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Unique 620km longboard run
23.06.09
Skateboard wizards
arrive exhausted in Malin Head
By Linda McGrory
IT'S a long way from Mizen Head to Malin Head but
you would imagine it feels even longer when you've
travelled the entire 620km journey on a skateboard.
Meet Alexander Kempe, 26, from Germany and friend
Alfred Rinman, 29, from Sweden. The two skateboarded
into Malin Head at the end of a gruelling 12-day
journey last Wednesday and admitted - in their
respective languages - to being "knackered".
But their sore feet, ankles and knees were all for a
good cause. The pair had undertaken their marathon
trip -called Run for Zimbabwe - to raise money for
Zimbabwean orphans. Another German friend Ralf
Becker, 40, had to pull out of the journey due to an
injured leg while a Swedish longboarder Peter Sincic,
29, was scheduled to return home before the journey
was finished. |
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A tired but upbeat Alex
said they were delighted to finally kick off their
trainers at the Sandrock Holiday Hostel in Malin
Head after completing the final leg of their
challenge to reach Ireland's most northerly point.
He also explained that the technical name for their
mode of transport is a longboard which is much
bigger and lower to the ground that an average
skateboard. It also has bigger wheels and better
suspension which makes it "easier on the knees".
"We are really tired now and are glad to have
completed the journey," said trainee cabinet maker
Alex. |
"We tried to do about
50km to 60km a day and that meant longboarding for
about six to eight hours every day.
"Our legs got sore and cramped from time-to-time and
we had to take a two-day break in Galway to rest and
recover, but we finally made it," he laughed,
explaining that they completed the 250km from Sligo
to Malin Head in an impressive four days. They had
no break-downs and were blessed with sunshine for
most of the journey.
"We had a good meal in the Sea View Tavern last
night and enjoyed some Guinness and then headed back
to the hostel," said an exhausted Alex on Thursday
morning. They planned to see more of Malin Head on
Friday before flying home at the weekend.
Alex, who started an apprenticeship as a cabinet
maker last year and mechanical engineer Alfred,
undertook their journey to help the Albert Street
School Project in Johannesburg which takes in orphan
refugees from Zimbabwe. While they received
donations along the way, their main source of
funding is selling attractive Run for Zimbabwe
T-shirts at €12.50 through their website
www.run4zimbabwe.com . |
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