Surrey Vet To Raise Funds For UK Animal Charities By Taking Part In The World’s Most Northern Cross Country Ski Race

Update: 10th April. Wolfgang preparing recently in Norway at 'brilliant', but cold weather (down to –20C) Wolgang Dohne, a veterinary surgeon from the Virginia Water, Surrey veterinary practice, Virginia Water Veterinary Clinic, is raising funds to support the work of two UK animal charities by taking part in the World’s most northern cross country ski race, the Svalbard Skimarathon, on 27th April 2013. The 42km distance of the ski marathon is run through the frozen landscape near the town of Longyearbyen which for most of the winter, lies in total darkness. Cross country skiing in Svalbard is normaly only possible when armed with a rifle, because of the high risk of polar bears. To prepare himself whilst in the UK (which has no snow or cross country skiing track to speak of), Wolfgang will be using an old, second hand ski exerciser and rollerskiis, which will enable him to practice cross country skiing on tarmac roads. To familiarize himself with the Longyearbyen climate (with temperatures often 20 degrees or more below freezing) he is planning to ski in Rondane, a mountain area in the South of Norway, at the end of March, with a backpack, from mountain hut to mountain hut. The two charities he is supporting with this effort are The Cinnamon Trust and Petsavers. The Cinnamon Trust helps elderly and terminally ill people to prepare a plan to look after their pets when they are no longer able to do so and by doing this, make it possible for them to still own a pet, which in a lot of cases is their only or final companion. You can imagine how important this can be. PetSavers helps young veterinary surgeons to find better treatment options for the care of ill or injured companion animals, to improve the clinical care of these patients. All of the money raised will go to one of these charitable causes. Wolfgang is paying for everything relating to the ski marathon (flights, accommodation, registration, hospitalisation (if he doesn't manage to ski faster than the polar bears!) and for his trusted pair of cross country skiis) as well as for the training in Rondane. If you would like to be entertained with a blog of his progress, then visit the Virginia Water Veterinary Clinic Facebook Site or www.fecava.org where he is planning to post regular updates. If you would like to support his fundraising efforts, you can make a donation for one or both charities online Click to donate to the Cinnamon Trust or Click to donate to PetSavers

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