ADVENTUROUS Stuart Lansdale will celebrate winning an indoor rowing championship by traversing mountains and lakes in North America.

The Thomas Hardye pupil won the under-18s boys' category of the British Indoor Rowing Championships in London, beating his nearest rival by 10 seconds.

Stuart, 17, now plans to climb Mount Rainier in Washington state before canoeing 92 miles around the Bowron lake circuit in British Columbia, Canada.

The super-fit youngster, who already stands 6ft one, was bitten by the indoor rowing bug after taking part in a competition at his school's gym.

Stuart, of Edward Road, Dorchester, said: "I've been going to the Thomas Hardye gym since I was 16 and have been experimenting with different things there.

"I thought I'd give the rowing machine challenge a try and I got a fairly good time in that.

"I took the time to look up the sport on the internet and competed in my first competition in Southampton last month."

Despite being only 17, Stuart came second in the competition, beating other competitors who were 18.

Stuart, who lifts weights, cycles and runs five times a week, then won the indoor championships in his category with a time of 6 minutes, 42.8 seconds.

Stuart said: "Everyone's been really supportive of me.

"A friend came with me to the Southampton competition because my parents were away.

"When I was in London I had calls all day from friends, asking how it was going.

"My family's been really supportive of me too."

The next challenge Stuart will face will be to join a team formed by the Dorset Expeditionary Society to climb Mount Rainier and canoe around lakes in Canada.

Stuart has to raise £1,500 in sponsorship to take part in the trip and has so far been given £400 in a private donation.

Stuart said: "It will be a good challenge and a good feeling to be on top of that mountain and to be able to look down at the clouds beneath."

Anyone wishing to sponsor Stuart can email him on stuartlansdale@tlans.com