Teenager paddling into the record books (From Enfield Independent)

Teenager Maia Wallace-Loizou hopes to break Channel crossing record for Leaside Education Trust

2:09pm Thursday 7th February 2013 in News By Hermione Wright

A daring teenager is gearing up to become the youngest girl ever to kayak across the English Channel.

Thirteen-year-old Maia Wallace-Loizou, from Petersfield Close in Upper Edmonton, is set to paddle 20 miles across the channel to France on Sunday, February 17.

The thrill-seeker, who will be joined by her friend Dylan Barber-May, 15, of Hackney, aims to complete the challenge in less than four hours.

The daring pair have raised £1,115 to date for charity Leaside Education Trust, which provides outdoor activities including kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking and orienterring for disadvantaged young people.

Maia, who attends Leaside after school and at weeekends, decided to take on the challenge to raise cash to help the charity to buy more equipment.

Dylan said: “We are doing six, eight and 12-mile paddles at the moment, waking up at 6am to kayak in the cold and going again after school but it’s worth it because this is for Leaside.

“It’s a great charity helping young, sometimes deprived, Londoners to get out of the house, off the streets and do something fun which they can get good at.”

To visit their fundraising page, click here.