Lindsey's Canoe Challenge Blue Peter Bite

This is Blue Peter, but mini.

Expect epic adventures,

makes, bakes, badges, pets.

Presenters - at your post.

We've only got five minutes, so get ready for your Blue Peter adventure.

For the last three months I've been training for

the ultimate canoeing challenge -

to complete the full length of the Olympic slalom canoe course

at Lee Valley near London,

one of the toughest stretches of white water in the world.

During my training in Nottingham, I've got wet - very wet -

and I've had to battle with the section known

as the Washing Machine.

Although I eventually cracked it once,

my confidence is still really low.

I'm not sure if this challenge is going to happen.

My coach, Russ, is worried about my safety.

He's called me back for a crisis talk.

OK, Lindsey, I think we need to think about maybe

having a little plan B.

When we get to Lee Valley,

we're going to have a lot of Washing Machines

stacking up on top of each other.

I think we need to move away from paddling in a single boat

and maybe look at going into a double boat.

'It's tough to hear that I'm not ready to tackle

'the Olympic course on my own...'

It's so heavy.

'..but now I have a new challenge.

'In a two-man canoe, the person at the back steers

'and the person at the front provides the power.

'If you don't peddle together, things can go wrong very quickly,

'so I need to get used to working as a team.'

It's hard.

'I find I can transfer a lot of the strokes I've learnt

'in the single canoe to this tandem...' Woo!

'..but Russ is keen to see how I perform on the white water.

'Bring on the rapids.'

SHE SCREAMS

'With Russ helping to keep the boat pointing roughly in the right

'direction, I can use my power at the front

'to smash through those waves.

'For the very first time, I feel like I'm in control.'

Woo!

I've gone from massive mistakes that I can't correct by myself

because I'm not an Olympic canoeist to actually making small mistakes

that I have time to think about and correct.

I love canoeing. It's good!

I might be feeling good now, but this is what awaits me -

300 metres of the toughest man-made white water course in the world.

To get down this, I'm going to need a canoeing legend.

Meet Olympic gold medallist Tim Baillie.

That looks like Niagara Falls to me,

cos I've never seen a wave that big in my life.

And when you come down it, it happens very quickly.

So as quickly as you get scared it'll be over,

and either we'll be fine or we'll be going for a surf in the middle.

That's reassuring. Thanks, Tim.

But at least we have time to practise on a smaller run

before we go for it. And, hey, what a way to get there!

Woo!

This could be my highlight of the day.

We've never canoed together before and if we're going to complete

the course, we need to be perfectly in time.

We've got just one hour to get it right.

We try to find our rhythm, but at first we're all over the place.

OK, stop, stop, stop.

Wow.

After several runs we start to click, but will it be enough?

It's getting so close.

I feel sick.

This is scary.

Right, let's do it.

The time for practice is over.

I only have one run,

one chance to complete this epic course.

I'll need to remember every bit of my training if we are to succeed.

Oh, and don't forget the badge!

This is it.

Three months of work, let's go.

-COMMENTATOR:

-Watch as they come down the course.

This is Lindsey's big challenge.

The force of the water is unbelievable.

My brain barely has time to compute what's going on

before we're battered by the next rapid.

It's just hit after hit of brutal white water.

-RUSS:

-Come on, Lindsey!

It's like being on the most intense rollercoaster in the world.

The only difference is I'm in the driving seat.

Tim is using all his skills to keep us pointing in the right direction.

But without warning, we almost tip over.

We just manage to stay upright.

SHE LAUGHS

That was close!

I've never concentrated so hard in my life.

As the crowd cheer on, my arm muscles are burning with pain,

but we have to keep paddling.

RUSS CHEERS

'And as we turn the last corner,

'I realise we've done it.'

Yes!

-RUSS:

-Woo!

Did it!

-Oh!

-Did it!

-Brilliant!

-Are you crying?

-I was a little bit.

That was proper.

There were moments when I thought, "We're going in."

Did you see us tip?

Yeah, that was, "Oh! Oh!"

I feel so satisfied and so proud,

cos I got that feeling at the top of "I don't want to do it"

and you've just got to do it, just go for it. That was...

Yeah, that was awesome. I loved it.

Join in every Thursday on CBBC.