The Devizes To Westminster Canoe Marathon

James Church, who has Becker Muscular Dystrophy, completed the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Marathon in his single seat kayak over four days during Easter this year raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. The race website states that ‘under ideal conditions, the race calls for strenuous and sustained effort. In bad weather, it can be extremely arduous and below Teddington on the tideway, dangerous. Only experienced paddlers should attempt the Race’. Here is his story.

14 - 17 April 2006
Total Distance: 125 miles

James, who is 24, started white water kayaking at Reading University and was captain of the University Club. "The great thing about kayaking is that everyone looks out for everyone else and I get a huge amount of support to get my boat in and out of the water. Once I am in the water it puts me on a much more equal footing with everyone else. The same is true for sit skiing where I can get down a slope a lot faster than most able bodied skiers standing on two skis!" James also plays goalkeeper in floorball and water polo and had a go at disabled water skiing but, since there is only so much time in the day, has decided to stick to two sports - kayaking and downhill skiing.

"I had great support from my friends for the race. My team of helpers used a full body climbing harness to lift me in and out of the boat at locks. Another canoeist shadowed me alongside in case of problems, such as ending up in the water. Two quad bikes rode along side with a trailer that had a seat to transport me from lock to lock, and someone was there to carry my canoe for me. This differed substantially from able bodied competitors, who only had food and water supplied by their support teams.

"I trained hard and, on Good Friday, covered 34 miles from Devizes to Newbury. On Easter Saturday, I completed the 36 miles from Newbury to Marlow. Marlow to Teddington meant 38 miles on Easter Sunday, and lastly Easter Monday was the 17 mile leg from Teddington to Westminster. This made for a grand total of 125 miles.

"I set off at around 7am each day and finished between 6.30 and 8.30pm."

James agrees with the latest research that staying active can benefit people with muscular dystrophy. When he was 12 and unable to ski upright anymore, he found it hard to come to terms with the changes needed if he was to continue to enjoy sport. Eventually, by the time he was 16 and missing sport, he realised that he would have to change and adapt to learning new skills to get back to skiing and take up other sports. As a child he spent one hot August with both ankles in plaster to stop contractures in his heels, and he vowed from then on he would keep active, and try to keep those contractures at bay as best he could in future!

"Thank you to everyone who sponsored me on his mission, with your help I raised £2,030.58 For more information on the Devizes to Westminister Race and more pictures visit   www.dwrace.org.uk

Other activities
James is a sit ski guide with the British Ski Club for the Disabled, helping other disabled skiers get to grips with sit skis. James started skiing with them at the age of 16 in a bi-ski, which is a bucket seat with two skis underneath. He then graduated to the more difficult monoski, which has only one ski under the seat, and which is used by the paralympians. James was recently invited to take part in a trial session for the selection of the GB sit ski paralympic team. Although he thinks that his upper body strength might not match the demands, he is going to give it a go! The experience of training with such experts would be marvellous in itself.

James is still involved in helping new students at the Reading University Canoe Club, spending weekends away with the Club, which allows ‘cling on’ members who have left university to continue their involvement with the Club, and pass on their expertise.