Oliver Curry
Clipper Round the World Sailing Race
Fundraising for Operation Smile United Kingdom
Story
A year ago I was looking for a life changing challenge, to push me to my limit in a variety of ways. Having sat at a desk over the past few years the urge to experience more of the World has grown. To see and learn about it's natural might and weird and wonderful people on it. I aspire to continue to explore and learn about myself, the World around us and what I can achieve……
Enter: The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. To really make the most of this adventure, I want to raise money for a wonderful charity: Operation Smile. Every penny you donate will go to them, as I’m funding my trip myself.
The Clipper Race is one of the biggest challenges of the natural world, and an endurance test like no other. It’s a record breaking 40,000 nautical mile race around the world on a 70-foot ocean racing yacht, and you don’t need to have any previous sailing experience to participate. Divided into eight legs and 14 individual races, you can choose to complete the full circumnavigation or select individual legs. If this is getting you excited too, check out the Clipper website: https://clipperroundtheworld.com/
Now I am no sailor; my only prior experience amounts to some tearful childhood days spent at a sailing club in Devon, having been sent off by my parents. But over the last six months everything has fallen into place, and I am about to embark on the race of my life. This adventure wouldn’t be possible without support from Mum, Dad, Viola, family members, friends, my employer, and the guys from Operation Smile. On the 25th of September I will be flying to Punta del Este to meet up with the 18 – 22 person crew of my boat, Sanya, and my Skipper, Wendy Tuck. I’ll join them for Leg 2 – Punta del Este to Cape Town – and Leg 3 – Cape Town to Perth, which should last 3 and 4 weeks respectively. The two legs represent a distance equivalent 1/3 of the way around the world. One of the photos below outlines the entire route, but for more details visit the Clipper website.
Now I am no sailor; my only prior experience amounts to some tearful childhood days spent at a sailing club in Devon, having been sent off by my parents. But over the last six months everything has fallen into place, and I am about to embark on the race of my life. This adventure wouldn’t be possible without support from Mum, Dad, Viola, family members, friends, my employer, and the guys from Operation Smile. On the 25th of September I will be flying to Punta del Este to meet up with the 18 – 22 person crew of my boat, Sanya, and my Skipper, Wendy Tuck. I’ll join them for Leg 2 – Punta del Este to Cape Town – and Leg 3 – Cape Town to Perth, which should last 3 and 4 weeks respectively. The two legs represent a distance equivalent 1/3 of the way around the world. One of the photos below outlines the entire route, but for more details visit the Clipper website.
I have known Operation Smile for a while through a family friend who works there. The charity provide life changing surgery to an incredible number of children and young adults on a global basis and as a result positively affect so many young lives. It is this combination of its focus on young people, the number of lives it improves and its global reach that made me chose this charity.
I hope you believe in this cause as much as I do, and please show your support by giving generously. I know when the going gets tough mid-gybe in the Atlantic Ocean, or surfing down a 100ft wave in the Great Southern Ocean, I’ll be spurred on by the great work Operation Smile is doing. I have set myself an ambitious target to raise £5,000, but I hope you can help smash it out the park!
Operation Smile undertake amazing work and here is more information about them:
Every day, children and adults worldwide suffer from cleft conditions because they do not have access to the safe surgery they need to live a healthy and fulfilling life. Babies and children born with cleft can have difficulty with feeding, which can lead to malnutrition or even starvation. Many of them also suffer from difficulty with speech, bullying and social isolation. Operation Smile is an international medical charity whose global network of thousands of credentialed medical volunteers from more than 80 countries are dedicated to helping improve the lives of children living with cleft conditions across the world. Since 1982, Operation Smile medical missions have provided over 240,000 free surgeries for those born with a cleft lip and cleft palate conditions. Operation Smile recognises that the need for care doesn’t stop when the medical missions end, and so wherever possible they establish cleft care centres to ensure year-round care for patients requiring more complex treatment. By supporting Operation Smile, you can help ensure that every penny raised will help provide surgery for children and young adults worldwide living with cleft conditions; helping these children lead a new life - a life full of potential. If you wish to read more please visit their website at http://www.operationsmile.org.uk.
Operation Smile undertake amazing work and here is more information about them:
Every day, children and adults worldwide suffer from cleft conditions because they do not have access to the safe surgery they need to live a healthy and fulfilling life. Babies and children born with cleft can have difficulty with feeding, which can lead to malnutrition or even starvation. Many of them also suffer from difficulty with speech, bullying and social isolation. Operation Smile is an international medical charity whose global network of thousands of credentialed medical volunteers from more than 80 countries are dedicated to helping improve the lives of children living with cleft conditions across the world. Since 1982, Operation Smile medical missions have provided over 240,000 free surgeries for those born with a cleft lip and cleft palate conditions. Operation Smile recognises that the need for care doesn’t stop when the medical missions end, and so wherever possible they establish cleft care centres to ensure year-round care for patients requiring more complex treatment. By supporting Operation Smile, you can help ensure that every penny raised will help provide surgery for children and young adults worldwide living with cleft conditions; helping these children lead a new life - a life full of potential. If you wish to read more please visit their website at http://www.operationsmile.org.uk.