Veteran takes on world’s coldest and toughest ultra-race to help fellow wounded veterans

Ex-serviceman Gavin Clark is taking on the gruelling Yukon Arctic ultra-challenge to help raise money for Military Charity Blesma, the limbless veterans.

Gavin, 41, from Gosport, Hampshire, has decided to take on the 430-mile race in temperatures that drop below -50c on a mountain fat bike. Gavin will also battle through snow, ice and wilderness whilst carrying kit such as a tent, food, cooking gear and clothing.

Many competitors do not even finish the race but Gavin is remaining confident.

“With this challenge it doesn’t matter whether you are a good cyclist as it’s the environment that really tests people,” said Gavin. “You are out there on your own with no support team and some people struggle to sleep and eat. With the military experience I feel better prepared for it.”

Gavin was discharged from the Royal Navy six years ago due multiple traumatic injuries. Gavin suffers from non-freezing cold injury to both his feet and lack of sensation to his right hand with an amputation of two fingers (one sewn back on) which also means he has to be extra careful of frostbite in the temperatures. With his experience of serving in the Military and injuries, Blesma seemed an obvious choice for Gavin.

Gavin’s first experience of the arctic ultra-challenge was last year when he went along as part of a medical support team. This drove Gavin to want to take part and he has been training for eleven months now at his local gym.

“I’ll normally start my work out at around three or four in the morning and train for five to eight hours. I do this about four days a week. I recently circumnavigated the Isle of Wight fully loaded in one day on my fat bike as a training event too.”

Zanika Fearon, Senior Community & Events Fundraising Manager, said “We are incredibly lucky to have dedicated fundraisers like Gavin who push themselves to the edge in order to support our injured veterans. Gavin has put his life on hold for the last year and thrown himself completely in to his training for the Yukon Arctic challenge. Good luck Gavin and keep warm!”

The Yukon Arctic ultra-challenge starts on 5^th February 2017, if you would like to support Gavin and Blesma please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Gavin-Clark3

Blesma, The Limbless Veterans is the national charity for all limbless service men and women, their widows and dependants. It was formed in the years following the First World War and became a national charity in 1932.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor

Hi-res images can be downloaded from the links below:

http://blesma.org/media/439895/gavin-bike.jpg

http://blesma.org/media/439896/gavin-blesma-top.jpg

http://blesma.org/media/439897/gavin.jpg