Will Clark will tackle the 100-mile route on his battery-powered bike. Photo: Leah Parker-Turnock
A man who was paralysed from the neck down in a cycling accident will take part in a gruelling triathlon to raise funds for charity whose helicopter flew him to hospital.
Will Clark will use a battery-powered bike to travel across the country, and will then take part in the Great North Run and finish with a one-kilometre swim.
The 30-year-old Grasmere man hopes to raise £10,000 for the Great North Air Ambulance Service, whose aircraft are often used to rescue injured or ill outdoor enthusiasts across the North of England.
Its crew airlifted him to hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne after the accident during a Thirlmere triathlon in July 2012, which happened when a stick got caught in the wheel of his bike.
He will return to the scene of the accident next month, from where he will start a 100-mile cycle run to Newcastle before taking part in the Tyneside half-marathon and the swim at the Calvert Trust near Keswick.
Will Clark meets GNAAS paramedic Terry Sharpe. Photo: Leah Parker-Turnock
This week, Mr Clark travelled to the charity’s base at Langwathby, near Penrith, to meet aircrew paramedic Terry Sharpe, who flew to Will’s aid in the aftermath of the incident.
He said: “It’s only when you really need them that you suddenly realise what a fantastic job they do.”
Mr Sharpe said: “After everything he has been through, the courage of this young man to get back on his bike is absolutely humbling.”
The 100-mile ride will be completed on a battery-powered Boma bike, which is controlled by Mr Clark’s chin.
He is now putting the finishing touches to his training and making the necessary arrangements for the gruelling journey, with the cycle ride alone expected to take up to five days.
He said: “It’s going to be a real challenge, but we are really looking forward to it now.
“Where we are starting is where I left the last triathlon. We will then complete each leg of the journey as I should have done on the day of my accident. I think it will bring some closure.”
He thanked the Hobson Charity, who paid for his Boma bike and the Calvert Trust, which provides outdoor education for people with disabilities. “They’ve made me realise anything is possible,” he said.
Donations can be made via his Create and Donate site.
