A team from the Bristol office of accountancy firm Bishop Fleming will do battle with colleagues from its Bath base in the first marathon to be staged jointly by the two cities.
Having already signed up as sponsors for the Bristol & Bath Marathon, the two Bishop Fleming offices will each field a team of 12 runners in the event on October 25, which is expected to attract 5,000 entrants.
Competition between the two offices is fierce and the team achieving the lowest combined time will win the inaugural Bishop Fleming Challenge.
The losing office will donate an additional £500 to the race organisers’ charity fund which will be split between CLIC, Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal in Bristol, and the Forever Friends Appeal in Bath.
Meanwhile, the leaders of both Bishop Fleming teams will be running their own duel.
Andrew Sandiford, partner in charge of the Bath office, will be aiming for a faster time than his Bristol counterpart Joe Scaife.
Andrew said: “For 364 days a year, Joe and I work hand in glove: but on October 25, the gloves come off.”
Responding to the challenge Joe Scaife retorted: “You don’t need gloves to run a marathon – you need the best legs.”
Referee for the Bishop Fleming challenge will be the firm’s chairman Jerry O’Sullivan, who said: “I’m based in our Exeter office, so I’m entirely independent – and ready to ‘audit’ the times recorded for every runner from both Bristol and Bath office teams.”
Pictured, from left: Joe Scaife and Andrew Sandiford prepare for their marathon duel
