deafblind-access.com
Graham Hicks – Personal profile Graham Hicks' born in Hertford, Hertfordshire in 1961 was blind by the age of 3 and deaf aged 6.
The cause of his disability is still unknown but believed to be the result of a rare degenerative genetic condition. In common with many deafblind people Graham also has impaired balance. While Graham has clear speech, being profoundly deaf, people need to communicate with him using the Deafblind Manual Alphabet .
Before setting up deafblind-access.com Graham worked for Deafblind UK as Head of the Challenges Team focusing on raising awareness of the abilities of deafblind people to do anything with the right support. Graham has a great love for adrenalin sports and holds a Guinness World Record for a top average quadbiking speed of 133 mph!
He drives with a pillion rider who navigates using touch signals. Graham has a custom-built quadbike which was sponsored by Honda Europe and many other big names in motorsport. Much of the development for this record breaking machine was undertaken by himself and Rob Hall.
Graham does not believe his disability has got in the way of his lifestyle at all. In fact, he feels that many able-bodied people would not dream of attempting some of his challenges! He said of his "Double Dutch Courage' training: "Sometimes when we are out at sea with the bow spray flying, passing all manner of craft -- large and small -- I smile to myself thinking, little do they know it's a blind man that's driving past".
Graham has been in full-time employment for 26 years now. in the 1980's he ran his own cycle retial and repair business. For many years worked for the leading deafblind charity Sense as an advisor to local and central government. Graham also held a position as a Director on Deafblind UK's board. Over recent years, he has fulfilled some of his lifelong ambitions and hopes to achieve many more!
History of Graham's Challenges
SEPTEMBER 2000
Lands End to Isles of Scilly Jetski Challenge. Graham embarked on his first world record. Driving his 1200cc Yamaha jetski in force 4 winds and steep 6 foot waves, he battled the 60 miles from Lands End to St. Mary's on the Isles of Scilly, and back to become the first person to officially complete the return voyage by jetski. It was a tough challenge by anyone's standards, but left Graham and his pillion, Wayne Stokes, buzzing with exhilaration.
Graham and Wayne on the Yamaha Jetski
MAY 2001
Quadbike World Speed Record. Graham continued to set world records and in May 2001 set the first ever Guinness quadbike world speed record. Driving a 500cc racing quad with pillion rider, Matt Coulter the Kangaroo Kid' his average speed was clocked at 99.26mph, though one run was 104mph. Graham felt that the bike wasn't pulling at top speed and decided there and then that he would have his own custom-built quad built to smash his own record the following year.
Graham and Matt on Matt's 500cc quad
AUGUST 2001
Sainsbury's Challenge. Not one to have a rest over the summer, in August 2001 Graham took up the gauntlet thrown to him by Jon Hartland, a Director of Sainsbury's, to travel in the most unique way from Peterborough to Sainsbury's Head Office in Central London. Starting from Peterborough, Graham rode his tandem cycle the 52 miles to Hunstanton and then jetskied in force-5 sea conditions the 250 miles down the east coast and up the Thames to Blackfriars to a jubilant reception.
JUNE 2002
Quadbike World Speed Record. Throughout the winter months Graham oversaw the construction of a purpose built racing quad based on a Honda EX400 quad with a 1100cc Super Blackbird 152bhp engine. It was on this mean machine, aptly named 'G-Force Challenger' that Graham then broke his world speed record on 22 June. Reaching a top speed one way of 116mph, Graham set the new record at an average of 104,2mph.
Graham and Rob on the Superblackbird engined quad. See how little ground clearance there is!
JUNE 2003
Double Dutch Courage Jetski Challenge. Graham's next challenge called "Double Dutch Courage" was to set the greatest distance on a jetski in 6 hours. On 24 June, Graham and his pillion rider, Jason Newell, a tax inspector from the Inland Revenue departed from Sea Palling UK on a 127 mile journey to Ijmunden, Holland. This was completed in 6 hours and 16 minutes. Two days later on 26th June Graham made his second attempt to complete the 127 mile journey within 6 hours. With his fresh pillion rider, Rob Hall he set off from Ijmunden for Sea Palling. Despite a 20 foot swell for much of the 127 North Sea crossing Graham and Rob completed in a record time of 5 hours, 59 minutes and 45 seconds.
Graham and Rob in the middle of the North Sea during the crossing. You can see a gas platform on the horizon.
AUGUST 2004
Quad World Speed Record. With police pillion rider Brian Sharman Graham smashed his way into therecord books once again on 14th August with a top speed of 136 mph and an average speed of 133mph. The challenge received outstanding support from RAF Wittering and conditions were perfect as Graham and his pillion rider Cambridgeshire Police Constable Brian Sharman took to the runway with support from over 100 spectators and sponsors.
Graham and Brian flatout on the runway
MAY 2005
Isle of Wight HovPod. At the controls of a HovPod, a three seater Hovercraft, Graham crossed the Solent from Ryde, Isle of Wight to the UK mainland and back again. His fastest crossing was 18 minutes.