Competitors are in full training for this year's Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race. Among the charity paddlers in this year's line-up are the husband and daughter of Wiltshire's Chief Constable Elizabeth Neville. LEWIS COWEN spoke to them about what lies ahead

KAT Burbeck and Nick Cox, the daughter and husband of Wiltshire Chief Constable Dame Elizabeth Neville, will be taking part in the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race, which sets off from Devizes Wharf on Good Friday morning.

They are aiming to raise money for the Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation, which supports dozens of community ventures throughout the county, and the Wiltshire Police Bobby Van, which helps vulnerable people stay safe in their own homes.

The internationally famous endurance event, which has been compared to running three marathons on consecutive days, takes place over Easter weekend and covers 125 miles of waterways along the Kennet and Avon Canal into the River Thames and on to Westminster Bridge.

Competitors have to "portage" their canoes over the 72 lock gates along the way.

Support crews are vital to the success of any entrant and Kat and Mr Cox will be backed up by Dame Elizabeth and Kat's father, John Burbeck, Chief Constable of Warwickshire Police, as well as other friends and family.

Kat, 18, is a pupil at Dauntsey's School and first took part in the race last year, when Dame Elizabeth and Mr Cox were part of her support crew.

Almost straight after she finished last year's race, Miss Burbeck declared her intention to race again this year and Mr Cox, who last took part in the race ten years ago, agreed to canoe as a pair with her.

The teams will do the race in four legs, stopping overnight each time. The first leg is from Devizes to Newbury on Good Friday, then on to Marlow during Saturday, Teddington on Sunday and finally arriving at their destination, Westminster, on Easter Monday.

Mr Cox said: "This is a tough race which requires preparation a long time in advance. It takes dedication from the canoeists as well as the support crew. It's a real team effort."

Kat said: "Spending long hours in the boat together in demanding conditions means you really have to get on it is a good test of family relationships."

As usual, Dauntsey's School is entering six crews of its sixth formers and this year's entrants are Rhiannon Walker and Ben Boucher-West, Lucy Barratt and Jo Wells, Oli Wilkinson and James Eacott, Howard Paine and Alexei Bond, Hannah Dickinson and Rufus Lawrence, and Emma Martin and Hester Abbatt.

In addition, Dauntsey's canoe coach Adam Reid is entering in an "endeavour" class with another member of staff, Peter Thomas.

Upper sixth former Laura Page is paddling with her elder sister Jennie, 20, who left Dauntsey's in 2002 and was part of the 2001 Dauntsey's squad which was thwarted when the race was cancelled due to the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

Parents Derrick and Jo Trevellyan are also taking part as a senior "endeavour" crew.

The squad has been in training since January through all kinds of weather, from bright sunshine to snow, sleet and ice. All crews successfully completed the Waterside C canoe race, a mere 23 miles, last Sunday, with all of the squad putting in an excellent performance in high winds and torrential rain.

Their training so far has taken them camping and paddling the Thames as far as Windsor, and the squad is looking forward to finally setting off on the "canoeists' Everest" on Good Friday morning.

They are once again being sponsored by school suppliers Plank's Potatoes of Lydeway. The paddlers will be raising money for the school's charity this year, the Marine Conservation Society.