 In 2005 he ran the Marathon des Sables 243 km across the Sahara desert to raise money for the Wolftrust.Backshall has a black belt in judo, attained after a year living in Japan studying the martial art.He is an experienced BCU four star sea and whitewater kayaker, and has three times completed the 125-mile, 24-hour, canoe race from Devizes to Westminster on the river Thames.