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NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2007
Police steal late victory
Six of the best from rowers Rear Admiral Andrew Mathews (Director General Nuclear) couldn’t resist the opportunity to leap into a boat at the Joint Services Regatta in Peterborough. Arriving to lend his support at the event (as patron of RN rowing) he seized the offer of a race, writes Lt Louise Wooller of RN Rowing. He was one of over 30 oarsmen and women representing the Royal Navy against the Army and Royal Air Force. Crews were competing in a variety of boats, including a women’s eight (the first in several years), and they achieved six wins throughout the day, clearly demonstrating that RN rowing is a force to be reckoned with. (The Navy came second, sandwiched between the Army in first place and the RAF taking home the wooden spoon.) The squad was well represented with some members coming back from sea, others heading out from shore establishments and a particularly strong and committed group from Britannia Royal Naval College. In addition, Olympic hopeful Lt Peter Reed arrived to lend his support to other RN rowers. The race day followed the club’s AGM and barbecue when many members arrived to bid farewell to chairman Cdr Dave Hosking as he raced at the event for the last time before leaving the RN later in the year. An accomplished oarsman, Cdr Hosking has represented the RN on numerous occasions with great success and has always been a stalwart of the organising committee for training and racing. His expertise and support have been integral to RN rowing for many years. The regatta came at the climax of a successful year for RN rowing. There are plans for BRNC to enter a crew into Henley Royal Regatta and a small number of the men’s squad are also hoping to enter as part of a Combined Services Crew (Lts Ben Kadinopoulos and James Fickling). In addition, the women’s squad won the Services Pennant at the Pairs Head earlier this year (Lts Ally Pollard and Danelle McKenna). These successes are achieved with ongoing support from the Sports Lottery and this year two new boats have joined the RN rowing fleet – ‘Horatio’ and ‘San Carlos’ – which are much-needed additions to enable crews to train and race across the country.
l A grin from Lt Matt Twiselton as he enjoys sea kayaking off the Anglesey coast
Expeditionary oar fare
TEN sea kayakers are hoping to qualify as certified instructors and leaders this autumn so they can introduce the rest of the RN to the adventurous sport.
No kayak expedition in the open seas can take place without a qualified leader – something the RN doesn’t have at present. For an attempt to paddle around James Ross Island in Antarctica earlier this year, HMS Endurance’s kayakers called on civilian expert Mike Devlin. But to spread the word to the wider RN world, the association needs in-house experts. So members of the RN Kayak Association have been in the water regularly this spring and summer to prepare themselves for examination in October (when it will be Mr Devlin passing judgment on the kayakers’ ability). The first surf training and championship weekend was staged for 18 paddlers at Sennen Cove in Cornwall.
The surf on the first day was up to three feet, providing excellent waves for coaching the more inexperienced paddlers in the RNKA’s four new highperformance surf kayaks, recently bought with help from the RN Sports Lottery. Skills taught included surf safety, how to catch waves, turning at speed, reacting to the conditions and surf etiquette (the rules of the ‘road’). The intention was to run the RN championships on the second day, but overnight the conditions flattened so the contest will now take place next month at the InterServices. On a more adventurous note, several RN paddlers took their kayaks into the Irish Sea for a trip along the coastline of Anglesey. Apparently the last time we featured a major expedition by the association to Ecuador in 2004 it was “cut down to a crappy little column not worth wiping your arse with...” (Mea Culpa – Assistant Ed.) Anyway... the Anglesey trip was, in the words of Lt Mark Jameson (a
Lynx pilot currently on loan to the Royal Danish Navy), “in the right place (top left hand corner of the island), at the right time (springs), with the right people (debatable) with the right kayaks.” He continues: “For some of us this was new and others had been here before. “Myself, I was here nearly 34 years previously and many times since but unusually never in a sea kayak. I’d sailed, swam, flown and climbed, but never paddled and as I soon discovered I had been missing a real treat.” The tide around Anglesey runs like a huge river ebbing and flowing through the gaps in the islands before bursting out back into the sea. “A bunch of kids we were, daring ourselves to fit through gaps playing backwards and forwards on the swell,” said Mark. The local seal population was also out in force as the kayakers paddled their way along, as were the ferries to Ireland leaving Holyhead (black plumes of smoke gave away their setting sail). For more details about
Ladies are all on board The RN and RM boardriders held an all-female beginners’ weekend at Gwithian on the North Cornwall coast. With instructers and beginners divided into groups, training began with warm-up exercises on the beach followed by some basic surfing instruction. Then it was time to take to the waves to put the lessons learned into practice. Great fun was had by all in the early sessions; the slight waves provided adequate conditions for the rookie surfers. After a hard day’s surf beginners and instructors retired to the nearby campsites for a hot shower and refreshments in the form of a barbecue. Day two focussed on practising the lessons of the previous day and it was encouraging to see the majority of beginners surfing with some confidence. In all this was a fantastic weekend which is becoming more popular with each event. The next beginners’ weekend will be held on September 8 and 9, again at Gwithian. Details from club secretary PO(ACMN) ‘Bungy’ Williams at 771 NAS RNAS Culdrose Helston Cornwall TR12 7RH, mil ext 2522 or visit the website www. royalnavyroyalmarinesboard riders.co.uk
l Lacrosse purposes... Students from the University of Exeter close in on POET(WE(SM)) Teal during the RN’s 13-8 defeat by the Devon side at RNAS Yeovilton (hence the brevity of this ‘report’!). For more details on lacrosse, contact Lt Dan Weil at 845 NAS on 93510 6667 or RN Lacrosse on Navy Star. Picture: LA(Phot) Ian McClure, RNAS Yeovilton
Rookies enjoy Cornwall gig TWO teams of rookie sailors hauled traditional Cornish gigs through the water as they competed for a century-old rowing trophy. New entry sailors in Pellow Division at HMS Raleigh set out from Jupiter Point to race the 1½ miles to Saltash Quay during the Saltash Regatta, fighting for the Prince of Wales Trophy. “Four weeks ago my division believed a gig was a concert,” said Lt Shaun Southwood, Pellew Divisional Training Officer. “Now they’re a committed, disciplined crew and they reached a highly-competitive standard.”
