Mazars, the international audit, tax and advisory firm, has launched the Mazars Steps Team Challenge 2023.

The challenge invites participants to team up with friends, families and colleagues to form teams of 4 and virtually walk across Ireland from 16 January and 12 February 2023, to complete 1,893,898 steps cumulatively as part of their daily routines and potentially win prizes.

Each team can walk or run to complete the virtual route around Ireland, and wheelchair participants can use a conversion chart to add their steps to their teams’ total.

All steps will be recorded using an app that connects to a phone or fitness device and registration is now open ahead of January, with the challenge officially taking place from 16th January to 12th February.

The challenge is aimed at serious walkers: the target steps total means each team member will have to average 16,900 steps per day in the 28-day period.

In Association with

Entrants can register at mazars.ie/steps.

To promote the event, Mazars has enlisted Olympian Rob Heffernan, hockey international and Mazars auditor Chloe Watkins, and Gareth Mullins, head chef at the Marker Hotel, whose healthy recipes for participants are available to download here.

Prizes on offer from Mazars include:

•    Premium match day tickets to Ireland vs England, 2023 Six Nations Championship, for each team member with dinner before.

•    Overnight stays for each team member plus one, in the 5-star Marker Hotel, with dinner in the Brasserie restaurant.

•    Dinner for every team member plus one in the Brasserie restaurant in the Marker Hotel.

Participants can enter at mazars.ie/steps and download a starter pack with all supporting information. 

Rob Heffernan, Irish Olympic Walker, stated: "Getting out for a walk or run alone can be a bit lonesome, but this challenge is a great way to stay connected with others and enjoy the benefits of making a conscious effort to move more.

“I look forward to sharing some tips and motivation along the way and I can't wait to see teams hitting key milestones along the virtual route around Ireland.”

Mazars managing partner Tom O'Brien said the Steps Team Challenge has been well received by the internal Mazars community in recent years.

“It can sometimes be difficult to find events that bring people who work either in the office or remotely together, but the steps challenge does just that,” he added.

“We have some great prizes along the virtual route so it's not just the people who do the most steps that get prizes, and Mazars will also make a donation to a charity nominated by the winning team.”