Zoe Gillings Loses all UK Sport Funding

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

UK Sport has just announced a major increase of £16 million, taking the total winter sports funding to £31 million, while this is great news to some – especially for the slopestyle team. It has delivered a devastating blow to the British No 1 Olympic Snowboard cross athlete Zoe Gillings. Despite finishing ninth at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, where she just missed out on the final by centimetres in a dramatic photo finish. This result meant she did not meet UK Sport funding guidelines and Gillings has now lost all UK Sport Olympic funding.

In simple terms this now means that the entire Snowboard cross Olympic program - coach, technician, physio performance manager, sports psychologist, nutritionist and strength & conditioning team has been dissolved. If Gillings can afford to travel, she will now to do so and compete alone in World Cup competitions without any coaching, financial or technical support - something which doesn’t happen with any other nation.

Gillings commented on UK Sport’s decision, “I fully respect UK Sports decision, it’s obviously disappointing but my performance director made it very clear to me that UK Sport wanted a top six finish (reach the final) at the Olympics to continue funding – I knew this way ahead of the Olympic Games, so I’m not complaining. I was gutted when I realised I missed out on the final when I watched the photo finish on the big screen – it was literally centimetres that meant I finished 4th and this ended the funding.”

“I want to thank UK Sport for the funding they have provided to date and I’d especially like to say a huge thank you to the British Ski & Snowboard (BSS) performance director – Paddy Mortimer – I can say hand on heart he is absolutely athlete focussed and is a true credit to BSS. He says it how it is, he is honest and does everything he can to support the athlete. Despite not being funded I’m really looking forward to working with Paddy over the next Olympic cycle if I can raise the funds.”

Gillings is determined to do what it takes to generate funding in order to train and compete on the World Cup circuit, so that she can win back UK Sport funding and have a real chance of a medal in Pyeongchang in four years time.

To reach this goal Gillings has just launched www.PoundShaveClub.com – an online website where customers can choose from a selection of excellent quality razors at a fraction of the cost of high street prices and have them delivered to their door each month. Razors start at just £1 per month for the entry two blade and go up to £5 a month for the flagship five blade head.

“If there are any potential sponsors reading this then I would of course love to chat, I have an exciting four years ahead and it could be a fantastic journey.”

Zoe is getting married in August but she is already planning the start of the new 2014/15 Snowboard cross programme in the hope of getting the funds together.

Canada takes Gold and Sliver in Mountain biking

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

Catharine Pendrel and Emily Batty, both from Canada, took first and second place in the Women’s cross country mountain biking at the Commonwealth games in Glasgow. Continue Reading →

A Bag for Life

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

Bringing a twist to the idea of a bag for life, the RNLI has made a messenger bag out of decommissioned life jackets. The RNLI work tirelessly around the country saving the lives of those who get in trouble at sea, and summer is one of their most busy periods. All the life jackets used have been worn by the brave volunteers at the RNLI during real sea rescues. I can’t think of a better or more stylish way to use up equipment that otherwise would in a landfill. 100 per cent of profits from the sale of 235 Made For Life items, as with all
RNLI Shop products, are used to help save lives at sea.

£95

RNLIshop.org

Commonwealth Games: England takes Gold and Bronze in Women Triathlon

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

It’s been a good start for the home nations as Jodie Stimpson and Vicky Holland both from England have won a gold and bronze medal respectively in the women’s triathlon.

Stimpson surged away in the final 10k run leaving Canada’s Kristen Sweetland to take the sliver. Stimpson, 25, missed out on a place at London 2012 but more than made up for this disappointment as she finished in 1 hour 58 minutes and 56 seconds.

Despite the exhausting heat taking its toll on the athletes Holland and Stimpson hugged each other savouring the moment.

Stimpson said to the BBC: “Get in England! Come on! Now the boys have got to do it. “All my family are already crying, it’s awesome they got to see me in a championship race after missing the Olympics in 2012.

“The support from the crowd was awesome. No matter what country you were from they were behind you.”

Holland who was not expected to podium was thrilled by her performance She said to the BBC: “I knew Jodie would be the biggest threat in the field and I am really pleased she won, not just because she is English but because she really deserves it. “My legs were failing me towards the end – it was so hard to hold and win this medal I’ve worked so long for.”

