when she takes on the challenge in early March.
The 41-year-old said: “I have been training six days a week for this world record attempt for about 10 months now.
“It’s been pretty tough, especially when you are a working mum. But this is something that I’ve wanted to do for a little while now.
“I can deadlift 137 kilos, squat 120 kilos, and have lifted 70 kilo atlas stones as well as pulling a 12-ton truck, but this endurance challenge will be the hardest thing yet.”
Emma, who works at Rock Power Connections in Worcester, has been musing over the idea for a couple of years, but the record attempt only turned into a reality in recent months due to difficulty finding somewhere to do the attempt which was completely flat.
She explained: “Trying to find a venue felt impossible. I really wanted to keep the attempt local, but flat tarmac laps are rare, especially in hilly Malvern.
“The Three Counties Showground team have been incredibly generous in allowing me to use their site. When they suggested raising funds for St Richard’s Hospice, it seemed the perfect match as it is a great cause”
Di Walton, Head of Shows at Three Counties, said: “We were delighted to be able to accommodate Emma’s world record attempt. Adding to our giant vegetables at our Malvern Autumn Show we are becoming quite the record-breaking venue.
“St Richard’s Hospice does such a great work for people across Worcestershire, and we hope that people will give generously to support Emma in her attempt. We wish Emma luck in her bid to become a world record breaker.”
Emma herself is no stranger to tough challenges. With a history of endurance running, she has completed ultramarathons across moors, mountains, coastal paths, and even tackled a 24-hour run.
After switching to weight training in recent years, it seemed only natural for Emma to combine the two.
Emma is all too aware of the size of the challenge. “At first, I felt apprehensive. But when I look back over all the early mornings of gruelling training, it makes me more determined to break this record. I’ve just got to give it my best shot.”
Finding the best way to train has been tricky, and Emma has certainly turned a few heads in the Malvern area.
“I’m quite a strange sight, spending hours on a ladder machine whilst harnessed to a heavy sled,” she said.
“Over the summer months, I pulled my daughters around Malvern on a sled. It’s been pretty crazy.”
St Richard’s cares for adults with a serious progressive illness, improving their quality of life from diagnosis, during treatment and to their last days.
Each year, the hospice team supports more than 3,400 patients, family members and bereaved people in Worcestershire.
Jayne Sargeant, fundraiser at St Richard’s, said: “We are so inspired by the challenge Emma has set herself – and wish her the very best of luck with her world record attempt.
“We are very grateful she has chosen to support our care, as it is only thanks to the tireless generosity of our community that we can continue to be there for patients and their loved ones when they need us most.”
You can donate by having a guess of how far Emma will go for £5, with the closest guess winning a prize.
Please visit justgiving.com/fundraising/emma-chetwynd-jarvis