Participants will be pushing themselves to the limits at the Ignit10n fundraiser in a bid to raise £14,000 for local Bristol hospital charity Above & Beyond.
The fourth annual event will see over 800 students in 20 teams take part in intense sporting and physical fitness challenges between 8am and 6pm.
The University of Bristol Tennis Club is taking the challenge one step further by holding a 24-hour tennis marathon, with at least one doubles match running at all times.
The fundraiser marks the official start of the Varsity Series, in which almost 2,000 students and over 100 teams from the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England (UWE) go head to head in dozens of sports and activities.
Ellie Hillier, a Geography student and Ignit10n 2017 organiser, said: "It's been amazing to organise Ignit10n 2017 and a huge thank you is in order to all my fellow students who have signed up in support of such a worthy cause. It will definitely be a tough challenge but we are determined to put 110 per cent in and bring the grand Ignit10n fundraising total to £40,000 for Bristol city centre hospitals.
"To have such amazing care on your doorstep can often be taken for granted, but the reality is you never know when you might need treatment, especially if you’re sporty like us, and we wanted to give something back to say thank you. £14,000 is a lot to raise from one challenge but with the support of the local community we really hope we can reach the target for the new sysmex blood analyser – a vital piece of equipment."
Ignit10n was the brainchild of Bristol students and organisers Sophia Sullivan and Milly Belcher, who wanted to unite all of Bristol’s sports teams as a force with the potential to raise a lot of money for a local charity.
Money raised this year will go towards a new sysmex blood analyser at the Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre. The new blood analyser will allow point of care testing for certain blood conditions and provide instant results.
The hospital currently only has one in place but an additional piece of equipment would allow for faster turnaround for patients waiting on test results. It will also reduce delays and allow hospital staff to spend more time with patients.
Previous events have seen the American Football team lift over one million kilogrammes, the Athletics and Cross Country Clubs run the equivalent distance to the International Space Station, and the Lacrosse club cycle the equivalent distance of London to Rome.
You can show your support online by sponsoring a student as they take on their incredible 10 hour challenges. Or come along to the sports centre on Tyndall Road and the grounds of the Life Sciences building on Thursday to cheer on the teams.