A TRIO of athletes are making great strides in a new sporting challenge.

Ian Spence, Tracy Dodds and Clive Mitchell, all members of Durham's Three Rivers Serpents dragon boat racing crew, have channelled their athletic skills in a new direction.

They teamed up to enter the Hi-tech Adventure Racing Series Challenge, a gruelling mix of mountain biking, running and canoeing, to improve their fitness for dragon boat racing.

In their first attempt two months ago the trio finished 46th from 150 entrants over tough terrain, in and out of Loch Lomond. But they improved rapidly in their second event, a 17-mile mountain bike ride, seven-mile cross country run and three-mile canoe 'paddle' at Colewater, near Swindon, Wiltshire, recently.

They finished 14th from 190 starters, beating several experienced and well-sponsored teams. Ian, Tracy and Clive are now preparing for the last leg of the challenge series, in Llanberris, in Wales, in September.

Regardless of their finish they are so taken by adventure racing that they plan to try it out at the sport's home, in the USA next year.

Ian, the men's team dragon boat crew captain, said: "It was started in California four years ago, and its getting quite popular. We would like to go over to take part in it over there, next April. It is better for us than the normal triathlon event, which involves cycling, running and swimming."