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An Interview With James Cracknell

Rob Howard / 03.08.2011

Double Olympic rowing gold medallist and adventurer James Cracknell will be competing in this year’s adidas Terrex Coast to Coast Race later this month. He as an impressive track record of multi-sport performance, having raced the iconic C2C in New Zealand and the Mark Webber Challenge in Tasmania, and successfully run the Marathon des Sables (where he was the highest placed British finisher), paddled the Devises to Westminster Canoe Race and cycled The Tour de France’s Etape. He has also successfully, undertaken epic endurance challenges by rowing the Atlantic and racing to the North Pole.

However, his biggest challenges have come in the past year after a serious accident during his race across America expedition. He was struck a glancing blow on the head by a passing truck while cycling and was lucky to survive. Since then he has battled his way back towards full health through a 6 month recovery period for his physical injuries, and continuing neurological problems resulting from damage to the frontal lobes of his brain, which still affect him now.

Incredibly he has managed to complete both the Yukon Arctic Ultra (by bike) and the London Marathon this year, and now he is turning his attention to adventuring racing with the C2C, so I began by asking what category he was entered for?

"We’ll be in the team category, so there will be 3 of us, with two racing at any one time I’ll be in an adidas Terrex team with Bruce Duncan … and I’m not sure who else! I hope it works out that I can concentrate on the cycling and kayaking and I don’t have to do too much running, but we’ll have to see how things turn out. You can only take these things day by day, depending on how the team feel. I’m looking forward to the kayaking and mountain biking the most, and trying not to think about the distance."

<b>What appealed to you about the adidas Terrex Coast to Coast Race?</b>

"Well, I was on the look out for events and had heard of this one before my accident as I work closely with adidas and always thought it would be a cracking thing to do. So when I got an invite I jumped at the chance. The route crosses a phenomenal part of the country and most of my adventure racing has been done abroad so it will be great to see it.

I’ve never been to Whitehaven or Robin Hoods Bay before, and although I’ve been out and about in the areas the race visits its not the same experience I’ll get from this race. I just hope I’m not too knackered to take in the scenery!"

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