For Immediate Release
Issue Date 19.12.00
I DON'T BELIEVE IT!
Yes, this'll have Victor Meldrew rocking in his
grave. The Kangaroo Kid (Matt Coulter),
international quadbike stuntsman, has teamed up
with Graham Hicks to set the first-ever world
landspeed record on a quad. Graham is a fellow
quadbike fanatic and has been driving them for the
last seven years. Only difference is Graham is
totally deaf and blind.
KK and Graham first met at the BMF Tail End
Show at the East of England Showground in
September. At that time KK was touring the
country, demonstrating ever more hair-raising
stunts. Graham had just arrived home in
Peterborough having set a record as the first
person officially to drive a jetski from Lands End
to the Scillies and back Like-minds hit it off
immediately and in that first half-hour meeting
they came up with the idea of setting a world
quadbike landspeed record.
With the event due on 23 May 2001, practising
has now started in Suffolk on KK's Suzuki LT
racing quad, fitted with a Suzuki RG 500cc 4
cylinder 2 stroke engine, capable of 150mph and an
output of 110bhp. With Graham taking full control
of the bike, KK rides pillion indicating right,
left, straight ahead etc through a series of
touch-based signals which Graham also uses when
driving his jetski.
What did KK feel about the first ride up the
disused runway at RAF Bentwaters?
"I was terrified at first! I'm used to
being in charge, not taking a back seat! Graham
drove the quad real fast and confidently and I
just freaked out trying to remember the signals.
But then I relaxed and we got it together. He's
a totally amazing guy. I really admire the way
he handles the quad despite his disability. He
just takes it in his stride and gets on with it.
We were doing 90mph on that first go."
And Graham, why has he decided to go for this
challenge?
"It'll be a major achievement for me to
set this record, particularly if I can achieve a
speed well in excess of 100mph. It'll be one
more nail in the coffin of the myth that if
you're deafblind you're a nothing. To take the
controls of a 110 brake horsepower quadbike and
push it well over 100mph without having sight to
rely on, that's surely being a something. Of
course, I'm also doing it for the fun and the
hell of it you only live once and it's up to
you to make what you want of it while it lasts.
I've spent far too much time working on
computers and reading books about other people's
adventures now it's time at 39 to have my
own adventures!"
Graham is Challenges Co-ordinator for the
national charity Deafblind UK and to date has
raised over 11,000 from his Jetski Challenge in
September. What's he hoping to get out of the
forthcoming Landspeed Challenge?
"As well as a world speed record title
from Guinness World Records, I really want to
raise at least 12,000 for Deafblind UK's Touch
Appeal. The charity is hoping to start building
the first ever National Centre for Deafblindness
in June this year and the Touch Appeal was
launched to raise funds for its construction. I
have a lot of opportunities in life despite
being deafblind; others aren't so fortunate. But
Deafblind UK is reaching out to thousands of
people with dual sight and hearing loss
throughout the country, providing them with
essential services and helping them maintain
their independence."
A final word from KK:
"I'd really encourage people to support
Graham in this venture and to donate to
Deafblind UK. Graham's my mate now and I really
admire the way he's out there and living, much
more than a lot of able-bodied people. There's
nothing wrong with him, he just can't see or
hear. That'll be my job on the back. We're gonna
make a great team just watch us!"
If you would like to sponsor the Landspeed
Challenge, please do get in touch. You can email
Graham directly via his Braille computer:
graham@get-real.demon.co.uk
or contact him via Monica Evans, Deafblind UK,
100 Bridge Street,
Peterborough PE1 1DY;
tel: 01733 344028;
fax: 01733 358356.
For more information about the attempt,
including publication-quality photos and to
arrange interviews, please contact:
Fiona Todd
Media & PR Officer
Deafblind UK
100 Bridge Street
Peterborough PE1 1DY
tel: 01733 358100
http://www.kangarookid.com/
The
Kangaroo Kid
