Active Magazine // February 2014

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Straight to the point!

Why point to pointing is a great day out for all the family

ISSUE 20 // FEBRUARY 2014

STA M FOR D & RU T L A N D’S SPORT A N D LE I S U R E M AGA Z I N E

For the love of the game ISSUE 20 // FEBRUARY 2014

Is too much coaching and parent pressure turning kids off sport?

Plus Fit as a butcher’s dog Doggy diet and exercise regimes to turn your canine into a prime specimen

The snow show How to look great on the slopes this season

www.theACTIVEmag.com

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Editor’s Letter

Publisher Chris Meadows chris@theactivemag.com Editor Steve Moody steve@theactivemag.com Production Editor Julian Kirk julian@theactivemag.com Art Editor Mark Sommer mark@theactivemag.com

I WAS WALKING ACROSS A SPORTS FIELD the other weekend and a load of kids were playing sport, and parents and coaches were watching. I shall keep the location and sport unnamed to spare blushes, but I was absolutely staggered by the levels of shouting going on from the sidelines.

The poor kids, some still primary school age, were copping some pretty vociferous advice, and admonishment, from all angles. It made me wonder how on earth they were supposed to enjoy the game amidst this torrent of noise.

Now, obviously I’m all for children playing sport and getting better – playing in teams is character building and provides you with some of the best mates and entertainment you’ll have in your life. But watching them made me think: this cannot be much fun for them.

I’m not much of a subscriber to the ‘it’s the taking part that counts’ school, because sport is about winning. Losing all the time is miserable. But there is winning in the right way, and certainly when you are learning the game as a kid.

So this month, we look at this subject in more detail, thanks to the wisdom of Frank Hayes, who played cricket for England and has spent years at Oakham School coaching children, some of whom have gone on to international honours.

He thinks that too many parents and coaches push too hard and expect too much and, as a result, children aren’t allowed the freedom of expression to develop in their own way.

The result is actually counter-productive, because you never get the best out of them. I’d be interested to hear other local coaches’ views on the subject too: email me at steve@theactivemag.com Enjoy the issue.

Contributors Martin Johnson, William Hetherington, Dean Cornish, Jon Tyrrell, Sandie Hurford, Jeremy Beswick, Julia Dungworth Photographers Nico Morgan, Harry Measures, Jon Clarke, Pip Warters Production Assistant Abigail Sharpe Advertising Sales Rachel Meadows rachel@theactivemag.com Lisa Withers lisa@theactivemag.com Accounts Amy Roberts amy@theactivemag.com Active magazine, The Grey House, 3 Broad Street, Stamford, PE9 1PG. Tel: 01780 480789

A member of the Stamford Chamber of

Trade and Commerce

If you have information on a club then get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com. If you would like to stock Active magazine then email distribution@ theactivemag.com. If you would like to discuss advertising possibilities please email advertise@theactivemag.com Printed in the UK by Warners Midlands plc. Active magazine is published 12 times per year on a monthly basis.

Distributed by Grassroots Publishing Ltd. ISSN 2049-8713 A Grassroots Publishing Limited company. Registration company number 7994437. VAT number 152717318 Disclaimer

Thanks, Steve

Twitter // @theACTIVEmag Facebook // www.facebook.com/theACTIVEmag

Copyright (c) Grassroots Publishing Limited (GPL) 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from GPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of GPL or its affiliates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, GPL and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws. GPL and its affiliates are are not responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liable for any damages arising from any use of products or services or any action or omissions taken in reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material.

Inclusion of any advertisement is not intended to endorse any view expressed, nor products or services offered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.

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CONTENTS NEWS 11 I CiCLE CLASSIC POWERS AHEAD International ďŹ eld for Melton-Oakham road race

12 I NEW ROUNDERS CLUB

Ladies only team to meet at Catmose Sports Centre

Issue 20 /// February 2014

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13 I COMPETITIONS

Win entry to The Suffering and Rat Race at Burghley

HEADS UP 18-21 I KITBAG

All the latest gear and gadgets, plus a skiing special

23 I MARTIN JOHNSON

The Sunday Times sports writer on the Winter Olympics

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FEATURES 24-27 I HOW TO COACH

Former England cricketer and Oakham School coach Frank Hayes on why it’s important not to over-coach youngsters

28-33 I POINT-TO-POINT

Point-to-pointing is a great day out and a cheap way to go racing. Julia Dungworth tells you how to get involved

34-37 I ACTIVE HOLIDAYS

Fancy a balloon ride to the edge of space, camping in Antartica or shark diving? Find out how you can

REGULARS 39-41 I HEALTH AND BEAUTY

The latest advice to help you feel fitter and healthier

42-43 I GREAT WALKS

Will Hetherington and Ella set out from Uppingham

44-45 I PET ADVICE

Tips for helping your dog to lose weight

47 I SPORTSMAN’S DINNER

JT and Dean try out Red Indiia in Uppingham

49 I TRIATHLON TRAINING

This month it’s a route from Stamford to Corby Glen

50-53 I SCHOOL SPORT

Our focus on the latest achievements from local pupils

54-58 I ROUND-UP

How clubs in the Stamford and Rutland area are getting on

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In Play

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Bourne among the best Bourne Grammar School has been named by School Sport magazine as one of the top 30 best state schools for sport. One of only two Lincolnshire schools to feature on the list, head of PE, Chris Ray, said: “This is a remarkable achievement.� For more school sports, see pages 50-53.

