Teams from across Leicester's business community experienced competition on the Welford Road pitch in the Lord's Taverners inaugural Gauntlet event.Sponsored by BDO, Total Motion, Gateley and Cambridge & Counties Bank, the eagerly-anticipated event at the home of the Leicester Tigers featured more than 600 entrants in glorious afternoon sunshine on Thursday.   The competition, organised by the people behind the L Factor singing event at the O2 last year which raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity, raised more than £37,000 in team donations, with more to come from ticket sales and last-minute sponsorship.   The funds will go towards 10 children’s charities, including the Leicester Tigers Foundation which will use its share to support their proposed wheelchair rugby programme for secondary school children.   Ian Guyler, organising chairman for Lord’s Taverners who organised the event with Claire Herbert of Gateley, Paul Elliott of Santander, Kate Rengger of BDO, Richard Grudgings of local charity Warning Zone and David Oliver from Revilo Events, thanked everyone who got involved and the Tigers club for acting as hosts.   Guyler said: “The Lord’s Taverners in Leicestershire would like to thank the team at Tigers for helping us put on the Gauntlet. It has proved to be one of the most successful corporate charity fund-rasing events in recent years, raising more than £60,000 from Leicestershire businesses for 10 local children's charities. Yet again the team at Leicester Tigers have been fantastic to work with.”   Chris Rees, from Howes Percival who hosted a series of sports-themed pre-challenges with fellow competitors, said: "It hasn't just been the opportunity of being involved in It’s A Knockout-style games that has brought people together, it has been the genuine desire to join forces and make a difference to benefit children of Leicestershire through donating to the charities that the event will support."   The overall winners of the ‘It’s a Knockout’ were the Next plc team who lifted the first Richard III Gauntlet trophy. They were also among the biggest fundraisers. Scott Clarke, trustee of the Tigers Foundation, said: “We were delighted to be given the chance to work with the Lords Taverner’s team and host the Gauntlet at the Tigers.   “The engagement and support from the Leicestershire business network has been amazing and the funds raised will really help us kick off our plans to develop a wide-reaching programme to support and tackle awareness, access and opportunities for disability sport in the region.   “The Tigers Wheelchair Rugby team are showing what can be done and they will be a vital element to help us support and inspire many more to get involved and enjoy the benefits of activity.”