Latest news with #Marathon
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Wrexham dad takes on marathon mission for Hope House
For his next challenge, Matt Jones, from Wrexham, will be power hiking 26 marathons consecutively in 26 days, from John O'Groats to London with the fridge freezer on his back, finishing with the London Marathon itself on April 26, 2026. Matt's last challenge called 'One Bet' saw him complete a 112km walk across the Clwydian Range with the fridge, including 15,000ft of elevation gain, to honour a bet he made with his late wife Vicky and their four children. Matt Jones on his last challenge. Vicky passed away in December 2024. Highlighting her mantra of "never be normal, never be boring", and setting a positive example to his children drove Matt to raising an incredible £75,000 for Hope House Tŷ Gobaith. Announcing the new challenge, Matt said: "This isn't just a stunt - it's a tribute from me and children to Vicky. "It's about strength in the face of loss. It's about the families supported by Hope House. "It's a reminder that with the right team, the right cause, and a bit of madness - anything is possible." He added: "Doing the Llangollen challenge genuinely helped me a lot. But after our visit to Hope House, we were inspired to do something else. "I popped a message in a WhatsApp chat I have with my support crew and the idea of going from Llangollen to London for the Marathon came up. "The guys humoured me, saying it wasn't far enough, and all downhill to the Capital. Read more: Wrexham man's bike trek boost raises over £6,000 for charities "So we thought, where is the furthest place in Britain from London? John O'Groats, Scotland. "My brother-in-law, Simon, worked it out that the distance is exactly that of 26 marathons - so there it was. "Coming back from visiting Hope House with the kids, we spoke about it and stopped the car. I asked them, 'are we going to do this?' and the answer was a resounding 'yes'." Matt Jones aka Fridge Freezer Man and his 'Wolfpack' present their fundraising cheque at Hope House. Matt said: "This challenge really is the next level for us as a team. It's over 1,000km. "But, with the support of my crew and The Wolfpack (my children) I know we can do it. "The training plan has started. I'm mostly worried how the feet and prosthetic hip will hold up… physically and mentally I know we can do this. Read more: Flintshire teenager completes Three Peaks Challenge in under 30 hours "I've got a few big hitters lined up to join me in support and spread the message. "Expect a few surprises and stunts along the way." Hope House Tŷ Gobaith fundraiser, Vicky Bradbeer, said: "This is the biggest and most intense fundraising challenge I've seen. "Matt's reasoning for doing the challenges is so meaningful and we are incredibly grateful to him. Read more: Putting on the 'greatest show' for children's hospice fundraiser "Vicky, his children, all his family, friends and team must be immensely proud of him - as are we. "Everything this incredible test raises will go directly to providing professional care and respite for local children and families living with a life-threatening condition. "Our mission is to reach every child and family we can and give them support to live their best possible lives and from the point of diagnosis." To follow Matt's epic adventures, search Fridge Freezer Man on Facebook and Instagram. You can donate to his hospice fundraising page at:
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Athletics: Tokyo Olympic champion Jepchirchir relishes Japan return - Omni sports
Peres Jepchirchir said on Wednesday she was relishing her imminent return to Japan for the first time since storming to Olympic marathon gold at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021 Jepchirchir has been named as one of three Kenya women in the marathon squad for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 13-21. The other athletes include the current Rotterdam marathon champion Jackline Cherono and Magdalyne Masai, who was fourth in this year's Tokyo marathon. Jepchirchir, 31, a two-time half world marathon champion, overcame intense heat to take gold at the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021, beating fellow Kenyan and former world marathon record-holder Brigid Kosgei. "I am happy with the confidence the Kenyan selectors have had in me despite the disappointment in the Paris Olympics," she told AFP in Nairobi. "It's my first time to compete in the World Championships, and I'm looking forward to it," she added. "We know Ethiopia have selected a strong team and they're the defending champions. But I believe in