This year’s gruelling, physically demanding competition, the 11^th Lismore Fitness Samson Challenge, has broken its previous fundraising efforts for local charity Our Kids.

Our Kids fundraising coordinator Rebekka Battista said this year, the incredible amount raised was $30,000 – and she was so stunned that she checked and re-checked the figures.

“It’s our biggest year yet,” Rebekka said. “This year, we had some major league sponsors and support for the Challenge is increasing, as more people are inspired to do the Samson.

We had more teams than ever and more people in the solo events on the Friday night. In total, we had 131 teams and over 524 competitors who fundraised for us in their networks.”

The Samson Challenge is a major fundraiser for Our Kids, the charity that raises money to purchase paediatric equipment for the Children's Ward and Special Care Nursery at Lismore

Base Hospital.

This year the event was held on March 5 and 6 in Hepburn Park, Lismore and the money raised will go towards buying a baby humidicrib and a resuscitaire that costs $55,000.

“A resuscitaire is a humidicrib where the sides drop down and the medical crew can work on babies in situ and don’t have to move them from one room to another,” Rebekka said.

“I’d like to acknowledge all the volunteers who helped organise the event – we had a huge team with over 130 volunteers who spent six months planning it.

“It was a massive community event, held outdoors in a Covid-safe way. We had support from Council, Rotary, Lions, Lords Taverners, North Base Club and many more.

“A huge thank you to Jason Clarke, Jason Honeyman, Luke Hoolihan and Kylie Avery who we call Team Samson, a truly dedicated team who have put many hours of their own time to help Our Kids make 2021 the best Samson Ever.”

While there were multiple winners across the Samson Challenge categories, Rebekka said a special Our Kids award was given to Bree Dorrington.

“We always have a chat about who has shown the qualities and values of our kids – like if a team had an injured person and carried them through the event,” Rebekka said.

“Last year we honoured a woman who had been through chemo and did the Samson as her healing. She raised $1000 for Our Kids alone.

“When we awarded Bree, we found out her story – that her niece had been in special care and she had been personally affected by equipment purchased by Our Kids.”

The winners of the Samson Challenge were:

Samson Solo Male – Tony Curtis

Samson Solo Female – Bek Foley

2021 Samson Champions –Curtis Fitness Training

Samson Our Kids Award – Bree Dorrington for her fabulous fundraising

Samson Team Male Open – Curtis Fitness Training

Samson Team Female Open – Summit Sweathearts

Samson Team Mixed Open – Elite Force Fitness Lennox

Samson Team Masters Men – Union Old Fellas

Samson Team Masters Females – Edge Fit Chicks

Samson Team Masters Mixed – Edgefit Geriactives

Samson Team Junior Boys – Curtis Fitness Training Juniors

Samson Team Junior Girls – The Girls

For all 2021 team results https://www.racetecresults.com/results.aspx?CId=7&RId=813