Ref. 12536/3A GROUP of veteran paddlers who took part in the Olympics of Rome in 1960 and Tokyo in 1964, are to take up the challenge of the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race next month.

They will be waved off from Devizes Wharf on Good Friday by Sheila Farebrother, Elton John's mother and a former patient of the man who has masterminded this brave renaissance of the heroes of yesteryear.

Dr Bernard Watkin, a London-based orthopaedic physician, was captain of the British squad at the Tokyo Olympics 40 years ago.

The Olympians will not be paddling the entire 125-mile course, however. The squad of 26, all of whom are in their 60s and 70s, will take it in turns to cover a distance of between ten and 12 miles in a relay through the hours of darkness, along the Kennet and Avon Canal, onto the River Thames and on to Westminster Bridge.

Dr Watkin said: "The idea came up at a reunion dinner at Kilwinning in Ayrshire, Scotland, to celebrate the birthday of Alistair Wilson, who took part in the Tokyo Olympics. Instead of a cake, the canoe he raced in was ceremonially brought in with his grandchild sitting in it.

"He hadn't seen it since the race, so the suggestion was made that he race again in the Devizes to Westminster race. Most of the former canoeists at the dinner thought it was a good idea to do it as a relay."

Among the other veterans taking part are Mr Wilson's wife, Marriane, another British canoe competitor. The couple met at the Tokyo Olympics.

They will set off from Devizes Wharf at 8am on Good Friday, on the first leg of the relay. Dr Watkin will take the second leg with his canoeing partner of 40 years ago, Bob Lowry.

The final leg to Westminster will be taken by Peter Lawler, former Olympic team captain, and John Talbot. Another veteran of the 1960 Rome Olympics taking part is the Rev Basil Pratt, who was an Army padre in the Falklands and the first Gulf War.

The group is raising money for the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, which Dr Watkin considers the "cleanest" charity in the world, with the largest proportion of its income going to its frontline services in trouble spots around the globe. Anyone who wants to sponsor the 'golden oldies' should ring 08700 760 211.

The race, described as the canoeists' Everest, is now in its 56th year. It was in crisis for a while, following its abandonment in 2000, when a crew became stuck fast on a weir, and cancellation because of the foot-and-mouth epidemic in 2001.

But now it is very much back in business and attracting an increasing amount of media attention. Press officer Tim Joiner explained the race's appeal to both serious and novice paddlers.

He said: "It's one of the toughest races in the world, but open to all. Take the race too fast and you burn out, take it too slow and the surging 17-mile tidal flow from Teddington to the finish becomes more fiend than friend."

Last year's race took place with one of the strongest headwinds in the race's history. It saw a drop-out rate close to 50 per cent and a helicopter rescue just six miles from the finish.

Despite that, there is no fall-off in numbers for this year's event. Dauntsey's School, West Lavington, is once more entering a number of crews, plus a few adult ones for good measure.

Kat Burbeck, the daughter of Wiltshire Chief Constable Dame Elizabeth Neville, so enjoyed her participation in last year's race, she is taking part again, this time with her stepfather, Nick Cox.

The other Dauntsey's crews 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, their coach, Adam Reid, will be taking part with colleague Peter Thomas; and sisters Laura and Jennie Page are also among the starters.

So are parents Derrick and Jo Trevelyan. The Dauntsey's effort is once again being sponsored by local potato growers, Brian and Diz Plank.