Interview:
Natasha Sones
Photos:
Various contributors
A chat with… Nadia Weigh
In the early hours of Tuesday, April 27, 2024, friends Kerry Lewis and Nadia Weigh set a new world record as the fastest female crew to kayak the length of the Thames. They covered a gruelling 200km journey from Lechlade in the Cotswolds to Teddington Lock in just 21 hours and 33 minutes – well under their 24-hour target!
Their goal wasn’t just to set a new record; the pair were raising money for the charity ‘Women in Sport’ and raised over £3,300 in donations. Fellow paddler Natasha Sones caught up with Nadia to talk about their epic achievement, the journey, and what’s next.
Tell us about the start of your kayaking journey. What sparked your interest?
Mine and Kerry’s kayaking journeys are quite different: I only got into the sport three years ago, whereas she started kayaking and racing at an early age. I joined my local kayak club, and it just snowballed. I never considered myself ‘sporty’, but I was incredibly fortunate to have a coach, David Battershell, ‘Batty’, who made me feel like anything was possible. I started to dip my toes into the world of competitive kayaking. He put me and Kerry in a boat together, encouraged us to do our first race together, and even dragged me out of the water when I got stuck under a pontoon during our first national competition!
Batty sadly passed away earlier this year, and I feel a bit at a loss without him now at times, but we’re lucky to have lots of memories along the Thames with him, so he was definitely on the journey in some way.
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.
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!
You succeeded on your second try. How did that feel?
It felt amazing but also a bit anti-climactic! The flow was much slower on our second attempt, so we knew we wouldn’t break the men’s record. However, we set a new women’s record, our main goal.
When we finished, we were utterly exhausted, wet, and useless. But, of course, we were thrilled to have achieved what we set out to do.
What were your aims going into the attempt?
Our primary goal was to finish in under 24 hours, which Guinness required for the record. Secretly, I wanted to beat the men’s record, and we weren’t far off! That was a bit frustrating. Still, it was an incredible experience, showing me what my body is capable of.
How did you manage food, drink, and… toileting?
Ah, the glamorous side of kayaking! We agreed that we wouldn’t pee in the boat, as it would make portaging really unpleasant for me. Kerry is almost six-foot, whereas I’m 5’ 4”, so imagine what would happen if we flipped the boat and put it on our shoulders to carry – the fluids would’ve all ended up down the back of my neck. We handled it on the go, mostly during portages.
I had one very memorable moment when my good friend Simon was feeding me a Jaffa cake and looked at me very seriously to check I was okay. To this day, I haven’t told him what I was doing at that point!
As for food and drink, our support crew fed us at the locks. We had a mix of electrolytes, carb drinks, sandwiches, pizza bites, flapjacks, and some emergency snacks in our buoyancy aids. Kerry used a drinks bladder, and I had a bottle clipped to my buoyancy aid, which worked better for me.
Do you think there’s enthusiasm for kayaking among women?
Absolutely, and I’d love to see more of it! For example, the Thames record we set wasn’t even talked about a few years ago. Then, last summer, Steve Backshall broke the men’s record, bringing much attention to the challenge. Now, there’s a Thames Challenge event, and more people are talking about it.
I think there’s definitely room for more women in competitive kayaking – we’re not as delicate as some might have us believe, and it’s great fun!
Any advice for future world record challengers?
Be prepared for a lot of admin! Start planning early and give yourself enough time to get everything approved by Guinness. Once you apply, it can take up to three months to get their go-ahead, so factor that in.
Besides kayaking, what else do you do in life?
Hiking and swimming were my first loves before I got into kayaking. I did a few endurance challenges for hiking, including a 100-kilometre walk from London to Brighton a few years ago.
In my spare time, I run an amazing organisation called Adventure Queens, which supports women in getting outdoors and going on adventures. It’s all about community and breaking down barriers to adventure.
What’s next for you? Any personal kayaking goals?
I’ve got a few ideas brewing, but I’m not ready to share them yet – once you say them, you have to do them! Kerry has a long list of goals; some are more appealing to me than others. For now, I just want to enjoy some downtime, spend time with my partner, and get back to kayaking for fun.
Any final shoutouts?
I want to thank Kerry, who’s always up for any challenge, no matter how bonkers!
To my partner, Rob, who was endlessly supportive and helped me with everything from cooking dinners to designing strength training plans to checking river distance spreadsheets.
To my dad, thank you for travelling to meet us at the finish line and being a great cheerleader.
Finally, to Wey Kayak Club and our incredible support crew – they kept us going through some tough moments, and some provided excellent entertainment, too – I’ll never forget our friend Mac jumping into the river in his underpants to bring us food!
