Fern Cates Athlete fund
Donativo protegido
I'm a cross country skier in the British Nordic Ski Team. I come from Bridgnorth, England, where I grew up and went to school before moving to Sweden in order to pursue my goals in skiing at 18.
Background
Most of my competitors were introduced to the sport as soon as they could walk, I first saw cross country skiing at 15 on TV, which inspired me to take the sport up straight away! But I was living in a non-snowy/skiing climate so first learnt to 'rollerski' and practised locally with a coach in the Midlands before taking to the snow at 16. I was hooked from the offset and determined to become an elite athlete so I trained hard and joined the British Nordic Development Squad.
About Me
I have learnt that I am someone that cannot do things half heartedly or choose the easy option. When I decide to do something, I have to give it 100% of my effort and challenge myself with hardest thing I can find. Before cross country skiing, I was a swimmer, but perhaps not the most naturally talented- which is what drove me the most to train hard and prove expectations wrong. By 9yrs old I was training before school and soon attending every session I could with the local team, trying to get as many hours in the pool as possible. I then discovered open water swimming which appealed to me as its seemed much challenging to compete over 5km per race in freezing cold water in just a swimsuit. The level and distances of competitions grew rapidly until I began cross country skiing training which soon took over. I was also a very keen downhill skier, having learnt at a young age with my parents and taken part in slalom races across England. Therefore I saw cross country skiing as a natural progression, combining my combined love for endurance, snow and speed!
Life as an Athlete
I now live in Falun, Sweden, which is a perfect location for my sport. Whilst studying political science at uni I'm currently training full-time, with more hours than ever before, ready for my biggest race season so far. My training plan consists of 850hrs of roller & cross country skiing, trail & track running, gym, balance and stability work throughout the year. The average day usually includes; 2-3hrs training, university, 1-2hrs training and then rest!
Achievements
-Qualified & selected for British Senior Ski Team
-Qualified, selected & competed at the World Junior Championships 2015
-Selected for the British youth squad 2013
Previously gained titles:
-British Rollerski Series u18 winner
-British Rollerski championship u18 winner
-British cross country ski championship u18 winner
The Goal
This winter I am preparing for the 'World U23 championships' in USA and the 'World Championships' in Finland, in order to do so I have spent large amounts of summer travelling to various camps on snow in Norway, working with sport science in Scotland and at altitude in France & Italy. Hopefully evidence of this successful training season will be seen this winter but in order to travel and attend competitions, with the best possible equipment to support my efforts, are of great expense- this is why I'm asking for some help..
My sport is currently not greatly funded in the UK and despite a couple of very appreciated team sponsors, personal sponsorship and funding is hard to come by.
With the support of donors I will be able to continue striving towards my goals and targets over the coming seasons to become the best cross country skier I can be and prove that with right determination and attitude, nothing can stop you from getting to where you want to be!
Therefore, I would be extremely grateful of any donations towards my funding campaign. If you would like a personal update of how the money is getting put to great use, please contact me through my Facebook.com/FernCatesAthlete page and I will be more than happy to send regular correspondence throughout the season of my progression and experiences, alternatively if you are a company with a larger sponsorship ideas please also feel free to also get in touch through my Facebook athlete page.
Thankyou for reading, your time and donations are greatly appreciated!
Fern
Background
Most of my competitors were introduced to the sport as soon as they could walk, I first saw cross country skiing at 15 on TV, which inspired me to take the sport up straight away! But I was living in a non-snowy/skiing climate so first learnt to 'rollerski' and practised locally with a coach in the Midlands before taking to the snow at 16. I was hooked from the offset and determined to become an elite athlete so I trained hard and joined the British Nordic Development Squad.
About Me
I have learnt that I am someone that cannot do things half heartedly or choose the easy option. When I decide to do something, I have to give it 100% of my effort and challenge myself with hardest thing I can find. Before cross country skiing, I was a swimmer, but perhaps not the most naturally talented- which is what drove me the most to train hard and prove expectations wrong. By 9yrs old I was training before school and soon attending every session I could with the local team, trying to get as many hours in the pool as possible. I then discovered open water swimming which appealed to me as its seemed much challenging to compete over 5km per race in freezing cold water in just a swimsuit. The level and distances of competitions grew rapidly until I began cross country skiing training which soon took over. I was also a very keen downhill skier, having learnt at a young age with my parents and taken part in slalom races across England. Therefore I saw cross country skiing as a natural progression, combining my combined love for endurance, snow and speed!
Life as an Athlete
I now live in Falun, Sweden, which is a perfect location for my sport. Whilst studying political science at uni I'm currently training full-time, with more hours than ever before, ready for my biggest race season so far. My training plan consists of 850hrs of roller & cross country skiing, trail & track running, gym, balance and stability work throughout the year. The average day usually includes; 2-3hrs training, university, 1-2hrs training and then rest!
Achievements
-Qualified & selected for British Senior Ski Team
-Qualified, selected & competed at the World Junior Championships 2015
-Selected for the British youth squad 2013
Previously gained titles:
-British Rollerski Series u18 winner
-British Rollerski championship u18 winner
-British cross country ski championship u18 winner
The Goal
This winter I am preparing for the 'World U23 championships' in USA and the 'World Championships' in Finland, in order to do so I have spent large amounts of summer travelling to various camps on snow in Norway, working with sport science in Scotland and at altitude in France & Italy. Hopefully evidence of this successful training season will be seen this winter but in order to travel and attend competitions, with the best possible equipment to support my efforts, are of great expense- this is why I'm asking for some help..
My sport is currently not greatly funded in the UK and despite a couple of very appreciated team sponsors, personal sponsorship and funding is hard to come by.
With the support of donors I will be able to continue striving towards my goals and targets over the coming seasons to become the best cross country skier I can be and prove that with right determination and attitude, nothing can stop you from getting to where you want to be!
Therefore, I would be extremely grateful of any donations towards my funding campaign. If you would like a personal update of how the money is getting put to great use, please contact me through my Facebook.com/FernCatesAthlete page and I will be more than happy to send regular correspondence throughout the season of my progression and experiences, alternatively if you are a company with a larger sponsorship ideas please also feel free to also get in touch through my Facebook athlete page.
Thankyou for reading, your time and donations are greatly appreciated!
Fern
Organizador
Fern Cates
Organizador