the Kenya team and I pray God will give us health and strength that day to face them." The women's marathon will be held on September 14, followed by the men's race a day later. The Kenyan men's team is led by Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich, whose best time is 2:03:13, which he recorded while making his debut in the 2023 Berlin marathon when he finished second to Eliud Kipchoge. Kipchoge, the two-time Olympic champion, will not take part in Tokyo. Kenya's 58-member team, selected after national trials in Nairobi on Tuesday, is: Women 400m - Mercy Oketch 800m - Mary Moraa, Lilian Odira, Vivian Kiprotich, Sarah Moraa 1500m - Faith Kipyegon, Nelly Chepchirchir, Susan Ejore, Dorcas Ewoi 5000m - Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet, Agnes Jebet Ngetich, Margaret Ekidor 10000m - Beatrice Chebet, Agnes Jebet Ngetich, Janeth Chepngetich 3000m S/Chase - Faith Cherotich, Doris Lemngole, Pamela Kosgei Marathon - Peres Jepchirchir, Jackline Cherono, Magdalyne Masai, Vivian Cheruiyot (Reserve) 4x400 Mixed Relay - Mercy Chebet, Lanoline Aoko, Esther Mbagari Men 100m - Ferdinand Omanyala 400m - George Mutinda,Brian Tinega, Kevin Kipkorir 800m - Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Nicholas Kiplangat Kebenei, Kelvin Loti 1500m - Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech, Reynold Cheruiyot, Timothy Cheruiyot 5000m - Nicholas Kipkorir 10000m - Edwin Kurgat, Ismael Kipkirui, Benson Kiplangat 3000m S/C - Edmund Serem, Simon Kiprop Koech, Abraham Kibiwott 400m Hurdles - Wiseman Were Marathon - Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich, Erick Kiplangat Sang, Kennedy Kimutai, Hillary Kipkoech (reserve) Javelin - Julius Yego (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Nuclear fusion start-up claims to have cracked alchemy
Over thousands of years, it has captivated thinkers such as Newton, the English physicist who developed the mathematical law of universal gravitation in the late 17th century. Many dreamed of creating a 'philosopher's stone' that would be used as a catalyst for transmuting base metals such as lead into gold. Marathon's idea relies on substituting materials used in the well-understood process of nuclear fusion instead. Fusion takes place when two isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium and tritium, are forced together to create helium, releasing high-energy subatomic particles called neutrons. It is accomplished by heating the deuterium and tritium atoms to extreme temperatures of more than 100 million degrees Celsius and then confining them into a tight space so that they collide. The process becomes self-sustaining when helium atoms collide with the fuel particles, transferring their energy and ensuring the reaction keeps going. But fusion reactors typically contain other materials, including isotopes of beryllium, lead, or lithium, to ensure there is continuously enough tritium in the mix. These are known as 'multipliers' because when they are hit by a neutron, they release two neutrons in their place. These extra neutrons then react with lithium to produce tritium. Radical transformation Marathon's method uses mercury-198, a common form of mercury, as a multiplier. When hit by a neutron, these atoms change into a less stable form called mercury-197. Over a few days, those atoms then naturally break down into a stable form of gold. Marathon claims this means the fusion process can be used to generate supplies of gold as a byproduct, 'without any compromise to fuel self-sufficiency or power output'. Using the new approach, the company says a fusion power plant with a capacity of about one gigawatt could generate 5,000 kilograms of gold per year. The gold produced by the reaction is stable, but could contain some radioactive gold isotopes, potentially meaning it must be stored for up to 18 years, according to the company. The start-up added: 'Marathon's techno-economic modelling suggests that fusion plants could create as much economic value from gold production as they do from electricity production, potentially doubling the value of these facilities, radically transforming the economics of fusion and of energy more broadly.' Beyond gold, it also claimed the transmutation process could be used for making precious metals such as palladium, synthesising medical isotopes, or producing materials for 'nuclear batteries'. Marathon was founded by Adam Rutkowski, a former engineer at Elon Musk's rocket company, SpaceX, and Kyle Schiller, who was a fellow at ex-Google boss Eric Schmidt
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Why is a Russian ‘shadow fleet' using Irish waters?
