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Mark Austen raised £670 from 19 supporters
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Closed 30/06/2020
Weʼve raised £670 to fund Mark's Blind Sailing for Great Britian in Canada!
- Bristol
- Funded on Tuesday, 30th June 2020
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Story
Mark is registered Blind and for the last five years he has been sailing and racing with the Great Britain Blind Sailing team. His main role with the crew of four Blind and Partially sailors is Helmsman.
Mark has been selected to sail for Great Britain at the 2019 Blind Fleet Racing World Championships, Kingston Yacht Club, Kingston, Ontario, Canada . Thank you for your support over the past few years which enabled Mark to achieve a Silver medal at the 2017 world Sailing Blind Fleet Racing Open World Sailing Championships.
Although qualified as a member of the GB Blind Sailing Team, Mark does not receive any funding for training in the U.K. or even when racing in National and International Blind Sailing events. Due to a very serious Road Traffic Accident in 1992, which left him with many significant injuries resulting in, among other things, less than 20% useful sight in just one eye. Mark is unable to work, hence raises much of the money by playing his Saxophone at private functions, also busking and some public speaking and in the past has enjoyed support from certain local Rotary, Lions and Yacht Clubs, plus personal donations from the very generous people of Yate and Chipping Sodbury.
Busking with his Saxophone during the last decade he has raised thousands of pounds worth of funds for various other charities. Mark is now hoping to raise funds for himself, as with encouragement from his family and friends although the fees add up fast!
The race entry fees, travel and accommodation for the 2019 World Championships in September are £2,450. In preparation Mark is sailing once a week at a local yacht club and attend eleven sail/race training camps throughout the year. The personal expenses to attend all of the training this year are £3,900.
Thank you for any donations you can spare towards helping Mark achieve his aspirations in Canada this September!
Updates
8
3 years ago
Mark Austen
3 years agoDay 4 We started well, but a short way into the race our traveller disintegrated and without control the main sheet we had to retire. We changed into a spare boat and made it back for the second race, with new equipment we only managed a 5th. We won the 3rd race due to a good start. Still in the lead at the bottom mark we had lined up the right hand mark when the French who were aiming for the left, decided the right was better and forced us to not only hit the mark but go the wrong side. First to last in seconds. The French were disqualified.
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3 years ago
Mark Austen
3 years agoDay 1 The practice days done, first day of racing had arrived and we were met with hardly any wind. Not the scenario you need when you are trying to learn how to sail a new class of boat with a new team. We didn't impress anyone with our first couple of races, all the local knowledge we had managed to obtain said the wind would go left. We went left, it went right! Tough! But with good team spirit we looked at our day and got set for second day of racing. See the picture below for an update on days two and three.
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3 years ago
Mark Austen
3 years agoHi everyone, thanks for your generous donations. I’m now in Canada. Kingston Yacht Club (KYC), are the hosts of the 2019 Blind Fleet Racing World Championships in conjunction with World Sailing, with 7 country’s for around the World competing. Great Britain will be looking to defend the Squadron Cup, alongside setting their sights on individual medals. In 2017 the team came home with two Golds and two silvers alongside being crowned overall World Champions. 2019 GBR 2 Blind Sailing B1 Team Sally Rodrigues Colin Midgley Mark Austen Will Morris
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Mark Austen started crowdfunding
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Supporters
19
Jamie Wiltshire
Sep 4, 2019
Well done Mark.
£20.00
Steve Rowles
Aug 17, 2019
A great achievement Mark. Many congrats.All the best!
£30.00
Dennis Rowles
Aug 17, 2019
Congratulations Mark. Good luck!
£50.00
Nick Parnell-Smith
Aug 16, 2019
Brilliant effort Mark and I look forward to hearing that you have brought back the Gold from Canada!Good luck
£50.00
Anonymous
Aug 2, 2019
Rich
Jul 31, 2019
Best wishes and hope all your winds are from the right directions...
£30.00
Mary Tillson
Jul 29, 2019
Have THE most amazing and successful time! You are a superstar! Send me pictures! hugs and love Officer Tillson!
£50.00
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Mark Austen
Bristol
Mark has been sailing since 14, however a serious traffic accident in 1992 left him in hospitalised from injuries for 2 years, since then Mark has joined GBR Blind Sailing and won a Silver Medal at the World Champs, please donate to help send Mark to the worlds in Canada in 2019!