AGENDA APR-MAY 2013 SPORT
RUGBY VERSUS FOOTBALL! FRIENDLY RIVALRIES ON THE PITCH! As part of Manchester’s International Women’s Day celebrations, Manchester City Council held an awards ceremony on Friday 8 March 2013 at the Town Hall. Categories included women in STEM, art, sport, business innovation, culture, community work and protecting the environment. The Women in Sport Award was won by Joana Calado of Northern Wave, a swimming club created to increase lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender participation in sport. At the age of 15 Joana, now 20, became a Paralympian, coming fifth in the 100m breast-stroke in Beijing. She retired from her Paralympian career at the age of 17. Joana came to Manchester in 2010 and dedicates up to ten hours every week to Northern Wave. She also coaches the University of Manchester recreational swimming team twice a week. She does all this as well as being a full-time student at the University of Salford studying for a degree in multimedia and internet technology. The LGF’s Annie Emery was up for a Special Champion Award for her work supporting lesbian and bisexual women, but was pipped to the post by Angela Lawrence who has dedicated her life to supporting young people in Manchester’s inner-city communities.
The first ever Manchester Village Spartans RUFC v Village Manchester FC match was played on 2nd March at the Spartans’ home ground in Sale.
dived right in with some of them proving skilled with the odd shape ball leading to a draw. Second was a game of football where MVSRUFC were shown how it’s done losing in spectacular style. Finally a drinking game with rugby coming out on top!
The match was arranged to strengthen relations between the two clubs which have seen light-hearted rivalry over the years. First, a game of touch rugby was played and VMFC
Both clubs look forward to more collaboration in the future, along with talk of a joint nude calendar in the works for 2014 – so watch this space!
A WORLD FIRST! World’s first LGBT rugby league club launches. Sunday 24th February saw the official launch of the World’s First LGBT Rugby League Club, The Canalsiders, based in Manchester. They aim to be a fully inclusive rugby club and enable anyone who wants to take up and continue to play the sport the opportunity and facilities to do so. Sporting legends Gareth Thomas, former Welsh dual-code international and first openlygay rugby player and Ben Cohen, 2003 rugby union world cup winner, have spoken out in support. MCR Canalsiders will be setting up a Women’s team, a Mixed Touch Rugby, and a Men’s Team.
12 OUTNORTHWEST Support the work of the LGF. Donate online today at www.lgf.org.uk
For more information visit www. canalsiders.co.uk; find them on facebook www.facebook.com/ MCRCanalsiders or follow them on Twitter: @MCRCanalsiders
Photo: Steve Joyce
MAKING WAVES