Surfdome Launches London Pop-Up Shop

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

Online lifestyle clothing retailer Surfdome launches its first pop-up shop in July at Old St Underground Station. Continue Reading →

Coco Ho at Los Cabos Open of Surf, Zippers, Mexico. Credit ASP International

Coco Ho Wins 6-star Los Cabos Open of Surf

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Robert McCrimmon

Last week Hawaiian Coco Ho, 23, won the 6-Star Los Cabos Open of Surf at Zippers in Los Cabos, Mexico. Continue Reading →

Ragot, Atherton, Carpenter, Nicole, Seagrave - Lifestyle - Credit Sven Martin/Red Bull Content Pool

Women’s UCI Downhill Hits Mid-Way Point

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Robert McCrimmon

The Women’s UCI World Cup overall title has come to its mid season break after an exciting race in Leogang, Austria, which saw Manon Carpenter (GBR) become the first rider this year to win her second race. Continue Reading →

Maria Puts Britain First on the Polar Map

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

Adventurer Maria Leijerstam’s world-first achievement for Britain has landed her in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Maria, 35, from the Vale of Glamorgan, pedalled 650 kilometres across the icy wilderness of Antarctica last Christmas to claim the title of the first person in the world to cycle to the South Pole from the edge of the continent – a mission she completed ahead of an American and Spanish rival last December.

Conceptualised by Maria and her team, a unique polar cycle was then designed and manufactured by Cornish firm Inspired Cycle Engineering, and since her success their sales have rocketed.

In the same week, the University of Plymouth – where Maria gained a Pure Mathematics degree in 2000 – has awarded her Honorary Sporting Colours for Distinction in Sporting Activities, which she will be collecting in late September.

Maria has managed to carve out an incredible career path around her adventures. She began her career as a rocket scientist, and later as a Business Improvement Director for well-known multi-national organisations around the world. In 2010 she founded Multisport Limited and the popular Burn Series of family adventure days, as a way of combining her love of sport and adventure with business acumen.

In 2007 she became the first Welsh woman to complete the world-renowned Sahara Marathon, where she battled against extreme high temperatures to run six marathons in seven days. At the other end of the temperature scale, in 2012 she became the first woman to complete the Siberian Black Ice Race cycling across Lake Baikal, the longest and deepest frozen freshwater lake in the world.

Maria continues to work every day to raise money for her chosen charity, the Alzheimer’s Society. She shares her story of determination through lectures and talks with the world to help engage and inspire the youth of today, as well as established business people who like to hear about the courage and determination it took to achieve her goal.

Although Britain was unable to secure the world-first record of reaching the South Pole in the great polar days of the battle between Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen, Great Britain has now claimed a world-first for cycling to the South Pole from the edge of the Antarctic continent.

Not a Walk in the Park

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

TrekFest, an endurance charity hike that happens twice a year at the Brecon Beacons and the Peak District, took place this weekend with over 700 people taking part.

On Saturday morning the hikers woke to the sound of thunder and torrential rain, but luckily the storm had finished before the start of the race.

Many of the major charities, such as Cancer Research, Air Ambulance and Hope House, were represented at the trek, and tens of thousands of pounds had been raised for charity.

Hosted by Global Adventure Challenges, participants can either choose to walk 29 miles in 12-hours or 54 miles in 24-hours for a charity of their choice.

Trekfest is not a walk in the park. Many hikers had blisters and cuts from walking for over 12 hours and all had to endure showers and strong winds.

John Murphy, who was taking part in the 29 miles trek tweeted “I am soaking wet, I have been soaking wet for hours.”

Some participants such as Jane Ball have had to overcome some major obstacles to take part in TrekFest.

“16 months ago I was so overweight that I couldn’t even walk round Sainsburys without my back feeling like it was going to break so am I proud of myself? Hell yeah.” Ball said on Facebook.

The next TrekFest is due to take place on 6^th-7^th September in the Peak District. If you would like to take part click here.

2014 Summer X Games Round-Up

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Robert McCrimmon

After four days of Skateboarding, BMXing, Motocrossing, Rallycross and Super Trucks, the 2014 Summer X Games in Austin, Texas is once again finished for another year. Continue Reading →