Our Biggest Challenge Part 1

Jim Williams, David Pooley and I took part in the 2011 World Carp Classic.

Now I hear you say “ok great…so what”

Well we are all registered disabled, we have various disabilities. Jim suffers from Chemical poisoning, Dave suffers from cluster headaches and I have to use a wheelchair but I can do very short distances on crutches still but not for much longer by the way things are going.

Jim and I were the anglers and Dave was the runner. His job was to keep us fed and watered and to assist with the boat only, he was not allowed to touch any tackle at any time.

We were the first disabled team to take part in the WCC in its 12yr history so that was the first achievement.

Our second achievement was that we completed the whole match of 5 nights and 6 days despite Jim feeling bad on day 4.

Our trip started on the 1^st September when we all met up at our bait sponsors unit in Medway. Chris and Dean from Mrbaits Boilies had prepared about 60 kilos of boilies for us to use plus we had another 80 kilos of mixed food for baiting up.

We were joined later that day by Wayne from Medway Metals who had bought us the much needed boat and engine and a few other bits that helped make it possible for us to take part in this massive event.  Richard and Denise from the Kent disabled anglers came to wish us luck and Andy who took some of the photos for us.

Dave, Chris, Dean, Jim and myself

This day was also very important to me as I was to meet my daughter who I hadn’t seen for 24yrs. When she arrived it was very emotional but we both managed to keep it together although I did have a lump in my throat. Jodie stayed with us all day until it was time for us to set off down toDover where we were spending the night before sailing to Calais on the Friday morning.

Jodie and me

Paige who is Dean’s daughter looked after us while with our sponsors by keeping us in teas and coffees. Dave gave Chris Dean and Wayne a cake that his wife had made for them as a way of saying thank you. Julie makes the best cakes ever and had also sent along several bags full of cakes to last us out inFrance.

We spent the night in a B&B in Doverso we could have a good breakfast and be refreshed before setting off for the drive from Calais to Lac de Madine. We had been told it would take between 4 and 5 hours. It turned out to be 5 but more about that later.

We were ready to go before our due sailing time but because we had been sponsored by P&O we had free travel so we got ourselves on an earlier ferry. The crossing was very smooth and we were well looked after by the P&O crew. 

The day was hot and it was nice to be in the sunshine and in short sleeves. We set off and used the fastest route we could to get to the lake. We had to stop a couple of times for fuel and drinks and once when I had the onset of cramp so we needed to take a short break.

The journey took just on 5 hours and we arrived at the meeting place on Lac de Madine at about 5.30pm after getting lost on the very last part as we were not sure which area the bivvy city was being set up.

Part 2 will be about setting up camp and who we met and all about registration and the peg draw.

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