The 2006 world quadrathlon champion Helen Parkinson, from Brixham, has something else to celebrate, after successfully defending her British title. It's less than two months since Helen Parkinson won the World Quadrathlon Championship in the Czech Republic. Now she has retained her title at the British Championships which took place at Bude in North Cornwall on 30th September.
 | | Helen on the winner's podium |
The quadrathlon is a tough multi-sport event in which competitors must complete four consecutive disciplines. Each competition includes cycling, canoeing, swimming and running, but the distances vary at each event depending on the terrain. Helen, a 33-year-old primary school teacher, has spent many years building up to her world title with a successful track record in multi-sports events. She's represented her country as an age group athlete in aquathlon (swim-run), duathlon (run-bike-run), triathlon (swim-bike-run) and now quadrathlon (swim-canoe-bike-run). Her victory in the Czech Republic was in the Open Elite category and Helen faced strong competition from the local Czech representative and last year’s winner from Germany. After the first discipline, swimming, Helen was in 4th place and dropped back to sixth place in the canoeing section. However back on land, Helen started to overtake competitors in the cycling and by the end of this section had climbed back into 4th place. The running discipline involved two undulating laps of the course. After the first lap Helen had progressed to 2nd place and during the final lap passed the Czech favourite to take the gold medal in a winning time of 3hrs 52 secs.
 | | Helen practicing in her kayak |
Although Helen is a full time teacher she manages to fit in nearly 8-10 hours of training and competing each week, as well as all the travelling and preparation. "It's a real challenge with all those disciplines, but you are using different muscle groups so you don't get completely tired," explained Helen. "I grew up with kayaking, I've also cycled and swum a lot. It's a mental thing really, you know you're going to be out there for three hours. I know I can do it so it's a case of mind over muscle." Helen is a successful runner in her own right and has won many local and regional races and this year competed in the London Marathon as an elite runner. She has also recently qualified as a sports injury therapist and would like to combine both professions in the future. A pupil at Brixham Community College, Churston Grammar School and South Devon College, Helen trained as a teacher at Marjons in Plymouth and has taught in North Devon for the last six years.
 | | Helen after her World title victory |
She puts her success down to dedicated training and help from local sports clubs, particularly Brixham Swimming Club, Ibex Canoe Club and South Devon Athletic Club. The quadrathlon hasn't yet taken off in the same way as Triathlon and is not an Olympic event, but the South West has become a hotbed for the sport. "It's an offshoot of adventure racing, but the sport is very much in its infancy," said Helen. "Although we have more disciplines, we are at a lower standard - so I wouldn't get into the elite class in the triathlon. "Currently I haven't got any sponsorship and I have to finance all my training, travelling and equipment myself including borrowing a racing kayak. "I do it really for the love of the sport, and I reckon there are a few competitive years left in me." Helen trains with husband Jon, a keen runner and multi sport athlete himself, along the local lanes, in the local swimming pools and in the sea around Brixham and Torbay. | 
