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Blue Peter’s Lindsey Russell, ‘The Wave Runner’, is planning to take on one of the programme’s most daring challenges yet for Sport Relief.
The presenter has announced that she will attempt to cross the Irish Channel in a three metre inflatable ball.
The daunting task will see Lindsey battling all the sea can throw at her, as she runs through the waves and takes on the loneliness of night. She will need all her courage, powers of endurance and a sea’s worth of stamina to complete this epic, world first, Blue Peter challenge.
Lindsey will embark from the beaches of Donaghadee in Northern Ireland and head for the finish line at Portpatrick harbour in Scotland, a distance of 20 miles. It has never been done before, but experts predict it could take up to 14 hours.
“The most daunting part of this challenge has always been how heavily we are relying on the weather,” Lindsey says. “I’ve been training for months for what will be the biggest and best challenge of my life, but I don’t think anything can prepare me for what the Irish Sea has in store.
“Something I do know is that I’ll give it everything I’ve got. I am so determined to make it to Scotland and I hope it inspires everyone watching to get up and get involved with Sport Relief this year.”
Professor Greg Whyte, who has been helping Lindsey to train, said: “The unique adventure that Lindsey is about to embark upon holds a host of physical, psychological, nutritional, tactical and technical challenges.
“In addition, factors beyond Lindsey’s control including the weather will play a crucial part in Lindsey’s success. This is an extraordinary challenge which will require an extraordinary performance from Lindsey to achieve success.”
Lindsey’s ‘The Wave Runner’ challenge aims to inspire children to do their own fundraising for Sport Relief, by signing up to the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games. Money raised by the event will be used to help people living unimaginably tough lives. Half of the money will be spent in the UK and the other half will be used to transform lives across the world’s poorest communities.
Viewers can follow Lindsey’s progress from 26th February every Thursday on Blue Peter on the CBBC channel, with the ‘The Wave Runner’ challenge airing on 17th March.
