Born in Stockport, Cheshire, Kappes is partially sighted and competes in the B&VI 1–3 class. He is the current World record holder for 200 metres, along with his pilot Barney Storey. Storey and Kappes became the first Paralympic team to hold the able-bodied British National Tandem Sprint Championships title in 2006.
Kappes, began working with a new tandem pilot internationally in 2008, Jon Norfolk sacrificed his career as a member of Great Britain"s able-bodied squad in order to work with Paralympians, and had to take a three-year break from competition in order to qualify. Kappes was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (Administration Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
