“It’s a great, fun experience that anyone should try. It is really pretty strange at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s amazing.”
That’s how singer/songwriter Ben Mill’s described walking on water inside a giant plastic dome.
He was having a ball at Margate’s Hartsdown leisure centre swimming pool trying out the transparent globe for size in advance of the spectacular charity walking on water event on Saturday, June 13.
Individuals, clubs and organisations need to raise a minimum of £75 in sponsorship to take part and travel up the 25 metre pool.
Funds raised at the event will be divided between the Dad’s Quest prostate cancer appeal to raise £16,000 for two mobile scanners (70 per cent) and the children’s road safety charity Kent Walking Bus (30 per cent).
Ben said: “If you are up for fun and want to try something completely different, then have a go. It is for a great cause and it’s an experience you may never have again. Climbing inside is strange as they pump air in to inflate the ball around you. When you first step onto the water it is so odd; you feel a bit like you have 'drunk legs’. But you can get the hang of it soon enough and it is a real challenge. I loved it and will be taking part on the charity day.”
Each person climbs inside a giant hamster ball and with three spheres lined up next to each other they then race each other to complete a length of the 25m pool. The fastest man and woman from the Thanet event will be invited to the county final where £500 is available as a prize pot.
Three techniques can be used to move the water walking sphere: tumbling, crawling on all fours or running.
Simon Dolby from the KM Charity Team said: “Trying to stay up on your feet and using the tips of your fingers touching the sphere wall to balance is the most effective way to move.
“Inevitably you fall over at some point and then the best technique is to crawl at speed on all fours. This can be a very fast and effective way to move the sphere but takes upper body strength to stop yourself tumbling over.
“Rolling or tumbling expends the most energy and usually results in the least movement so at all costs avoid this technique. It will wear you out and you might not move very far!”
For a free event pack, log on to www.kmcharitychallenge.co.uk or www.thanetextra.co.uk
To sponsor a water walking sphere, contact Simon Dolby on 07989 164 752.
Find out more about Dad’s Quest at dad’squest.co.uk