PADDLER 98
The route
We used a racing kayak , which is long , thin , and a bit tippy . We chose a stable model because we knew we ’ d paddle at night and through some harsh conditions – high flow , cold water , and portages with tricky entries and exits . Stability was crucial to avoid falling in , especially since the water was freezing in April !
PADDLER 98
The route
Huge congrats on being the fastest women to kayak the Thames ! Who gave you the idea or inspiration to attempt it ? Thank you ! It was my idea – Kerry would say it ’ s all my fault ! I ’ ve always loved the River Thames , and I ’ ve walked along most of it . One day , I was casually browsing the Guinness World Records website , and I noticed there were men ’ s records for both solo and doubles kayaking the Thames but no record for a women ’ s doubles crew .
I thought , “ This could be an easy win !” But when we applied , Guinness set a target for us – completing the journey in under 24 hours . Suddenly , it wasn ’ t as easy as I ’ d imagined ! It took about a year and a half of preparation and waiting for the right conditions before we were ready for our attempt .
What training did you do beforehand ? The training was pretty intense . We trained six days a week for the six months leading up to the attempt . This included a mix of strength training , interval sessions on the water , Pilates , and long paddles on Sundays . Our Sundays were dedicated to kayaking – we ’ d be out all day , coming home and collapsing into bed .
I also focused on nutrition during this time , cutting back on junk food and alcohol and avoiding holidays that might disrupt my training . The physical preparation was tough , but honestly , the record attempt was easier than expected . The real challenge was all the admin work !
Speaking of admin , how difficult was it to meet the strict conditions set by Guinness World Records ? Guinness has very strict rules for proving that we did , in fact , kayak the length of the Thames in the time we claimed . We needed two independent witnesses at both the start and finish , two minutes of video footage every hour , a logbook , an additional signed witness logbook , two stopwatches , GPS trackers , and plenty of photos for proof .
Our support crew was invaluable in helping with all the logistics – there was so much to coordinate !
Your first attempt didn ’ t go as planned . What happened ? That ’ s right . Our first attempt was in early April 2024 , and we almost cancelled it the night before because gale-force winds were forecast , and the river was in high flow . We ’ d set a maximum river flow rate that we were comfortable with , and it was over that . However , the flow dropped slightly overnight , so we decided to go for it .
The high flow was actually to our advantage at first – we were zooming along much faster than expected , and we even thought we might beat the men ’ s record ! But then , about three hours in , disaster struck . Our rudder broke , and without it , we couldn ’ t steer . After struggling for almost 2km , we had to pull over and , unfortunately , abandon the attempt .
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WHAT KIND OF KAYAK DID YOU USE ?
We used a racing kayak , which is long , thin , and a bit tippy . We chose a stable model because we knew we ’ d paddle at night and through some harsh conditions – high flow , cold water , and portages with tricky entries and exits . Stability was crucial to avoid falling in , especially since the water was freezing in April !