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A 300-Mile canoe trip on the worlds most dangerous river faces a British team who
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A 300-Mile canoe trip on the worlds most dangerous river faces a British team who
A 300-Mile canoe trip on the worlds most dangerous river faces a British team who met in Leamington yesterday for their final briefing. Twenty-five of them plan to paddle through the Colorado Canyon in July. Another ten will follow on rafts carrying supplies. Pauline Squires, a 24-year-old Leamington secretary, who has become a top international canoeist, will be the first woman to tackle the river. " I am really looking forward to it. I would not have missed the chance to do this, " she said. Two other local members of the expedition are Peter Robinson, of Coventry, and John Liddell, of Knowle. Only one member has seen the river before. He is Chris Hawkesworth, of Yorkshire, who joined an American team which made the first canoe journey down the river in 1969 to mark the centenary of the rivers exploration. Chris planned the British attempt and held a meeting in Leamington last night to explain the hazards in detail. Since 1869, 127 persons have lost their lives trying to navigate it. The main dangers are the rapids and storms which can produce tidal waves. The team, which flies from Dublin with its canoes on June 30, will practice on American rivers before setting off down the Colorado. An American club will help them with accommodation, but the two-week expedition will cost each member 260. Because of their amateur status individuals are banned by Olympic Games rules from accepting sponsorship. No-one the expedition organisers approached wanted to sponsor the whole event.
Our photograph shows Midland members of the team, left to right, Alan Donnelly (Oxford), Chris. Skellern (Worcester), Don Charlesworth (Nottingham), Albert Woods (Nottingham), Roger Crane (Shrewsbury), John Liddell (Knowle), John Goodwin (Newcastle. Staffs.), Michael Jones (Birmingham), Peter Robinson (Coventry) and, seated in the canoe, Pauline Squires (Leamington).
19th May 1971
Coventry Telegraph Archive
Mirrorpix
Leamington
England
Media ID 21612687
© Mirrorpix
Canoe Canoeing Olympics Canoeists
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Courageous British Team Prepares for Death-Defying Canoe Expedition on Treacherous River
EDITORS COMMENTS
. In this print from 1971, we witness the fearless members of a British team as they gather in Leamington for their final briefing before embarking on an audacious adventure. Their mission? To conquer the treacherous Colorado Canyon, renowned as the world's most dangerous river. Led by Chris Hawkesworth, who had previously navigated this perilous waterway with an American team, these intrepid explorers are determined to make history once again. Among them is Pauline Squires, a remarkable 24-year-old secretary from Leamington and the first woman ever to dare tackle this formidable challenge. With twenty-five individuals paddling through the rapids and storms that have claimed countless lives since 1869, another ten will follow closely behind on rafts carrying essential supplies. The team plans to practice on American rivers before commencing their two-week expedition down the mighty Colorado. Despite facing immense danger and shouldering personal costs of £260 each due to Olympic Games sponsorship rules prohibiting financial support, these amateur adventurers remain undeterred. Their unwavering spirit embodies true determination and passion for exploration. As they prepare to depart at the end of June from Dublin with canoes in tow, one cannot help but admire their bravery and resilience. This extraordinary photograph captures a moment frozen in time – a testament to human courage and our unyielding desire to push boundaries even when faced with insurmountable odds.
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