Finlay’ s 150km unicycle challenge to take him all the way to Cambodia

AFife teenager aims to ride 150km on a unicycle, hoping his efforts will help take him all the way to Cambodia.

Finlay Cooper, a 16-yearold pupil of Inverkeithing High School, has been turning since he started unicycling around Dalgety Bay, completing a daily 5km circuit of his local community.

The teenager will not be stopping his daily circuits around his local streets until next month, when he plans to complete 150km on just one wheel.

The fundraising bid is all part of his aim to raise £4,300 for a four-week trip of a lifetime to Cambodia.

If he can reach his target, Finlay plans to join fellow pupils on the trip, which is being organised by the school in partnership with Camps International.

Once there, he will be expected to work closely with locals, helping to construct new toilets, wells and other essential facilities.

During his stay, he also plans to lend a hand to support a number of other environmental projects, such as tree-planting.

And to cap off the Cambodian experience, Finlay hopes to embark on a four-day expedition through the jungle to visit historical landmarks, including the Angkor Wat temple, which is known as the eighth wonder of the world.

Finlay admits the sight of a teenager unicycling has already attracted a few startled looks from locals.

“I’ve certainly turned a few heads, but the reaction is usually one of surprise and people wanting to know why I’m riding round on one wheel,” he said.

“After all, it’s not something you see every day.

“Everyone had been supportive and I’ve had a few motorists beeping their horns as they go past too.”

A keen cyclist since he was a toddler, Finlay decided to master the one wheel rather than two about five years ago.

“I thought it looked cool and I wanted to give it a go but soon found it harder than it looks,” he admitted.

“It took me about three months practising in the house, using the walls for support, but I got the hang of it eventually.

“Since then I’ve used it to cycle to and from school. “My pals think it’s great. “Needing to raise money for the trip, I had to think of something a bit different and the unicycle is perfect.”

“Cambodia will be a trip to remember so I just need to keep pedalling and raising money so I can get there.”

Mum Susan said her son is determined to raise the necessary funding himself.

He has raised more than £300 so far.

She said: “We told him from the beginning that he will have to raise the cost himself if he we were to sign him up for the trip, and that it would be extremely hard work.

“But he wasn’t deterred and quickly came up with the plan to use his love of cycling as part of his fundraising.

“We’re proud of him for showing such determination.

“Being his mum, I’ll worry about him travelling to the other side of the world, but the trip will not only be a rewarding experience for him, it will give him a real insight into a different way of life to the one he is used too.

“Also, while out there he’ll be making a positive contribution to other people’s lives, which is fantastic.

“I’m not sure, however, if he’ll manage to fit the unicycle into his suitcase for the trip.”

Finlay will be cycling round Dalgety Bay every day until February 5.

Donations can be made at gofundme.com/f/ finlays-cambodiaexpedition

DETERMINATION: Finlay Cooper is hoping to raise £4,300 to pay for a four-week trip of a lifetime with his school. Picture by Steve MacDougall.