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The Team
The team for the London to Paris Row was virtually the same as for the Guernsey to Amsterdam Row but with the addition of Ian Atkinson, Matt Harradine and Joe Paul. Colin's rower profiles are detailed below (and we have sneaked in our own profile of Colin as well!)
Ian Atkinson Age 40 As a former tarzanogram Ian (sorry IanÂ… the things we do in our youth) is physically strong and fit.
Robbie Beck AGE 41 Robbie is an ex-Forces man. He has been involved with the rowing club for 10 years, but has always enjoyed and aspires to, any long, tough challenge. Robbie has aspirations to row the Atlantic and I see his physical capabilities and his attitude as being perfect for such an enormous challenge. It is Robbie's second challenge with the Fitness Factory, but has been a real supporter of all our previous events he has everything that is needed to fit in perfectly with what is becoming a very experienced challenge team. Robbie's ability in driving the rescue rib may also prove to be a real asset.
Andy Chapple AGE 41 Andy is a tough, resilient character with some 22 years' rowing experience with the Rowing Club. He has rowed the Atlantic - a massive achievement - setting a British record in the process. Andy's strong will and determination is always a real asset on our rowing challenges. He will also have valuable input when it comes to any practical problems we may encounter on the trip. Andy cites his biggest fear as his wife Aileen! As we are leaving the girls behind any problems at sea should not hold any fears for Andy.
Trevor Coulter
Colin Fallaize Age 49 A GENTLE giant is how some of his friends describe Colin Fallaize, the leader of the London to Paris rowing record attempt. Awarded the title 'Total Channel Islands' Sporting Hero' in 2003, his inspirational coaching took the Guernsey football team to win the Gold Medal at the Island Games that year. He now uses his talents honing the St Martin's Football Club.
Geoff Gavey Age 40 Geoff, or Gravy as I prefer to know him, is the much-travelled successful executive of the crew.
Matt Harradine Age: 27 Matt has crossed the Channel before in Guernsey's successful challenge on the Poole to Cherbourg race along with Ian Atkinson, Geoff Gavey and Andy Chapple. He also competed in this year's indoor rowing champs and he also enjoys cycling and socialisingÂ….. something that is common amongst this extremely tough rowing squad!
Geoff van Katwyk Geoff is not part of the rowing team but is a major cog in the rowing event, as he is the chief RIB driver. Geoff was responsible for this job in the Millennium Dome challenge and the Amsterdam challenge, providing the rowers with what was a very professional fast response rescue and rowing boat to guard boat transfer service. He will also be a major asset to the skippers of the guard boats for any covering duties required whilst out at sea. His character is excellent and fits in perfectly with the whole team's requirements for the challenge.
Adriaan de Kooker AGE 51 Adek, as he is commonly known, has been in the rowing club for 17 years and has been part of the Fitness Factory rowing team since its formation some 13 years ago. He is a tough, competitive individual who likes the real things in life and the real qualities in people. He alone is instrumental in providing the rowing club with a youth policy, as both his sons are members of the Guernsey Rowing Club. Adek's strengths to the challenge will be his never-say-die attitude. His commitment to the cause will be 100% and it will take something serious to stop him from getting to Paris. He typifies the ideal mould for a challenge rower. He will normally row in the stroke position or engine room of the boat.
Sam de Kooker AGE 21 This is Sam's fourth long distance challenge event, having already experienced the Home to Dome, the Island merry go round challenge and Guernsey to Amsterdam. He is proving to be one of the rowing club's outstanding young members and, potentially, can take the rowing club standard forward and upwards. Sam's fear will be the same as his fear for the Home to Dome and Amsterdam, as he suffers from seasickness and will have to overcome this unfortunate side effect once again. I very much doubt whether he will ever see the inside of his guard boat's galley. Let's hope Sam will be well enough to enjoy a cold beer when we eventually arrive in Paris
Lloyd LePage AGE 42 Lloyd is a long standing member of the Guernsey rowing club and maintains a very active part in keeping the rowing club moving forward, both as a competitor, as a coach and as a good ambassador for Guernsey rowing. He is a perfectionist and a very tidy individual. Lloyd may not be the biggest member of our challenge crew but pound for pound is sure to be one of the strongest rowers. He will mainly row from the stroke position and will be a major influence in all stages of the challenge. He says his biggest fear is getting severe blisters early on in the challenge - something he suffered from at the Home to Dome row - but never complained. He looks forward to the interaction and the camaraderie of the challenge squad.
John Lewis AGED 40 John is a naturally fit and competitive individual. He is a veteran of the past Fitness Factory fund raising challenges and one of the 'Around the Channel Islands' crew. When it comes to rowing, John is a very much the 'switch him on and switch him off" part of the crew. He will complain very little and just get on with the job. His position in the boat will more often be as stroke, setting the pace for the rest of the crew. John will most probably not say a great deal during the row but when he does, it will most probably be to tell the crew they are not rowing fast enough! I asked him what would make him row faster and he answered "My wife Janine in a chasing boat!"
Joe Paul Age: 32 This will be Joe's first Fitness Factory challenge
Karl Pederson AGE 34 Karl has many years' experience within the rowing club. This is his second Fitness Factory rowing challenge and he is an outstanding candidate for the job in hand. He has a very likeable personality, a very strong physical capability and an attitude that meets all requirements for teamwork. He has rowed in every category within the rowing club - and in every category he has been a huge success. When picking this challenge team for Paris, Karl was one of the first names on my list.
Stephen Pipe AGE 43 Steve also is a past veteran of Fitness Factory challenges and thrives on the pain they provide. He has 28 years' rowing experience within the rowing club and has held many records in the Island's rowing competitions. He has had an active interest in weight training/body building for many years and is a past 'Mr Guernsey' holder and 'Mr Channel Islands' runner-up. Steve loves to get his hands dirty and will not shirk his responsibilities at any stage. He has a hard exterior but a softer interior than most people would realise. His son, Joshua, is a major highlight in his life but he is soon to have another, as his wife is due to give birth to their second in July. He cites his reason for the challenge as to giving something back to others and his biggest fear is not finishing. 'Pipey', as he is fondly called, may find himself rowing in any part of the boat, stroke, engine room and bow.
Colin Robert AGE 48 Colin, or Rube, as he's known to the crew, is an individual who likes to do things properly. He likes to know what's going on and will always have some constructive input to problems. The special services' (SAS) operations and challenges undertaken by others fascinate him. He has handled past challenges brilliantly and is raring to get going - he won't let anybody down. When you can get Rube to relax he has a very infectious laugh and sense of humour, which could be a real bonus for crew morale.
Mark Sheppard AGE 39 Original member of the Fitness Factory rowing crew. Has been in the rowing club for 15 years. Mark's role within the challenge crew will be played mainly from the engine room of the rowing boat. He will provide his crew with the clock-work precision of maintaining mealtime procedures, as his eating habits will not be affected by this arduous challenge. His practical knowledge of navigation and seamanship may not be to the fore but his ability to provide his crew with trivia and memories of past events will be a source of entertainment, which will keep their spirits high. His reasons for the row are purely fund raising and his biggest fears are injury - or failure. He, too, is one of the rowers who will be turned on at the start and then have to be turned off when it is time to finish.
Mark Windsor AGE 48 Mark is past captain of the Guernsey Rowing Club. He is not new to the Fitness Factory rowing challenges as he completed last year's Amsterdam challenge: he has a good personality and is keen to test himself as part of a team. His biggest fear is seasickness.
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