Chris Short, a former masseur at Blackburn, and his colleague, Campbell Watt, are planning to row the English Channel in a boat as part of a unique charity challenge. The duo will attempt to row the 23 miles of one of the world's busiest shipping routes on August 12 to raise money for three charities: Cancer Research; the Oxfam-run charity, the East Africa Food Crisis; and the East Timor Indonesia Orphanage Appeal to raise cash for children orphaned after the Tsunami disaster.Their aim is to complete the task in less than five hours and to do so they have embarked on a rigorous training programme on the Concept2 Indoor Rower. Pickering-born Short now works as a masseur at new Premiership outfit Sheffield United. He formerly played for Scarborough, Notts County, the Blades and Stoke City before a debilitating illness forced him to quit the game.His friend and rowing ally Watt is a serving policeman with the North Yorkshire force and, besides playing for Scarborough reserves, is a former British karate champion as well as recording the fastest 500m time in last year's Concept Ranking. Short formerly worked at the Next Generation gym in York's Hull Road, where Watt also trained.Short's elder brother Craig, currently playing for Sheffield United in the Premiership, is intending to join the support vessel that will accompany the rowers on their attempt.If anyone would like to make a donation, cheques can be made payable to 'Channel Rowing' and sent to Chris Short at Sheffield United FC, Bramall Lane, Sheffield, S2 4SU.For more information, check out their website at http://www.chocolatefish.co.uk/channelchallenge.html.