Pellow Starboard claimed the trophy, reaching the quay two boat lengths ahead of their port rivals to lift the cup. The future George V presented the cup at Saltash Regatta back in 1909 as a prize for a race between officers. Over the years the competitors have changed; for much of the trophy’s life the RN Engineering College at Manadon and fliers from RAF Mount Batten fought over it, racing in whalers. With the closure of both establishments, the cup transferred to Raleigh.
RN kayaking and a training/ preparation day at HMS Temeraire on September 28, contact Lt Cdr Joe Wood at HMS Temeraire on mil 9380 25623 or Temeraire SO2PP Wood J, Lt Cdr
A STRONG RNRL team was taken by coach Wayne Okell to the York International 9s. The squad started well against York RU, in a tight and controlled performance, followed by a demonstration of powerful, expansive rugby league against the Beach Boys (a specialist 7s & 9s side). The final pool game saw us come up against the 2006 champions, GB Police – a very big, experienced and mobile team this would prove to be the game of the pool stage and it certainly didn’t disappoint. With the police 12-6 up and seconds ticking away, super-sub Johnny Platt found space down the middle to score a length of the field effort out wide which was converted from the touchline to draw level before the final whistle. The semi meant Team Fiji (1st Btn Scots Guards) and undoubtedly the game of the competition so far. The soldiers had swept all before them, scoring all their tries out wide but they were no match for the free-scoring Navy team, with Seli Bonamasi leading the way against his fellow countrymen in a 16-4 victory for the RN. That set up a rematch with the police where a missed knock onby the official proved to be crucial as it allowed the bobbies back in to the game. The police worked their way out of their own half and scored a fine solo effort on the fifth tackle in the corner at the death to sink the Navy.
Red-hot Winters and cool Lucy ROYAL Marine John Winters lifted the first national crown of his super-heavyweight career, battling not just his opponent but flu in a night of amateur boxing to remember at HMS Nelson. The green beret entered the ring against Lewsey’s Steve Parsons barely recovered from illness. Yet he proved faster on his feet and sharper with his fists than his much larger foe from Dunstable. Winters comfortably avoided the slower shots from his opponent, although the Royal tired visibly in the third round – but by then he had an unassailable points lead. When the bell rang he was proclaimed victor, 13-4. The finals of the ladies national ABA contest were staged not at Nelson but at Hendon Police College with 70 bouts squeezed into a single day’s boxing. Four sailors were representing the Service in the ring: WEA Sophy Roseman (Collingwood), Lt Lucy Abel (Sultan), LWEA Claire Teeling (Collingwood) and AET Sam Thomson (RFA Fort Victoria/RNAS Culdrose). Roseman had her work cut out in the Class C U80kg category against seasoned pugilist Sarah Alderman from the Met Police – recently selected for the England squad. Although less nimble than her opponent, Alderman’s experience in the ring told and her heavy
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blows against Roseman forced the referee to stop the fight. Lt Abel drew the experienced Christine Shergold (Pilgrims ABC) in the semi-final. Superior fitness ensured a points victory for the officer, who faced England rival Leah Flintham (Stevenage ABC) in the final. Lt Abel opened the decider with a flurry of quick single shots and combinations which prevented Flintham from settling. Despite breaking her hand early in the second round, the officer claimed a comfortable 7-2 points victory. The two remaining Senior Service fighters also walked away with gold – although courtesy of walkovers. But all four impressed England coaches, who have invited the quartet to a training camp in Sheffield this month with England’s top female fighters. “All of the girls have trained extremely hard for this championship and thoroughly deserve their medals,” said coach LPT Stuart O’Connor. “I could not have hoped for a better result in the first season. To be invited to an England training camp is just the icing on the cake.” If you’re interested in bolstering LPT O’Connor’s potent squad, contact him on 93832 4048 or 07859 905024.
A decade of domination
Continued from back page diving board after taking a year out for the birth of her son. She returned to the podium immediately with two splendid silvers in the 3m springboard and 5m highboard. Sadly her new diving partner pulled out late on so the Navy from having had high hopes of glory had to be content with second place. The swimming began with a maximum 11 points from Caroline Smart and Mhairi Muir in first and second in the 400m, Caroline cracking the 5 minutes barrier. Other successes included a win for Gemma Howells in the 4x1 individual relay and a one-two double again from Smart and Muir in the 200m.
Victory in the swimming freestyle relay – with a new RN record – took the team to within one point of the RAF on the final leaderboard, with the Army a further seven points ahead to claim their tenth successive triumph. The swimmers deserve praise for their dedication and training – they did the business in the pond when it mattered. They know, however – and everyone else in swimming knows – that the architect of this and all the other famous victories was the man who coaxed and cajoled even frightened them into the water over the past year and the past decade and he’s getting better at it every year, namely coach Gary Thomas.