Six leading financial services firms are preparing to compete in the annual Arch to Arc Enduro Challenge Triathlon, one of the world's most arduous relay races, contested across land and water between London and Paris.

This is the first year that the race will begin at Marble Arch in London and finish at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The firms participating in the fourth annual Challenge are Barclays Capital, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, Tudor Capital and UBS.
 
Clients, colleagues and friends are sponsoring the squads, each of which will donate the proceeds to their firm's chosen charity. Since its founding in 2005, Enduro has raised in excess of $800,000 for charities across the UK. With Tudor Capital competing for the first time in the 2008 race, the fundraising potential of the Challenge is greater than ever.
 
The race is contested by teams of six people, who swap a baton every hour as they run 150 km from London to Dover, swim 40 km from Dover to Calais and cycle 300 km from Calais to Paris. This year's challenge will take place during suitable weather and tidal conditions between Friday, August 22 and Sunday, August 24.   
 
Barclays Capital is supporting The Willow Foundation, Credit Suisse's Charity of the Year is The Place2Be, Tudor Capital is supporting The Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign, UBS is supporting The Bridge Academy, Hackney, and Morgan Stanley is supporting The Great Ormond Street Hospital Childrenís Charity. Deutsche Bank is supporting three charities: Angus Lawson Memorial Trust, CHICKS and Teenage Cancer Trust.
 
Euan Harkness, of Barclays Capital, said: 'The Arch to Arc is a great challenge requiring selfless commitment, physical and mental strength.  We are proud of the Barclays Capital team and our fellow competitors in raising money and awareness for such worthwhile charities'.

http://www.willowfoundation.org.uk/Home
 
Eric Varvel, CEO of Credit Suisse for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: 'The Arch to Arc Enduro Challenge has established itself as an annual highlight for Credit Suisse's employees and our charity partners. We're delighted to be supporting The Place2Be, our Charity of the Year 2008, and look forward to a record-breaking competition'.

www.theplace2be.org.uk
 
John Willis, Global Head of Equity Research at Deutsche Asset Management and member of Deutsche Bank's Charities Committee said, 'The Enduro Challenge is the most physically and mentally demanding of the fundraising events we will undertake this year. It's great that Deutsche Bank employees will again compete in this challenging race to raise much needed funds for our Charities of the Year: Angus Lawson Memorial Trust (ALMT), Country Holidays for Inner City Kids (CHICKS) and Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT). Good luck to all teams!'.

www.almt.org

www.chicks.org.uk 

www.teenagecancertrust.org
 
Darragh McCarthy, Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Stanley International, said: 'We're delighted to be working together with competitor firms to raise money for such worthy causes. While I don't doubt that the race will be extremely competitive, the real winners will be the chosen charities'.
 
www.gosh.org

Gavin Boyle, Managing Director of Tudor Capital (U.K.) L.P., said: 'We are delighted to have been invited and to take part in the Enduro Challenge for the first time. It is a fantastic opportunity to raise money for our chosen charity Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign. We wish all the teams great success in the race'.

www.royalmarsden.org/campaign
 
Richard Hardie, Vice Chair of UBS Ltd., said: 'We are delighted that UBS are participating in this year's Enduro Challenge and that the team will be once again supporting The Bridge Academy, Hackney. They are great role models for the Bridge students; their visit to the school after last year's event was a highlight of the school's year. The Academy is creating an ethos of teamwork and co-operation through sport and learning which exactly mirrors the attitude of UBS's Enduro team'.

www.bridgeacademyhackney.org

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