HUNDREDS of supporters are expected to cheer on stars including Olympic gold medal winner Dame Katherine Grainger and former Scotland rugby captain Rob Wainwright at the Doddie Aid 2023 Britannia Regatta in the Scottish capital today.
Eight teams of celebrities will compete to see who can row the furthest in three hours in support of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation at the event – held at the iconic Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith, Edinburgh.
Six-time rowing world champion Dame Katherine, who won gold in the double sculls at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is among a host of famous faces from rugby, television, music, and the wider sporting world who will be on deck to rack up as many miles as possible to fund MND (motor neuron disease) research.
Other well-known names joining the event include former Scotland internationals Rob Wainwright, Jim Hamilton, and Roger Baird, as well as television stars Jason Fox, Louise Minchin, Jennifer Reoch, and Dougie Vipond, all of whom are backing the cause to raise as much money as possible for MND research in memory of the Scotland rugby legend and MND campaigner Weir, who died in November last year at the age of 52.
Dame Katherine, who is also chair of UK Sport, said: “Doddie Aid is an amazing event that brings so many people together through a shared passion for exercise, teamwork, camaraderie, and commitment to helping find a cure for MND. As the first event since Doddie’s death, this year’s event, of course, takes on added significance, and the tens of thousands of people already signed up and racking up miles shows how much people care.
“The Doddie Aid Britannia Regatta is the perfect focal point for Doddie Aid 2023, and will embody so much of what Doddie stood for – hard work and unbridled fun. I know Sir Chris Hoy has been pulling out all the stops to get the cyclists involved, so now it’s time for the rowers to make their mark for Doddie!
“It was an easy decision to get involved and support such an important cause spearheaded by the memory of a truly great man. There will be some tough moments for everybody, but there is no greater motivation than doing Doddie proud.”
The Doddie Aid Britannia Regatta is open to teams competing remotely across the UK, with participants able to keep up via a live stream from the top deck of The Royal Yacht Britannia, with a leaderboard and prizes for those wishing to join and support the club from home, the gym, their local rugby club, or anywhere else with a rowing machine.
Rob Wainwright, founder of Doddie Aid, said: “The Doddie Aid Britannia Regatta is particularly poignant as it’s the first since Doddie’s passing in November, but this only drives us forward to continue making progress and raising awareness of MND.
“It will be incredible to see everyone rallying together at the event, as well as those joining from home, the gym, or anywhere else. Doddie started something special and it is our responsibility to continue his legacy.”
“We are absolutely committed to our vision of a world free of MND, leaving no stone unturned in our relentless pursuit of this goal, and we’re grateful to everyone at The Royal Yacht Britannia for hosting the event and allowing our vision to come to life.
“There’s still time to join Doddie Aid 2023 and get the miles in for MND, whether it’s walking, cycling, running, rowing, dog walking, or any other exercise of your choice.
“We will raise as much as we can until we can find a cure for MND.”
The Doddie Aid Britannia Regatta is the flagship event of the third annual Doddie Aid, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation’s largest annual fundraising event. Founded in 2020 by Doddie’s former teammate Wainwright, mass-participation event Doddie Aid has already encouraged more than 30,000 people to cover four million miles, raising more than £2 million for research projects across the UK.
A limited number of tickets will be available to purchase in advance, with proceeds from all event sales donated to the foundation.
Pre-booking is essential for this event. To purchase a ticket please visit The Royal Yacht Britannia website (tickets.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/).
To find out more and support the Foundation, please visit myname5doddie.co.uk.
Doddie Aid runs until February 12. To find out how you can support it, visit doddieaid.com.
