AFTER two years of disaster and disappointment, Mother Nature smiled on the start of the 2002 Devizes to Westminster canoe race.

Friends, families and race officials saw the competitors off in glorious sunshine yesterday.

The race is a 125-mile paddle from Devizes to Westminster and William Wilson, 57, from Park North, is one of some 400 competitors.

Having slept for much of yesterday, William was poised for action and looking forward to the adventure.

He said: "Hopefully we will make the journey within 25 to 30 hours. We've got a support crew who will meet us at the locks and replenish our energy levels with Mars bars."

The grandfather of four is sharing the arm work with Ken Tomkins, 45, from Reading.

Pumping iron in their two-man kayak, they hope to raise hundreds of pounds for the official race charity, National Children's homes.

Attracting keen canoeists from across the world, paddlers from Finland, Sweden, Ireland are among those taking part.

The extravaganza will finish on Bank Holiday Monday when the canoeists arrive in Westminster ready to be awarded their medals.

This is the 54th running of the 125-mile race, known as the canoeists' Everest and on a par with the Antarctic canoe race which sets off each June from Devizes' twin town of Tornio in Lapland.

Last year should have seen the 54th race, first run by enthusiasts from Pewsey in 1948, but the foot and mouth epidemic, having closed the canal for several weeks during the critical training period, forced the organisers to call off the race.

The previous year, the race was abandoned after a crew got stuck on the weir at Old Windsor due to strong currents caused by heavy rain.

Peter Begent, chairman of the DW's organising committee for over 30 years, has now stood down, but was on the start line to help Mayor of Devizes Ray Parsons send off the junior competitors.