Martyn Vesey (1958-65) may be remembered for athletics and rugby during his school days. He led the school athletics team to victory in Chartres and represented Sussex schools at the English schools national athletics championships for three years. But it was while training with the Young Olympic Athletics squad in the winter of 1964 that he incurred an injury that finished his running career for several years.
Therefore, while at college, he took up canoe racing and, in particular, long distance racing (12 – 125 miles). Martyn’s first post as a qualified teacher was as a sailing and canoeing instructor with the London Borough of Newham Education Authority and he was able to train for his canoe racing whilst teaching youngsters at the same time.
Canoeing for Great Britain
Martyn was selected to represent GB in canoe racing in 1970 and paddled in most countries in Europe. He was appointed team manager in 1973. His greatest success was winning the Devizes to Westminster Canoe race in a new civilian record time of 20 hours 18 minutes for the 125 mile race. His partner for this race was Peter James (also a pupil – 1958-1965). The photograph below shows them finishing at Westminster Bridge at 08.00 on Easter Saturday 1970.
Representative canoe racing had to take a back seat in 1973 when Martyn left teaching to join Marks and Spencer in commercial management. He spent 25 years with the company in a variety of management roles, mainly in head office, including management development, Human Resources, project management and Finance.
With his ever-present love of the water Martyn has moved back to Chichester and now retired, lives in Birdham just 100 metres from his yacht in the harbour.