Earlier this month, the Sierra tanker set off from a Russian port on the Baltic Sea laden with thousands of tonnes of crude oil and set a course for India. There was nothing unusual about that – Russia has continued to export vast amounts of fossil fuels despite the international sanctions imposed following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, when the Sierra, a 250 metre tanker, reached Dutch waters, it did something which left maritime and naval experts scratching their heads. Instead of taking the safest and most economically efficient route through the English Channel and down the coast of France, the ship abruptly turned north. It sailed all the way around the British Isles into the North Atlantic before coming down the Irish west coast on July 10th. It skirted down the very edge of the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) before continuing south to India. READ MORE Two weeks previously, the Marathon, another sanctioned vessel carrying Russian oil, made the exact same journey. The Sierra and Marathon are part of what has become known as Russia's shadow fleet and are just two of an increasing number of vessels which have been engaging in suspicious and sometimes bizarre behaviour around Irish waters in recent months. This has raised both environmental and national security concerns among Irish officials, especially given Ireland's extremely limited ability to monitor such vessels. An Irish Times investigation has identified 19 shadow fleet vessels sailing in, or just outside, the Irish EEZ since May. Five of these ships appeared more than once. All are subject to US or UK sanctions, while 11 are subject to EU sanctions. [ New €60m sonar system aims to protect transatlantic cables, gas pipelines in Irish waters Opens in new window ] The most recent sailing occurred on Saturday when the Matari, a crude oil tanker flagged in Sierra Leone, sailed north through the EEZ on its way to the Gulf of Kola in the Russian Arctic. There are various definitions of a shadow fleet vessel, but most involve a ship engaging in deceptive practices to transport sanctioned oil or other cargos. In the majority of cases, these ships fly the flag of a small country with a poor reputation for maritime regulations. Sometimes, as is the case with the Sierra which claims it is flagged in the landlocked African nation of Malawi, the registration is fraudulent (it previously flew the flags of Sao Tome and Principe, Liberia, Gabon and Barbados). The tally of 19 ships observed around Ireland recently is likely an undercount. The vessels were tracked using tools from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, a New Zealand-based marine software firm, and open source marine tracking platforms. Their location was based on the signals from their automatic identification systems (AIS). A defining feature of shadow vessels is that they often sail with AIS turned off, which makes them all but impossible to track. The figure of 19 shadow fleet vessels does not include the Shtandart, a replica of a historic Russian navy ship, which visited a Co Louth port earlier this month despite being under EU sanctions. [ State needs to invest in Navy and Air Corps to beef up our ability to protect vital undersea connections Opens in new window ] Many of the recent incidents in Irish waters involved ships engaging in unusual and economically inefficient practices, including sailing outside of recognised shipping lanes and taking the long way around Ireland on the way to the Baltic Sea. 'Vessels don't take longer routes, especially those that include the North Atlantic, unless there's a reason,' said Mark Douglas, a maritime domain analyst with Starboard Maritime Intelligence and a former New Zealand Royal Navy officer. 'The important thing about all of this is, I don't know why this is happening and no one else does either,' he said. One possible explanation for the growing number of sanctioned ships sailing up the Irish west coast is increased monitoring of traffic in the English Channel by UK authorities. UK officials are now challenging by radio an average of 40 shadow vessels every month off the British coast as part of a joint campaign with a group of EU countries to tackle Russian sanction busting. Christian Panton, an expert in maritime open source intelligence, said European countries are increasingly concerned about the presence of unflagged or fraudulently flagged vessels in their waters. The Russian oil tanker Sierra. Photograph: Marinetraffic/Hannes van Rijn The Shtandart, a replica of a historic Russian navy ship, in Dublin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw He pointed to a recent joint communication from the NB8++, a group