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Mark Austen raised £620 from 22 supporters
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Closed 05/07/2017
Weʼve raised £620 to enable blind Mark to sail with Team GB in 2017
- Bristol, United Kingdom
- Funded on Wednesday, 5th July 2017
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Story
Mark J Austen has been Registered Blind for 23 years. He is raising funds and sponsorship to enable him to train and race with the Great Britain Blind Sailing team.
Mark joined the GB Blind Sailing team in January alongside twenty other Blind and Partly Sighted sailors in Cowes at the UKSA training centre. After a week of intensive training, the hard work paid off on Race day when Mark's boat won the final 2 races of that day after having only met and sailed together as a team three days before!
Mark is now Fundraising to take part in the 11 monthly training sessions on Lake Windermere and in Cowes.
The Great Britain team are preparing for four main events in 2017
1. April - USA
Blind Sailing Match Racing Open Championships
2. May - Italy
Blind Sailing International Match Racing Championships
3. September - USA.
Blind Sailing Fleet Racing World Championships
4. October - Cowes
Blind Sailing UK Open National Championships
Due to a Road Traffic Accident, which left him with less that 30% useful sight in only one eye and other complications, Mark is unable to work. British Blind Sailing does have its own JustGiving page. However, the GB Blind Sailing Team have no other external help or support and each competitor has to fund all of their own expenses for training in the U.K. and when racing in National and International Blind Sailing events abroad. Marks personal expenses to attend all the training during the year are £3,900. Mark raises the money by playing his Saxophone at Private Functions and Busking, he also raises money for various other charities averaging £2,500 pa.
Mark is now hoping to raise funds for himself, with encouragement from his family and friends. Mark wants to work towards his own personal ambitions and be selected for GB team for future events.
Please be as generous as Mark himself has been in donating to other good causes.
Updates
10
- 7 years ago
Mark Austen
7 years agoShare this update to help us raise more
- 7 years ago
Mark Austen
7 years ago...I sailed with some of my usual crew. Me on Helm (steering), Justin – Sighted Tactician (he does all the shouting) and Dave – Sighted Jib Sheet Trimmer (it’s the little sail at the front. I sailed with two new to me, Blind crew members, who operated the Mainsheet (the really BIG Sail at the front) over the weekend. Sally who is totally Blind and Eddy who is DeafBlind. The next selection camp is in Cowes from the 16th to the 19th of June.
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- 7 years ago
Mark Austen
7 years agoGB Blind Sailing Training and Selection camp – May 2017. Lake Windermere, Friday 26th May to Tuesday 30th May. We are now in the final stages of selection for the World Sailing Blind Fleet Racing Open Championships... We had four days sailing on Lake Windermere. Winds were mostly light to moderate, which are perfect for our training and similar to what we can expect in Wisconsin on Lake Michigan in September...
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- 7 years ago
Mark Austen
7 years agoMay training. Team GB are keeping up the training and working towards the selection process for the 2017 Blind Racing World Sailing Championship in America in September. We also have much more to look forward to, including the Nationals in Cowes in October. We will be holding May’s training at Windermere Outdoor Leisure, Friday 26- Monday 29th May. There are two key aims of this weekend: Putting together the learning from January to April and looking at sailing race rules and tactics with coach Ben.
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Mark Austen started crowdfunding
Leave a message of support
Supporters
22
Edward Matthews
Jul 5, 2017
Good luck Mark, all the best
£10.00
Debbie Wescott
Jul 4, 2017
You are an inspiration. We hope this goes some way towards achieving your dream. Rob Keen & Debbie Wescott
£40.00
Anonymous
May 11, 2017
Best Wishes
Anonymous
Apr 26, 2017
Hope everything goes well
£20.00
julia riley
Apr 11, 2017
Have the time of your life Mark and go for it for yourself and team GB.
£100.00
Jill and Pete
Apr 7, 2017
Good luck with all the training. We look forward to hearing all about it.
£50.00
Rosie Stevens
Apr 4, 2017
Great news Mark! Good luck - I am sure you will reach your target. Rosie
£20.00
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