My real name is Chris Wheal. I am known as Whealie.
On the xrv.org.uk forum I am also known as the Wing-Commander due to my airborne activities on Africa Twins.
While the video on the home page of this website shows me flying the zebra deliberately, the nick-name came about because of an almighty crash on Salisbury Plain when I completely took off and left the side of an elevated track. I had to bail out and the bike was pretty badly damaged.
smashed bike screen and bent handlebars
That was the event that made me decide to have two bikes – one that could be smashed up without me worrying too much about it. That led to the zebra.
I am a moderator for the xrv.org.uk site and a member of the Trail Riders Fellowship.
I am a business journalist, writing about finance and insurance. And I am active within the National Union of Journalists (link opens new window), chairing the Professional Training Committee (link opens new window) and the union’s charity NUJ Extra (link opens new window).
I am married (to Kate) with a son (Joe) and a daughter (Molly). We live in Lewisham, south-east London and I am active within my kids’ schools, chairing the Parent’s Forum (link opens new window) at my son’s school, for example.
I also advise rugby referees for the London Society of RFU Referees (link opens new window), having almost retired from reffing myself. But I generally only do that while at Charlton Park RFC (link opens new window), where I am a vice-president.