A man who has been stand-up paddleboarding the entire length of the Murray River since March 4 is on the last leg of his Guinness World Record attempt.
Peter Charlesworth has travelled solo down the river through storms, winds, heat and frost from his hometown of Albury New South Wales down to the Murray Mouth in South Australia, circumnavigating lakes Hume, Mulwala, Albert and Alexandrina along the way, with no support crew.
He’s attempting a 2,700km+ Stand Up Paddle ultra-distance expedition record while raising vital funds for The Heart Foundation, following emergency open heart triple bypass surgery in 2020.
“My personal experience has shown that we all need to be aware of our state of cardiac health in advance of having a significant or catastrophic cardiac event such as a heart attack or stroke. Many of us live for decades as these conditions progress with us unaware, or unprepared to face facts and take sound corrective action,” Charlesworth said.
“The four foundational areas of rest, low stress, nutrition and exercise are vital in tuning our bodies to function better. If you have a history of heart disease in your family, you MUST be tested regularly. If you do not get enough support from a healthcare professional, seek alternate opinions and advocate for yourself.”
In 2020, coronary heart disease was the leading single cause of death in Australia, accounting for 16,600 deaths; this represents 10% of all deaths, and 41% of cardiovascular disease deaths.
Today, Tuesday 6 June, he is taking off from Clayton Bay to Goolwa and is due to arrive at the Murray Mouth on Saturday 10 June. Community members are welcome to join in for a lunch at midday.
Donate to his cause via sup4health2023.org.
