Havant marine aims to raise £5,000 to represent Great Britain in Europa Cup bobsleigh championships

A MARINE from Havant is on a mission to raise funds so he can represent Great Britain in the European bobsleigh championships.
Sgt Adam Baird, 29 from Havant, and Colour Sergeant Ash Morris, 38, have been selected for Great Britain's two-man bobsleigh squad competing in the Europa Cup next monthSgt Adam Baird, 29 from Havant, and Colour Sergeant Ash Morris, 38, have been selected for Great Britain's two-man bobsleigh squad competing in the Europa Cup next month
Sgt Adam Baird, 29 from Havant, and Colour Sergeant Ash Morris, 38, have been selected for Great Britain's two-man bobsleigh squad competing in the Europa Cup next month

Sergeant Adam Baird, from 42 Commando in Plymouth, has been selected for Great Britain’s two-man bobsleigh squad alongside his squad mate Colour Sergeant Ash Morris.

The pair will compete in the Europa Cup in Germany next month, which involves three to five races at locations across Europe.

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They each need to raise £5,000 to enable them to take up their place on the team, which will fund travel expenses and race entry fees, due to UK Sport announcing in April that it has withdrawn all bobsleigh funding, including for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. 

Sgt Adam Baird, 29 from Havant, (left) and Colour Sergeant Ash Morris, 38, have been selected for Great Britain's two-man bobsleigh squad competing in the Europa Cup next monthSgt Adam Baird, 29 from Havant, (left) and Colour Sergeant Ash Morris, 38, have been selected for Great Britain's two-man bobsleigh squad competing in the Europa Cup next month
Sgt Adam Baird, 29 from Havant, (left) and Colour Sergeant Ash Morris, 38, have been selected for Great Britain's two-man bobsleigh squad competing in the Europa Cup next month

They hope to raise the funds by mid-November through sponsorship and crowdfunding, as well as selling spaces on their sleds for sponsor logos which will stay for the season until the end of March.

Adam, who is originally from North Yorkshire but has lived in Havant for two and a half years, has been in the Royal Marines for 12 years and served in Afghanistan in 2010. 

He has represented the Corps in the bobsleigh event for three years, and has been driving for two years competing for the Royal Marines and Royal Navy in the interservices.

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Adam, 29, said: ‘I feel immensely privileged to represent Great Britain and I can’t wait to race in Germany wearing GB colours, this is something I have wanted to do ever since I jumped in the driver’s seat. Now the real hard work starts.’

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He recently attended a bobsleigh drivers camp in Lake Placid, New York, where he got to grips with a North American track and the experience with sliding against other nations including America, Brazil, Canada and Jamaica. 

In his 18-year service, Ash has completed three tours of duty in Afghanistan, two in Iraq, and also served in Northern Ireland and Sierra Leone. 

He has represented the Royal Marines for eight years in bobsleigh, competing against his other European military counterparts.

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The 38-year-old said: ‘Bobsleigh has helped massively with my mental health injuries. When I get out there on the track, I feel calm.’

To help them towards their goal, visit gofundme.com/f/great-britain-bobsleigh-development-team.