Category Archives: Sport & Leisure

What to do when the Olympic career’s over

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Olympic kayaking - a passion, but not a careerOlympic gold medalist Tim Brabants knows better than most how important it is to have a career you can turn to when the sports career finishes. The sprint kayaker is a qualified doctor and will return to medicine whenever he eventually hangs up his paddles.

He’s not “lucky”, he’s just fortunate in that he planned ahead. Others are not so fortunate. Many sportsmen and women find that after one or two decades of sacrificing absolutely everything for their sport they struggle to fit back into “normal” life, sometimes lacking the qualifications or work experience to attract an employer. Continue reading →

Canoeing in Switzerland

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Canoeing in Switzerland

Switzerland may be landlocked but it boasts some of the most varied canoeing in Europe – mountain-fed rapids, big lakes, wide flat rivers and relatively quick access to a host of canoeing venues in France, Germany, Italy and beyond.

I came to Geneva in 2009 and joined the local club, which is based on the Rhone. I was initially disappointed not to be canoeing on Lake Geneva, or Lac Leman as it’s known to the locals, which is the largest fresh water lake in Europe. But that disappointment was tempered by the knowledge that the high level of boat traffic and the frequent and strong regional wind, La Bise, combine to leave the water unpaddleable for all but the most hardy (and stable) canoeist. Continue reading →

Marathon canoe race epic

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Canoeing 125 miles (200 km) through the countryside, running 76 locks and weirs plus coping with blisters, heatstroke, psychotic swans and drunken pleasure boat owners may not be everyone’s idea of fun. But for around 600 committed “paddlers”, such is the unique appeal of the Devizes to Westminster international canoe race, held every Easter holiday weekend.

Billed as the world’s toughest canoe race, it was conceived some 60 years ago as a bet in a pub near Devizes, Wiltshire.

Two scouts doubted whether it would be possible to navigate the then derelict Kennet and Avon canal and the Thames all the way to London and thus another seemingly foolhardy venture was born. Continue reading →

On the ropes

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Years of cold beach holidays in Cornwall made me long for something more adventurous this year and with growing children the thought of a sports holiday appealed. It was only when my vague promise of a repeat visit to the south-west was met with howls of derision from my two children (‘It’s so cold’. ‘It’s really boring just sitting on the sand.’) that I decided to act.

After ruling out a number of options, including Italy (too expensive), the USA (too far for a short break), and France (been there many times) we settled on Slovenia. Continue reading →

Is Disneyland Paris still a bonne idée?

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Christmas Winter Season at Disneyland Paris

A trip to a Disneyland Paris is almost a rite of passage for British kids these days but such is the rate at which the French theme park has expanded over the past five years, parents still need to precision plan their visit to ensure everyone gets the most out of it.

It’s not just the size of the park that makes a two-day stay essential – queuing, already a familiar sight at UK theme parks, is something you’ll get very well used to at Disneyland Paris and can severely reduce the number of attractions you can squeeze into your day. Continue reading →