Rushden's Jack has a mountain to climb as he takes on world record rope challenge

Jack Fleckney preparing for his rope climb Credit: Jack Weightman Harton instagram.com/jackeweightmanharton

An adventurer from Rushden is hoping to break a world record – by climbing the height of Mount Everest on a rope.

On Friday, May 6, Jack Fleckney will be taking on a 24-hour challenge of rope climbs, a series of non-stop climbs up and down a 10m long rope.

Jack is setting out to climb the rope enough times to accumulate the height the planet’s highest mountain, ascending the rope more than 1,000 times.

The challenge will be taking place alongside Born Survivor at Capesthorne Hall, between Manchester and Macclesfield.

Despite the daunting feat of the challenge, Jack is feeling confident.

He said: “I’ve been training hard for about four months I’m just looking forward to Friday now. I did a six-hour rope climb just the other day and it felt really good.”

The challenge is being completed in honour of Alex Flynn and Parkinsons.Me.

Alex Flynn was an explorer who took part in extreme challenges in order to highlight and raise awareness of Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s disease is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years.

Sadly Alex lost his life whilst attempting to set a world record by being the first person to climb Mount Everest with Parkinson’s.

Jack said: “I read about Alex and felt I had to get involved somehow. It’s such a sad story and to have had it at such a young age too.”

Jack’s goal is to help Alex finish his mission and attempt to climb the height of Mount Everest in 24 hours, setting a world record of his own in the process.

To do so Jack will have to deal with torn, blistered hands, no sleep and pushing himself to new physical limits.

Jack is no stranger to 24-hour fitness challenges, having completed 283,131m on a SkiErg in 23 hours and 15 minutes, breaking a world record in the process. He’s also attempted a 24 hour chin-up world record challenge but had to stop at 21 hours due to injury.

Doing these and other challenges, Jack has been able cumulatively raise more than £110,000 for different charities and causes.

If you would like to donate to Parkinsons.Me you can do so on Jack’s JustGiving page.