Sports stars including Olympic gold medalist Dame Katherine Grainger and former Scottish rugby captain Rob Wainwright will compete in a charity rowing challenge hosted by Doddie Weir in Edinburgh.
The event comes just months after the death of Weir, the former Scotland International, who was diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND) in 2016.
Eight celebrity teams will compete on the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith on Saturday to see who can row the furthest in three hours.
The event is run by Doddie Aid, which was founded in 2020 by Weir’s former team-mate Wainwright and promotes mass sport across the UK.
Katherine Grainger, who won gold in the double sculls at the London 2012 Olympics, takes part in the rowing challenge (Isabel Infantes/PA)
It is the largest annual fundraiser for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which is dedicated to raising funds to help fight motor neuron disease.
Six-time World Rowing Champion Dame Katherine, who won gold in the double sculls at the London 2012 Olympics, is among a host of famous faces from rugby, television and the wider sporting world who will be on deck to rack up as many miles as possible around to fund MND research.
Before the challenge, she said: “Doddie Aid is an amazing event that brings so many people together through a shared passion for movement, teamwork, camaraderie and commitment to help find a cure for MND.
“As the first event since Doddie’s death, this year’s event naturally gains momentum and the tens of thousands of people who have already signed up and are earning miles shows just 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.”
The Doddie Aid Britannia Regatta is open to teams competing remotely across the UK, with participants able to compete via a live stream from the upper deck of the Royal Yacht Britannia, with a leaderboard and prizes for those who join and support the cause want at home, at the gym, at the local rugby club or anywhere else with a rowing machine.
Wainwright added: “The Doddie Aid Britannia Regatta is particularly poignant as it is the first since Doddie’s death in November, but this only spurs us on to continue making progress and raising awareness for MND.
“It will be amazing to see everyone gather at the event, as well as those attending from home, the gym or elsewhere. Doddie has started something special and it is our responsibility to continue his legacy.”
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