Ireland's Fittest Family has become almost as popular a spectator sport in my house as a hurling match. Alright, I said almost.
Yesterday saw Mairead Ronan welcome us to the exciting final in Dublin's Docks where we watched the Cummins clan from Tipperary win €15,000 and the coveted title of Ireland’s Fittest Family 2016.
Since exploding onto our screens in 2014, four remarkable families have been crowned Ireland’s Fittest Family. This fourth series delivered the usual mud, sweat and tears, and some gruelling surprises, but this year the courses were harder than ever before. The popular programme also received a record number of applicants, each hopeful of bringing home the title.
Over eight weeks we got to cheer on some of the fittest, fastest and strongest families in the country as they pushed themselves physically and mentally to the absolute limits, each vying to be the last family standing. From our comfy position on the couch we chortled as we watched other mums, dads, and siblings hurtle themselves at some of the most challenging obstacle courses and terrains that Ireland has to offer.
Four Irish sporting legends coached the teams; Davy Fitzgerald, Anna Geary and Alan Quinlan were joined by a new coach this season - former Irish & international soccer star, Stephen Hunt. After narrowly losing out to Davy Fitzgerald in last year’s final, former Cork All Star Camogie captain Anna Geary was delighted with this year's win as she coached the Cummins family to victory. She commented:
"Last Year was a baptism of fire for me. Having watched the show as a spectator, I was aware I had large boots to fill when it came to following after Derval O’ Rourke and last year I was a little naive. My attitude in life and in sport is 'why can’t you win?'"
The Cummins family, made up of dad Jim, sons Mark and Henry and daughter Ciara, are the first Tipp household to win the trophy and bag the €15,000 prize money. Jim said that they were planning to spend their winnings on a family holiday and plan to bring their Cork camogie legend coach Anna with them:
"We wouldn’t be here only for Anna, Anna is absolutely brilliant."
Right, I'm off to fill in my application for next year and run up and down the stairs Rocky-style. But I might get a doctor's note to excuse me from that bit where they wade through the bog...
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