of 12 northern European countries, stating that 'if vessels fail to fly a valid flag in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, we will take appropriate action within international law'. Ireland is not a member of this group, meaning vessels may feel more comfortable sailing off its west coast than going through the English Channel. Evidence suggests shadow fleet ships may also be attempting to avoid areas which impose specific environmental conditions on oil tankers. Since 2005, the Western European Tanker Reporting System (Wetrep) has required oil tankers to provide details of their crews, cargo and seaworthiness when sailing through a designated area. Ireland is a member of Wetrep and much of its EEZ is classified as a designated reporting area. Several of the shadow vessel ships tracked through the EEZ in recent weeks appeared to be just skirting the Wetrep area, meaning they did not have to provide details on their operations to authorities. The increased presence of the shadow fleet off Ireland has raised concern among national security officials. During one recent voyage through the English Channel, the Sierra was escorted by a Russian warship which had disguised itself as a fishing vessel. [ Ireland cannot protect its waters alone, UN expert says Opens in new window ] There is concern Russia intends to start regularly providing military escorts for shadow vessels to deter western intervention. This raises the chances of military escalation. Secondly, there is concern about the activity of shadow fleet vessels around Irish undersea cables. In a small number of cases, vessels have been observed by the Irish Air Corps or Naval Service loitering in the areas of these cables. Last March, the Arne, a shadow fleet tanker previously boarded by German federal police over suspicions of sabotage, was spotted by the Naval Service near undersea cables off Cork. The main risks to undersea infrastructure may come not from deliberate action but from the poor condition of shadow fleet vessels. Douglas points out accidents account for 90 per cent of incidents of damage to undersea cables globally. Many shadow fleet vessels are in poor condition and are crewed by inexperienced sailors. The countries they are flagged in take little interest in enforcing safety standards or crew working conditions. All of this raises the danger of an anchor being accidentally dropped and dredged across some cables, said Douglas. The biggest concern for Irish officials is that the poor condition of these ships could result in an ecological disaster. Eleven of the 19 ships identified in recent weeks were carrying full loads of crude oil when sailing off Ireland. The clean-up costs for an oil spill from a single shadow fleet tanker could be nearly €750 million, according to recent estimates from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Such an incident would be devastating to Irish waters, even if the ship was sailing just outside the EEZ, as was the case with the Sierra and Marathon. 'That is the thing would keep me up at night, more than anything with cables,' said an Irish maritime official. 'There are redundancies built into the cable system. There's no redundancy for an oil spill.' It is not an entirely hypothetical scenario. In January, the sanctioned tanker Eventin lost control while at anchor off Germany. The Blue, a sanctioned oil tanker heading for the Baltic, took an unusual route around Ireland. Photograph: Marinetraffic/Hans Rosenkranz Last week, the Pushpa, a shadow fleet oil tanker, reported losing control about 50 nautical miles off Malta. 'Imagine that on Ireland's Atlantic coast,' said Douglas. The right of Ireland to do anything about these ships is up for debate. Maritime law is ambiguous about the rights of countries to board or seize shadow fleet vessels. In April, the Estonian Naval Service boarded an unflagged shadow fleet vessel off its coast, but no other country has taking similar action. Ireland largely lacks the ability to conduct such operations, but some action is being taken. The Defence Forces and Coast Guard monitor many of these vessels as they pass through. The newly acquired Airbus C295 maritime patrol aircraft, which has extended range and more advanced sensors than its predecessors, has proven invaluable. Just last Friday, an Air Corps C295 set a course for the Mayo coast where it monitored the Blue, a sanctioned oil tanker heading for the Baltic and taking an unusual route around Ireland. It is understood the Defence Forces received prior intelligence about the ship, which has since left Irish waters. Earlier in the week, it intercepted the Belgorod, another sanctioned tanker sailing north through the EEZ. A Defence Forces spokesman declined to comment on the operations but said it 'maintains a continuous presence and vigilance within Ireland's maritime domain. 