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Press Releases - Le Tournoi Sailing Challenge 2006
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Updated: 28-Feb-2007
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Le Tournoi Sailing Challenge 2006
The deaf crew skippered by Mark Wheatley will compete in the exclusive
fundraising Le Tournoi Sailing Challenge 2006, which is a seven-day
sailing challenge starting from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, France and then back
there via Jersey and Guernsey. He will lead a crew consisting of
Nick Brookes, Katie Davison, Chris Ratcliffe, Robert le Mausier and Richard Weaver
to raise awareness of the work of the National
Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS).
They will be among the fleet of some 40 Jeanne’ yachts in the Coutts
Round Jersey race, battling anti-clockwise round the island, against prevailing
wind and tides. The challenge will then continue onwards to Guernsey and then back
across the Channel to the finish line in Portsmouth. It will start on 26th September
and finish on 5th October 2006
Skipper Mark Wheatley, profoundly deaf company director of Red Lizard based in Redditch, Worcestershire,
a graphic design house that specialises in accessible design explains why he is
involved in the event:
"I have been profoundly deaf since birth and have been sailing for many years. I
love getting out on the water and Le Tournoi should be a fantastic challenge. I hope
that the deaf children and young people the NDCS works with will see what we are
doing and realise that they can pursue any goal they want. Deafness does not need
to hold you back."
Organisers of Le Tournoi have kindly provided the NDCS with the yacht to compete
in, and the funds will be denoted to the Jersey Sports Association for the Disabled (JSAD)
and the Jersey Society for Deaf Children and Young Adults (JDCS)
It is interesting to note that Tracey Watson, a hard of hearing from Jersey, and
Jayne Wilson, a member of the organising committee of Le Tournoi, will replace Nick
Brookes and Robert Le Mausier, also deaf from Jersey, on the last two Legs whilst
some other members of JDCS will replace four of them in the Coutts Round Jersey race.
For the first time in any sailing event, all the competitors will take part in the
basic sign language and the deaf awareness seminars during a team building workshop
before they leave Portsmouth.
Please browse the Le Tournoi Sailing Challenge 2006 at
www.letournoi.org
and at
www.jdcs.org.je
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