Exeter woman 'races across the world'

Visually impaired Tricia Sail is on TV series

A sight-impaired Exeter woman has made her first appearance on BBC1's Race Across The World.

Tricia Sail, who has uveitis, and her fully sighted friend Cathie, are among five pairs of people competing to race across Canada, starting in Vancouver in the west with the aim of reaching St John’s, Newfoundland, North America’s most eastern city; a 16,000 kilometre journey.

The teams compete without smartphones, internet access and credit cards, and are armed only with the cash equivalent of the airfare to fly the route and with a camera crew in tow. 

One of Tricia's aims is to challenge perceptions that “having sight loss doesn’t stop you from doing anything” – including landing a new job. 

She works for RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) as a community connections co-ordinator and says her colleagues have been asking her lots of questions about the show and are looking forward to tuning in to see how she gets on.

He friendship with Cathie helped ensure the duo were able to face the daunting prospect of trying to cross the second largest country on the planet.

Tricia said: “I have known Cathie since we were 13, I had watched the first two series and thought that looked like such fun. I messaged Cathie and encouraged her to apply, so I think initially she wasn’t sure what she had signed up for, but after she found more about it, she was really excited to be involved.”

“The Canadians were so friendly and gave us so much help along the way, with free food and lifts. It was quite moving too, we got to hear people’s life stories too. I got to see and do things I didn’t think I’d be able to do like watching wild bears at the side of the road, it was incredible. “

Tricia says although there were many challenges in taking part in the show, she has absolutely no regrets. “If someone asks if I would do it again. I definitely would, it’s incredibly good fun. One of the best things was getting to spend quality time with my best mate. I think we complimented each other really well, she's the brain and I’m the brawn. She plans everything meticulously and I am like a bull in a china shop, but we work well together. We learnt a lot and she probably tamed me while I pushed her on a little bit.”

Tricia who lives in Exeter is a Community Connections co-ordinator for RNIB, working with other blind and partially sighted people and those affected by sight loss, to reduce isolation and ensure people to access the support and services they need. To date players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £8 million to support RNIB’s work, including Community Connections enabled by an award from Postcode Care Trust.