Chester rowing coach to cycle Kenya for women’s cance charities

Feb 9 2012 by Katie Bamber, Chester Chronicle

A ROWING coach is swapping sculling for cycling – and getting into gear for a 400km charity bike ride across some of Kenya’s toughest terrain.

Hannah Blaikie, of The Green, Poulton, is the only North West biker in a team of 90 women to tackle the five-day Women V Cancer trek in aid of three cancer charities.

The 25-year-old, a rowing coach at The King’s School, is preparing to fly out and meet her fellow fundraisers on Saturday.

“I’ve never done anything like it. I’m very excited, but this week I’ve really got butterflies in my tummy,” said Hannah.

The team will cycle from the slopes of Mount Kenya – the second highest mountain in Africa – to the shore of Lake Victoria nearly 250 miles away.

“I’m confident I’ll be able to complete the whole challenge, but the third day will be the hardest. It’s called the hill challenge and if you get to the top it’s 2,293m high and 23km from the bottom.”

Hannah, a former pupil of both The Queen’s and King’s School, is no stranger to sporting success. She represented her schools at rowing before completing an undergraduate degree in sport and exercise science at Oxford Brookes University.

She has set herself a gruelling training regime – but has struggled to prepare for the Kenyan climate as UK temperatures have plummeted.

“At the moment it’s around 30°C out there, so it’s definitely going from one extreme to the other,” said Hannah.

Women V Cancer is a series of women-only cycle challenges organised by fundraising events organiser Action for Charity.

Hannah hopes to raise £5,000 for three causes – Breast Cancer Care, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and Ovarian Cancer Action.

“Breast cancer is an issue that’s close to me, as I know a few people who have suffered from it,” said Hannah.

“Now, sadly, everyone will be affected by it in some way. That’s part of the reason I signed up – because you should do everything possible to help.”

If you would like to sponsor Hannah, visit www.justgiving.com/hannah-blaikie.