Kiama’s Nardia Guillaumier and her rowing coach Alan Swan get ready for their mammoth marathon challenge. Photo: Zoe Cartwright.
Nardia Guillaumier spent years training to win gold at the World Indoor Rowing Championships earlier this year – but behind closed doors her family faced another battle.
Her beloved dad was diagnosed with amyloidosis in his 70s, and succumbed to the disease at the age of 85 shortly before her championship win.
Now she’s taking on an even bigger challenge in his name.
The Kiama Ultra Challenge is an event cooked up by Nardia and her coach, Alan Swan.
It’s dedicated to their loved ones who battled serious illnesses while they battled their way to a gold medal.
In addition to the death of Nardia’s dad, a close friend of Alan’s died of leukaemia the night before the semi-finals, and both of them had family members deal with breast cancer.
The Kiama Surf Life Saving Club has thrown its support behind the duo, and will host the 15 November fundraiser.
Nardia will row 100 km and Alan will ride 200 km to raise money for the Australian Amyloidosis Network, Breast Cancer Network Australia, the Leukaemia Foundation and the Kiama Surf Lifesaving Club.
There is also room for two teams of 10 indoor bikers and 10 teams of 10 indoor rowers.
Each team will work to keep their bike or rower moving until Nardia and Alan complete their distances – which could take nine hours or more.
Three teams of rowers and one of bikers have already signed up, and the remaining slots are open to teams from all walks of life. Entry cost is $500 per side and team members can sub in and out as often as they need to – as long as they keep the machine going.
Although Nardia expects she’ll be cursing the rower seat from about the halfway mark onwards, she wants to raise awareness of the disease that took her dad’s life.
“Amyloidosis is not a kind disease and it’s hard to diagnose,” she said.
“Dad went from a strong man in his 70s to the last six months of his life sitting in a chair waiting for his heart to stop, or to drown in the fluid building up in his body.
“The loss is still very hard and it will be hard for the rest of my life.
“I wanted something that would test me mentally, physically and emotionally, do some good for someone else and draw attention to amyloidosis.
“I know Dad will be sitting on my shoulder all day and I know he would be super proud.”
Amyloidosis is the name given to a group of rare disorders in which amyloid deposits accumulate in tissues and organs of the body and eventually interfere with how the organs work.
This eventually leads to organ failure.
Amyloidosis is incurable, but early diagnosis and new treatments can help patients get the disease into remission and live longer, healthier lives.
Coach Alan could have sat this one out, but said the loss of his mate pushed him to have a crack.
“It was an eye-opener to see not just how the person is affected but their families and the people around them,” he said.
“That’s the idea behind having the teams participate as well. It illustrates how the load and support is shared through the community.”
No stranger to long-distance rowing, Alan recently completed the George Bass Marathon as a member of the Kiama Surf Life Saving Club’s veteran men’s crew.
He chose the bike as a nod to regatta rowing coaches who ride their bikes up and down the side of events advising and encouraging their crews.
The duo have already started to promote the event, jumping on the bike and rower at local markets, and will continue to do so until November.
If you’re not so keen on rowing but would like to support the Kiama Ultra Challenge there are a few ways to get involved.
Businesses can sponsor the event, with gold, silver and bronze tiers available.
Big 4 Easts Caravan Park and Gregory’s Scaffolding have jumped on board as gold sponsors already.
Other businesses have donated a variety of items that will be raffled off on the day.
Bike and rower teams can seek their own sponsorship to contribute to the total raised, and there will be a community rowing machine there on the day for anyone who feels inspired to make a donation and jump on and have a row.
The event will kick off at the Kiama Surf Life Saving Club at 8 am, with a sausage sizzle through the day and the bar open later in the afternoon.
“Keep an eye out for us at the local markets, pop in on the day and say hi,” Nardia said.
“This is a community event and we want to make everyone welcome.”
To sign up for the Kiama Ultra Challenge or learn more, head here.