'We monitor all activity within our Exclusive Economic Zone as part of our routine operations to ensure the security and integrity of our waters.' The Department of Transport, which regulates maritime traffic, said the Irish Coast Guard 'has instituted specific measures to monitor the presence of these vessels and passage through and out of Irish EEZ'. It said the Coast Guard is specifically concerned about the increased possibility of maritime casualty incidents 'from such vessels'. A spokesman also pointed to several measures being taken to crack down on shadow fleet vessels operating without maritime insurance. Ireland is taking part in a one-month 'focused inspection campaign' to check the insurance documents of oil tankers calling to ports. It has also signed up to a new EU system to monitor shadow fleet vessels. Nevertheless, recent events suggest shadow fleet traffic is only likely to increase. Last week, the EU agreed an additional sanctions package for Russia which will further limit the legitimate market for its oil exports and increase Moscow's reliance on its shadow fleet.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former 89 Energy Team Reloads with Pearl Backing for Midcon M&A
After a whirlwind of private upstream exits in the past 24 months, another new startup E&P is entering the fray. Blackjack Natural Resources is launching with financial backing from private equity firm Pearl Energy Investments and company management, the firm announced July 17. Blackjack's founding partners include co-CEOs Jeff Wampler and Andrew Haraway and Grant Sykes, executive vice president of operations. The three previously worked together at Anadarko Basin E&P 89 Energy in engineering, finance and operations roles. Oklahoma City-based Blackjack plans to pursue upstream acquisition opportunities 'with a primary focus on the greater Midcontinent region,' the company said. 'We believe the current market provides attractive opportunities for investment, and we are thrilled to partner with a premier financial sponsor in Pearl,' Wampler said. Pearl is active in the upstream private equity space. The firm's portfolio includes Permian Resources, Infinity Natural Resources, Camino Natural Resources and Slant Energy. 89 Energy 89 Energy grew into one of the Midcontinent's top private producers before selling earlier this year. The company was a combination of three private E&Ps backed by Kayne Anderson: Casillas Petroleum Resource Partners, Native Exploration and Acacia Exploration. The company managed around 65,000 net acres in the SCOOP play and produced 25,000 boe/d (30% oil, 60% liquids), according to 89 Energy's website. In March, 89 Energy closed an $850 million sale to private producer Validus Energy. Validus is a portfolio company of Elliott Investment Management. Validus has deployed more than $3 billion into Midcontinent M&A over the past year. The company reportedly spent $450 million to acquire Anadarko Basin assets from Continental Resources last year. In September 2024, Validus struck a deal to acquire private Oklahoma E&P Citizen Energy for over $2 billion. RELATED Validus Pays $850MM for 89 Energy as Midcon M&A Heats Up Midcon M&A The Midcontinent oil and gas market has suffered for the past decade under a lack of capital investment and exits by major operators. But interest in the Anadarko Basin is growing once again, fueled by a rise in natural gas prices and scarcity in other key Lower 48 basins. ConocoPhillips is currently marketing Marathon Oil's legacy Anadarko assets—which it picked up through the blockbuster $17.1 billion Marathon acquisition last year. Marathon's Oklahoma portfolio includes around 250,000 net acres. Production from the asset averaged 40,000 boe/d in the third quarter of 2024, according to the company's most recent filing. Sources tell Hart Energy that bids recently came in for Marathon's marketed package. Private E&P Canvas Energy has also explored a sale of its Midcontinent assets. Canvas, which rebranded from Chaparral Energy in 2022, held 223,000 net acres in the Anadarko as of second-quarter 2024, according to investor materials. Camino Natural Resources had been exploring a sale in the range of $2 billion but has pulled back from a marketing process, sources told Hart. Denver-based Camino holds approximately 135,000 net acres in the core of the Anadarko and is one of the top producers in Oklahoma. Camino is sponsored by private equity firm NGP. RELATED Oklahoma E&P Canvas Energy Explores Midcon Sale, Sources Say Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
