Help Mark Lynch get to the 2022 Beijing Olympics
Donation protected
My name is Mark Lynch and I am a skeleton athlete and a 2022 Olympic hopeful. In November 2020 I finished first in the Canadian National Team Skeleton Selection Races held in Whistler, BC, and was named to my first World Cup Team.
For those who are not familiar with skeleton, it is a winter sport which is similar to bobsled and luge. It is a single person sport, laying facedown, head first, sliding down an ice track. Every skeleton run starts with a quick bent-over sprint before jumping onto the sled. Speeds can reach upwards of 140 km/hr and each run takes around 60 seconds (give or take 10 seconds depending on the track).
Why start a Go Fund Me?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of support for amateur sports in Canada. I have been working full time and saving over the last few years to support my skeleton career. My goal this year was to qualify for the World Cup Team and to do so, in May 2020 I made the decision to take a year leave of absence from work to focus on achieving. Having met my goal of making the World Cup team this fall, my new goal is not only to qualify, but to compete and contend for a medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
I am asking for your support leading into the 2021/2022 Olympic season.
My fundraising goal is $30,000. This will help cover expenses such as equipment, travel, accomodations, food, rent and physio. Please see below for a breakdown of my income, sport funding, expenses, and how I determined my Go Fund Me goal.
What Your Support Means
I would consider my childhood as being fairly normal and relatable, enjoying sports (music, arts, wherever your passion lies), making teams, being cut from teams, winning, losing, and dreaming of bigger things. Then ending up with a career out of school and replacing your childhood dreams with more realistic “adult” goals.
I stopped playing competitive hockey after high school and rugby after university. When I started skeleton at the age of 25 I knew I had a long ways to go to get to where I am now. All it took was a lot of hard work.
By supporting my goal of qualifying and competing for a medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, you are also fueling the dreams of future skeleton athletes.
If you’d like to follow my journey, see the link below where I will be posting updates, race schedule, and links to watch my races.
https://www.facebook.com/regnarlynch
Funding Breakdown
Sport Funding
Current Funding - carding - Development Card - $8k for the year
Potential Funding - $6k from CanFund
Total Funding (possible) - $14k
Work
Plan to work part time (April/May/June) - Take home pay $15,000
Total Income = $29k
Expenses
Rent - $1,800/month
Food - $600/month
Car - $250/month
Dry Land Coach - $400/month
Physio/Massage/Chiro - $3,000/yr
In Season (October - March)
Travel - $6,000
Accomodations - $8,000
Equipment - $4,000
Total Expenses - $57,600
Go Fund Me Goal
Expenses - Income = $57,600 - $29,000 = $28,600 + Incidentals
Go Fund Me Goal = $30,000
My Skeleton Career
I moved to Calgary in July 2013 and at the age of 25 I took my first run down the skeleton track in October 2013.
Skeleton was always something I had wanted to try, not to go to the Olympics but because it looked like a lot of fun! My first season was very recreational but also presented me with new challenges.
The following three years of skeleton were filled with bumps and bruises and highs and lows. I relate it to golf, where one great shot will have you coming back for more; one good run down the track will leave you wanting more.
My first international races came at the beginning of my third season in Calgary where I placed 8th in both races out of 26 competitors. For the second half of the season I was called up to compete on the Europe Cup Circuit. Having missed the cut in all four races, I left Europe with a new found drive to compete.
In my sixth season I made my first national team, competing on the Intercontinental Cup Circuit (ICC). That season I finished second at the Canadian Championships and was invited to compete at the World Championships held in Whistler where I finished 23rd. This was an eye opening event for me. I could compare myself to the world’s best, seeing where I was competitive and where I needed improvement.
In November 2020 I competed at the 2020/2021 Canadian selection races where I finished 1st and was named to my first World Cup team.
Life is full of ups and downs, highs and lows, yet I always look for the positives in all situations. I believe that with my dedication, hard work, and your support I will be have the opportunity to be competitive with the worlds best for the 2022 Olympics. Thank you for your generous support. I will continue to enjoy the journey and would love to have you come along on the ride with me!
