I am writing to tell you Team Paradise is preparing to compete at this year's IFDS World Championships. Bryan Tabler, Hugh Freund and myself have been working hard to get ready for this years event. We are so incredibly grateful for this opportunity to be here and thankful to you and TP. You have been the cornerstone of our campaign, providing us with coaching, equipment and logistical support to get us to this point. Without your boat to train and race with this summer, there is no way we are ready to compete here.
I hope to have good news by weeks end, but regardless of the outcome, we are still very proud to represent TP and are your dedicated supporters.
Thank you,
Rick and the boys.
07/05/10
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What a great Training Camp! Team Paradise St. Pete SKUD team traveled from St. Petersburg, FL to Victoria, BC to participate in a week long training camp with the Canadian Disabled Sailing Team. Thanks to Team Paradise, we are able to use the equipment, develop our sailing skills and compete on the road to the Paralympic Games in 2012.
Jen and JP
07/02/10
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Hi Magnus,
Thank you for helping me with my disabled coaching aspirations! I really
learned alot, and now I know how to make a 2.4mR race real fast! I have won
some recent races versus Noroton Yacht Club's tenacious fleet, and made
podium at their recent Rear Commodore's Race! Thanks again, I am well on my
way to becoming a better coach and racer. See you at the 2.4mR Nationals
and World's!
Andrew Ross
8/12/09
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Hi Magnus,
Thank you so much for the clinic last week. I learned alot from you as
always and I had the greatest time on the water. See you again before the
summer is gone. Tammy
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Hi Magnus,
Thanks again for the use of your boat at the St Pete Midwinters. Also, I appreciate your valuable coaching tips. It was great to be competing again and our results are a tribute to your fast boats :).
Great to see you also. Take care.
Stacie Louttit
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Team Paradise has helped us and many others sailors achieve their goals. By transporting a well maintained SKUD for our use at Clagett, John and I were able to get valuable racing experience as part of our Paralympic training plan. We hope to continue our Paralympic careers with the help of Team Paradise at many regattas in the future.
Stacie Louttit Paralympic BRONZE 2008
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Let's go sailing again in Miami...what could be better than that? Thanks for all you help!
PT (Paul Tingley) Paralympic Gold 2008
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We could not have done it with out Team Paradise help!
Mikey Pickney (Nick and Maureen's coach)
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You are a part of this Gold Medal experience since you have been supporting Nick. Nick was so happy he could contribute to your foundation.
Much love to you.
Mary Kate Scandone
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“Thank you Magnus!! We did it! A piece of this medal today is yours too, for generously helping us train with the Team Paradise boats and your words of encouragement, to me, in particular along the way! None of the other teams could train with as many boats, nor as many experienced sailors as we did to keep our speed up and boathandling up since the Trials. We go out and sail today anyway, for a victory lap with the American flag.
Maureen McKinnon-Tucker
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"Thanks for all your support and coaching, you have contributed to this more than you know and I am very proud to call you a friend and a mentor Team Paradise's commitment to sailing lifts the level of disabled sailing to lofty heights."
Ricky Doerr, 2007 Sonar world champion and 2008 US Paralympic team member.
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"This winter I have been in Coconut Grove, Miami training for the 2008
Paralympic Games. I have been working with Team Paradise, and using
their boat about 5 days a week. It has been fantastic sailing and all
accessible due to the combined programs of Team Paradise and
Shake-A-Leg. To access these great programs, all I had to do was show
up in Miami! Team Paradise provides the boat for free of charge and
Shake-A-Leg provides the dock space for a minimal social membership of
$50.
Team Paradise's four 2.4 mR's are all in excellent shape, and have
hand controls if you need them. They also have other Paralympic class
boats for use too.
Team Paradise's operator, Magnus Liljedahl, is a BIG supporter of
Paralympic sailing and works very hard to make the program work. He
runs a tight ship and keeps the boats working very well. We sparred
several times and occasionally he was on a coach boat too. His
experience in sailing trickles down to those who utilize the Team
Paradise resources. He wants you to improve and shows you how to do
things better. It is great! And all for no cost! How great is
that?
It is unfortunate that I am leaving Miami and I would like to say a
huge thanks to Team Paradise and Shake-A-Leg for all their incredible
support. I will miss the good times and I look forward to coming back
and training next year.
GO TEAM PARADISE!!!"
Paul Tingley, 2.4 mR Paralympic sailor from Canada
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There are many wonderful groups that bring sailing to lives of the disabled,
Team Paradise give the opportunity of becoming a Paralympic sailor. If you have
the dream and desire start with Magnus Lijedahl and Team Paradise.
Tom Brown
2000 Paralympic bronze medallist
2004 Paralympic silver medallist
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Magnus,
Once again, big thanks for supporting us during our two US regattas with your Sonar. I would also like to stress that it has been wonderful to work with you personally. All in all this was definitely my highlight for the first two months in 2008. I sincerely hope that we will meet again and ty to put a joint project together.
All the best
Jens Kroker
German Paralympic Team member 2008
Also on behalf of the entire German Disabled Sonar Team
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hi magnus
many exciting things have happened for us since we last saw you in st petersburg. our first task was the skud worlds in singapore in march - and as we were
new to sailing together, it was wonderful for us to have the chance to compete in the st pete midwinters in the team paradise boat! we felt more confident as a team after st pete, and so when we traveled to singapore only a few weeks later, we didnt feel too 'new'! we finished in 5th place at singapore, and qualified a
place for ireland in qingdao. the qingdao international regatta will be starting in a few days time, and we are unpacking our boat and setting it
up. attached are two photos - one of john and i crossing the finish line in singapore, and one of our boat being removed from its container here in qingdao. i hope to have more shots of us sailing well soon...
Amy Kelehan
Irish Paralympic Team
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Hey Magnus,
I just wanted to say thank you again for such a great time tonight on the 2.4s. I am thankful for the opportunity & experience, and look forward to the next time we do it again.
Thanks again!
Jason Chavez (from Tampa)
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Hi Magnus,
I just wanted to tell you I had a great time sailing with you and Bill on
2.4mtrR the one day in late April. You made my trip complete. Thank you so
much. Tammy