THIRTEEN pupils and the senior deputy headteacher from Lord Wandsworth College were among 650 canoeists who took part in the gruelling 125-mile Devizes to Westminster race over the Easter weekend.

The race begins on the 200-year-old Kennet and Avon canal in the sleepy Wiltshire town of Devizes on Good Friday. It continues onto the River Thames with three overnight stops at Newbury, Marlow and Ham and finishes just downstream of Westminster Bridge, opposite the Houses of Parliament.

The race has been held annually since 1948 and Lord Wandsworth pupils have been taking part since 1998.

This year’s race tested the participants more than usual. What started out as bright sunshine on the first day soon turned to wind and rain on day two and then strong winds and hail storms on day three. The Lord Wandsworth team battled day by day, through 77 portages (where crews have to get out of their boats, pick them up and run around the locks) and camped overnight near the water to be ready to launch again the following day.

Sadly, the race didn’t run as planned. With Storm Katie about to rip right through London when the canoeists were due to be on the notoriously dangerous tidal stretch of the Thames, the organisers decided to conclude the official Devizes to Westminster 2016 race at Teddington, 108 miles in, as the risk was too great.

Although disappointing, the Lord Wandsworth crews braved the conditions with deep determination and resilience and represented the school with good grace and smiles. They also managed to raise more than £8,000 for a number of charities, including Macmillan and Diabetes UK.

Graham Mobbs, head of canoeing at Lord Wandsworth College, said: “Once again I am incredibly proud of our paddlers who have trained hard to achieve their goals.

“They have made new friends and now understand what can be achieved with the right commitment and strength of mind. This has been an experience that they will reflect on for the rest of their lives.”

Gareth Pearson, senior deputy headteacher, said: “It was an unbelievably demanding challenge and it was a privilege to take part with a number of our pupils. The training and the race itself is a real test of mental and physical stamina and has helped the pupils dig deep and discover a level of perseverance, self-reliance and courage they didn’t know they had.”

The college canoeists were Casper Andersen, Louis Baker, Emma Bryant, Lucy Robinson, Abby Bryant, Tom Chernyshov, Max Radford, Holly Bailey-Burnley, Rachel Alton, Helena Wiles, Lotte High, Ella Jeffery, Katie Heywood, Grace Desouza, Tilly Wright, and Gareth Pearson.