For those who are not familiar with skeleton, it is a winter sport which is similar to bobsled and luge. It is a single person sport, laying facedown, head first, sliding down an ice track. Every skeleton run starts with a quick bent-over sprint before jumping onto the sled. Speeds can reach upwards of 140 km/hr and each run takes around 60 seconds (give or take 10 seconds depending on the track).
Why start a Go Fund Me?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of support for amateur sports in Canada. I have been working full time and saving over the last few years to support my skeleton career. My goal this year was to qualify for the World Cup Team and to do so, in May 2020 I made the decision to take a year leave of absence from work to focus on achieving. Having met my goal of making the World Cup team this fall, my new goal is not only to qualify, but to compete and contend for a medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
I am asking for your support leading into the 2021/2022 Olympic season.
My fundraising goal is $30,000. This will help cover expenses such as equipment, travel, accomodations, food, rent and physio. Please see below for a breakdown of my income, sport funding, expenses, and how I determined my Go Fund Me goal.
What Your Support Means
I would consider my childhood as being fairly normal and relatable, enjoying sports (music, arts, wherever your passion lies), making teams, being cut from teams, winning, losing, and dreaming of bigger things. Then ending up with a career out of school and replacing your childhood dreams with more realistic “adult” goals.
I stopped playing competitive hockey after high school and rugby after university. When I started skeleton at the age of 25 I knew I had a long ways to go to get to where I am now. All it took was a lot of hard work.
By supporting my goal of qualifying and competing for a medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, you are also fueling the dreams of future skeleton athletes.
If you’d like to follow my journey, see the link below where I will be posting updates, race schedule, and links to watch my races.
https://www.facebook.com/regnarlynch
Funding Breakdown
Sport Funding
Current Funding - carding - Development Card - $8k for the year
Potential Funding - $6k from CanFund
Total Funding (possible) - $14k
Work
Plan to work part time (April/May/June) - Take home pay $15,000
Total Income = $29k
Expenses
Rent - $1,800/month
Food - $600/month
Car - $250/month
Dry Land Coach - $400/month
Physio/Massage/Chiro - $3,000/yr
In Season (October - March)
Travel - $6,000
Accomodations - $8,000
Equipment - $4,000
Total Expenses - $57,600
Go Fund Me Goal
Expenses - Income = $57,600 - $29,000 = $28,600 + Incidentals
Go Fund Me Goal = $30,000
My Skeleton Career
I moved to Calgary in July 2013 and at the age of 25 I took my first run down the skeleton track in October 2013.
Skeleton was always something I had wanted to try, not to go to the Olympics but because it looked like a lot of fun! My first season was very recreational but also presented me with new challenges.
The following three years of skeleton were filled with bumps and bruises and highs and lows. I relate it to golf, where one great shot will have you coming back for more; one good run down the track will leave you wanting more.
My first international races came at the beginning of my third season in Calgary where I placed 8th in both races out of 26 competitors. For the second half of the season I was called up to compete on the Europe Cup Circuit. Having missed the cut in all four races, I left Europe with a new found drive to compete.
In my sixth season I made my first national team, competing on the Intercontinental Cup Circuit (ICC). That season I finished second at the Canadian Championships and was invited to compete at the World Championships held in Whistler where I finished 23rd. This was an eye opening event for me. I could compare myself to the world’s best, seeing where I was competitive and where I needed improvement.
In November 2020 I competed at the 2020/2021 Canadian selection races where I finished 1st and was named to my first World Cup team.
Life is full of ups and downs, highs and lows, yet I always look for the positives in all situations. I believe that with my dedication, hard work, and your support I will be have the opportunity to be competitive with the worlds best for the 2022 Olympics. Thank you for your generous support. I will continue to enjoy the journey and would love to have you come along on the ride with me!
Organizer
Mark Lynch
Organizer
Calgary, AB