SAM Boatwright is hoping his link-up with a sports agency will boost his fund-raising efforts as he aims to break three more world records.

Maths teacher Boatwright set a new record for the furthest distance covered on a Wattbike in 24 hours last weekend.

Now the Skipton athlete is set to take on an ‘epic triathlon’ in July in a bid to raise £10,000 for The Armed Forces Charity.

The incredible challenge will see him swim the Channel and cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats before running back again, totalling over 1,700 miles in all.

In addition to that, Boatwright is aiming to beat the world record for each of the three endeavours.

Ahead of the challenge, Boatwright has become the latest name to sign to the Five Nine Agency headed up by former Bradford City chief operating officer James Mason.

He joins champion boxer Darren Tetley and ex-footballers Gary Jones and Peter Jackson on the roster.

“During my previous challenges I’ve had to do all of my own PR,” Boatwright told the T&A. “However, now I’m taking things more seriously and I think that I’ve a chance of setting some world records.

“I think James and I have got the same work ethic. Any minute in the day that’s free, is a minute that you can be doing something with. To be honest, as soon as I spoke with him, I thought ‘I trust you’.

“The contacts and networks that he can help provide are massive in terms of fundraising.”

“It’s especially important as I’m raising money for a charity called SSAFA, and they’re not as well known as Help for Heroes. But the volunteers who run it do some fantastic work in raising money for veterans and their families.”

“I want to be able to raise their profile to help them and I believe that Five Nine can help in doing that.”

Boatwright’s incredible challenge is made even more remarkable by the fact that he couldn’t swim just three months ago.

“Back in November, I couldn’t swim, so I’ve had to learn how to in order to swim the Channel,” he explained.

“I’ve said to my pupils that I’m not a naturally gifted swimmer, so I’m trying to show them that anything is possible.”

“The epic triathlon is something that no one has ever done before, and for good reason! The current fastest time on a bike from Land’s End to John O’Groats is 43 hours and I want to push as close as I can to that.

“I would love to say that I set the world record in doing it. But the guys that I’m trying to beat are all world-class professional athletes in each discipline whereas I’m a maths teacher from Bradford.”

Boatwright has to balance his training alongside his day job as a teacher at Forest Moor School and he revealed his non-stop schedule.

“I get up at 4.30 every morning, no matter what day it is,” said the endurance athlete, who used to teach at St Bede’s and St Joseph’s Catholic College in Heaton. “I spend two hours at the gym, work all day in the school and then spend another three hours at the gym before I go home and do my school marking.”

“Everyone tells me that I don’t get enough sleep, but for me to be successful in this challenge, I need to make sacrifices.”