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When Will Behenna, 52, from Wimborne in Dorset discovered paddleboarding, he found an unrivalled freedom and independence from being back on the water. Here he shares his story and how he hopes to bring the sport to others with disabilities
You were 16 when you sustained a T4 injury in a cycling accident in Cornwall in 1988. You’ve said that your spirit of adventure wasn’t broken after your injury. Tell us about that.
As I’ve met more people with spinal cord injuries over the years, I’ve realised that whatever character traits you have before your injury, you take them with you. I was fortunate I had a moving forward mindset and a good support network. It meant that when I asked if I could try things, people would just say, well why not? So, I did my A levels because no one said I couldn’t. I also got involved again in sport which I’d always loved.
I think it’s grounding, which is a funny thing to say about water. The sounds and the association of being on water just mean freedom. You never quite know what’s around the corner. Each time you paddle it’s different – like a changing canvas.
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You grew up by the water. How did you overcome the challenges of getting back on it again?
It didn’t happen easily. Back then, kayaks and canoes weren’t well designed, and it was hard to get to a beach. I got involved with Back Up in 1991 and got the chance to sail and kayak. After that, I did courses, signing up as a group leader because I wanted to help others. Over ten years, I helped Back Up develop canoeing and kayaking opportunities.
How did you get involved in paddleboarding?
When I began noticing paddleboarding in 2021, I thought it could work for me because the boards are inflatable, have a flat, wide, stable base and I might be able to paddle one. But I couldn’t find any adaptations which could provide any postural support. So, I bought a paddleboard, went into my shed and made myself a seat out of wood and some foam to pad it out. I worked out how to fix it to the board and took it out as a prototype for a test – the principle worked! From there I began experimenting with different shapes and materials. I wanted something I could transfer onto different boards. By 2022 I’d got my seat up and running, had joined a local group and was paddling regularly. Using a kayak paddle meant I could paddle safely and confidently. In effect, I’ve made a hybrid kayak, but I call it paddleboarding, because that’s the kit I use.
What’s special to you about the sport?
It allows me to be totally independent. When I first got started with paddleboarding, I was always trying to figure out how to get out on the water independently. I knew I needed a set of wheels for the board, so I could get it to a launch site. My plan was being able to put everything in the car, drive to a location, unload, put the stuff on wheels, get to a launch site and then, paddle.
When did that finally happen? How did it feel?
In July 2023 – it was a very special moment on the River Stour in Wimborne. I’d paddled it a few times with friends to get familiar and had planned meticulously to understand everything about the experience and to manage risks. There’s always that nervousness but in the end, it just felt like a regular paddle, albeit with a feeling of complete freedom, one I had dreamed about for decades!
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Did you plan for this to become a business?
No. While I was out paddling, I noticed people kneeling or sitting on paddleboards and thought, that can’t be comfy. I’ve always loved helping others enjoy being on the water. I got funding from Paddle UK, which represents the growing paddling community across the country, at the beginning of 2023 and used that to develop prototypes. I ended up with seats and kneeling supports to help people with different types of medical conditions and disabilities. After receiving further funding, I’m now in the process of setting up and running a programme to support people with medical conditions and disabilities get onto the water.
How easy has that been?
There have been frustrations. Getting qualified as a paddleboarding coach when you’re a wheelchair-user has taken a while. I haven’t got there yet but most of the pieces of the puzzle are sorted and I’m working through that with Paddle UK.
Any other plans in the pipeline?
I’m looking at running groups from different sites in Dorset. After a series of paddling sessions, hopefully people will have gained enough skills and confidence, and they’ll be supported to carry on paddleboarding, either by connecting with a local paddling group or by going out with friends and family. I’m also planning to develop inclusive paddleboarding opportunities in other areas of the country, including, Devon, Bristol, London and Nottingham. Alongside this, I’m doing some research with Bournemouth University, looking at the connection between paddleboarding and physical and emotional wellbeing for people with medical conditions.
How do you allay fears people with spinal cord injury might have about paddleboarding?
By showing it can be done. Unlike a kayak which wants to turn because it’s curved, a paddleboard is flat, wide and stable and wants to go in a straight line. If you’re sitting or kneeling on it, you can see your body. If you fall off, you know you won’t get trapped in anything and you’re also very close to the water. People might be worried about getting cold or falling in. There are different sized boards, so you can get a big board for maximum stability to minimise chances of getting wet. Although there are options to put wheelchairs on paddle boards, I want to get the paddler sitting low and stable on the board.
I want to give people the confidence and skills to go on an adventure; on rivers, seas, canals. Because you never know what’s around the corner.
This article was featured in the Spring 2025 issue of FORWARD magazine
The post Paddle Power (Forward – Spring 2025) appeared first on SIA.