Students 'knackered' after 200-mile punt challenge

Four students admit they are "pretty knackered" after punting more than 200 miles (320km) from Oxford to Cambridge to raise thousands of pounds for charity.

Charlie Swinfen, Stefan Narinian, Beth Erskine and Ryan Vowles, from the University of Cambridge's St John's College, set off on 24 September.

The 11-day challenge took in the Oxford Canal, Grand Union Canal, River Nene, Denver Sluice and River Ouse before finishing on the River Cam on Sunday.

They raised more than £10,000 for the Alzheimer's Society, having quickly achieved their initial £5,000 target along the route.

The students decided to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society due to a few of the St John's College Punting Society's members having grandparents affected by the condition.

Narinian, 20, who is studying medicine, said his grandmother was diagnosed with dementia and he knew all too well the "toll" it and Alzheimer's could take.

He described the challenge as "definitely knackering" but an "absolute blast", even if he did fall into the Oxford Canal on day one.

"I was the only one who fell in, which is a bit funny, and I've got a few bumps and bruises, but it was during bright sunshine and there were high spirits," he said.

"It's definitely been quite exhausting and very tough, but it is going to be something we remember for the rest of our lives."

Each day the students would wake up at "the crack of dawn" before embarking on up to 19 hours of punting a day, on one occasion covering 25 miles (40km).

The journey took them from Oxford to Banbury, then to Northampton on the Grand Union Canal, up to Peterborough on the River Nene, and finally to Cambridge via Ely.

Erskine, 22, who has just graduated in geography, said she was "pretty knackered" after finishing the challenge.

"I think I am actually mostly adrenaline at the moment, but the muscle soreness will set in probably tomorrow," she said.

"It's been pretty eventful and surprisingly, we didn't really fall out. Stefan fell out of the boat on the first day, but we didn't fall out with each other."

Swinfen, 20, president of the society and a land economy student, said the goal had been to "push punting to the extreme" while raising money for a good cause.

"It has been pretty intense, but it feels so good to now be back," he said.

Vowles, 22, who has just finished a four-year degree in chemistry, said: "It is tense and you feel very trapped and the boat's not built for it; it's not like a rowing boat, so you have to work really hard.

"Our muscles are sorer than they've ever been but, although there were a couple of tense moments, we haven't fallen out once actually and it's been amazing."

Natalie Skipper, regional fundraiser for the charity, said she had been "blown away" by the team's achievement.

"In the three years I've been doing this role, I've never had a team of people do an ultra-challenge. It is just phenomenal and they have done so well," she said.

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