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Icom UK Support The Big5 Kayak Challenge!

The Big5 Kayak Challenge is a set of unique expeditions paddling through some of the most challenging water on the planet. The aim is to raise money and awareness for a number of chosen charities and campaigns. Icom UK have donated a number of IC-M33 Buoyant VHF Marine Transceivers to the team for use throughout the challenge.

A team of experienced kayakers are taking to the water to continue the Big5 Kayak Challenge, a set of five challenging expeditions that will take them to remote locations in the UK, Canada and the USA over the next year.

They hope to raise £25,000 for the charities Muscular Help Foundation and Muscle Dreams, set up to support those with Muscular Dystrophy. The team will also make a donation to the Willow Foundation who provide support and activities for terminally ill children. All the costs associated with the expedition are being met by the paddlers themselves and all the money raised will go directly to these two charities.

The team have already completed the Isle of Wight and the River Thames legs, and have switched their attention to paddling across the English Channel in April. They’ll have no time to rest as in May the team will paddle from Lands End, 30 miles across a shipping lane to the Scilly Isles.

The most challenging part of their journey, in July 2009 they will paddle almost 1000 miles from Vancouver Island in Canada, up to Juneau in Alaska. The team will need to be self-sufficient for food and kit and will need to paddle an average of 35 miles a day to complete the challenge.

The IC-M33 Buoyant VHF Marine TransceiversIcom have loaned to the team will be used for general communications between the kayak team, the shore teams and the support boat, as well as providing support in case of emergencies.

Richard Harpham, is one half of the leadership of the Big5 Kayak Challenge said why he chose Icom as a sponsor,” I had seen Icom products at the London Boat Show and a waterproof floating and lightweight VHF radio is ideal for a kayak team on an expedition such as ours. The Icom radios had good reviews and we felt Icom UK were a company we wanted to work with.”

Icom UK Marketing - marketing@icomuk.co.uk