TWO Huddersfield men travel to the Netherlands on Thursday to take part in the World Dutch Pole Leaping Championships.
Andy Chattaway, 39, of School Lane, Kirkheaton, a community sports officer for Kirklees Council, has taken part in the event for the past 12 years.
This will be the last time he can compete in the senior class because next year he will be a veteran!
Colleague Steve Moss, 37, of Brackenhall, also a community sports officer, will be accompanying Andy to the Netherlands.
Andy's 19-year-old nephew, who lives in Devon, has also been persuaded to take part.
The sport involves running along a wooden jetty at top speed, grabbing a pole, shinning up it and jumping over a water course and into a sand pit as it topples over.
Andy, who holds the British record with a leap of 14.29 metres, said: "It's very technical, but it all happens in a very short space of time. The running, climbing and leaping happen in 10 seconds."
Andy will be accompanied by his coach and girlfriend, Melanie Waddington, to the championships in Friesland, a three-hours drive north of Amsterdam.
He practises at Leeds Road Playing Fields, where he hopes to develop a pole leaping centre. "I think it will take off in this country. It is so different," he said
He also plans to take a group of youngsters to Holland next year, to see how the sport is done.
Andy is hoping to secure sponsorship from a timber firm, to help build a jetty and centre in Huddersfield. Call him on 07866 486297.