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In Play

Winter wonder Ex-Deepings School student Jade Etherington has been selected for the GB Paralympic squad for the Sochi Winter Olympics. Skiing in the visually impaired category, Jade, guided by Caroline Powell, is one of the UK’s brightest up-and-coming talents having won bronze in last year’s world championships in Spain. ”I use my skiing as a distraction from losing my eyesight. I see it as something positive that has come from something negative,” she said.

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26/01/2014 10:48

PIC KINDLY PROVIDED BY JADE’S SPONSOR THULE

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25/01/2014 08:33

Free Golf!

No temporary greens or winter mats

Join now and enjoy the rest of this season for free...

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Subject to payment of full joining fee of ÂŁ200 and subscription of ÂŁ750 for the 2014-2015 season, membership runs through until 31st March 2015

PICTURE: VELOUK.NET

News

CiCLE classic road race bigger than ever for 10th anniversary CYCLING ENTHUSIASTS from all over the world will be focused on the region more intently in 2014 for the tenth anniversary of the Rutland-Melton CiCLE classic cycle road race.

Starting in Oakham town centre and finishing four and a half hours later in Melton town centre, the event has successfully grown over the years and is a firm favourite in every cycle race calendar in Britain and abroad.

The 2014 Classic will host international teams from Paraguay, Denmark, France, Latvia, Slovakia and even the Scottish Commonwealth Games team in the mix with British riders.

Race director Colin Clews said: “The race is proud of its national and international following and a good part of that success has been the much valued support and cooperation of local people who have given the riders such as Mark Cavendish, Peter Sagan, Ed Clancy, Matt Stephens

the platforms to progress in their cycling careers.”

He continued: “Over the past 10 years, the challenge, but also the attraction, has been the unpredictable weather and testing terrain which have had the race compared to some of the best Belgian Classic races such as The Tour of Flanders” One of the major features of the Rutland-Melton Classic is the off-road sections that attract the riders and past competitor Dan Craven of Team Synergy-Baku, said recently on Twitter: “Absolutely love the off-road-road race, hope there’s even more dirt to look forward to in 2014.”

The Rutland-Melton Classic is also the only domestic race where British riders can test themselves against foreign competition on home soil. A British rider has been victorious five out of nine times, while other winners have come from Ireland, Denmark, Australia and France. The

current champion is Briton Ian Wilkinson and he is the only competitor to win it twice.

Starting on Saturday, April 26, there is a sportive of various distances open to all level of rider, which follows some of the pro race route.

The following day, the exciting anniversary pro race starts, incorporating a new Junior Men’s race (17-18yrs) at 9am, followed by the Men’s road race starting at 11am.

There will be plenty of viewing points along the route but if you’d prefer to join in a guided group cycle ride to the popular Owston hotspot, then Rutland Cycling will be providing this free service from their store. They will also be setting up a static bicycle competition in Melton which will be based on quickest time over a set route.  To enter the Rutland-Melton sportif, go to: www.itpevents.co.uk/event/the-dare-2brutland-cicle-tour

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News

Your round!

Fancy going old school and getting some exercise? Rounders is back...

A NEW LADIES ONLY rounders club has started and is looking for women to come along and join in.

The sessions will be an introduction to Rounders within a very relaxed atmosphere. The main focus of the sessions will be on playing games as well as developing and learning new skills and tactics. All sessions will be run indoors at Catmose Sports Centre so there is no need to worry about the British weather.

Indoor rounders is a version of the traditional game, played with slightly different rules and equipment, making it a quick and easy game to grasp by everyone.

All equipment is provided; all you need to do is turn up in appropriate sporting gear with a drink and bags of enthusiasm.

Come along to Ladies Only Rounders being held indoors at Catmose Sports every Tuesday 8.30pm – 9.30pm. It is a friendly, welcoming session for females aged 16-plus of all shapes, sizes and ability/experience level.

Anyone can join in, especially when the first session is FREE and it is only £2 per session therea er!  If you would like to play, feel free to just turn up or contact Sofie Suckley on 01572 758154 or email ssuckley@rutland.gov.uk

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Honk for charity LOCAL CYCLISTS Amanda Moore and Gemma Wright will be taking part in a 3,000-mile trip in a bid to raise £20,000 for Sport Relief.

They are part of Team Honk, which kicked off their challenge on Sunday, January 12, at Land’s End, and the relay will see 38 teams pass the baton in a variety of fun and creative ways, finishing in John O’Groats on March 23. By the end of the race more than 200 participants are expected to have taken part and signed special ribbons on the Olympic themed baton.

Gemma said: “We want the people of Stamford to support us by cheering us on, sponsoring us and helping us to raise as much money as possible.”

The baton has been carried, driven, cycled, ran and many other modes of transport to Somerset, Bournemouth, Southampton, Wales, Brighton, Hastings, Dover, Chelmsford, Great Yarmouth, Norwich, Cambridge, London, Reading, Oxford and Birmingham.

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On February 16, Amanda will pick the baton up at Peterborough station, and on the Monday, they will be travelling 13.6 miles from Peterborough to Stamford, then pass the baton to Simon Wright from CycleWright.co, who will be cycling on his Penny Farthing from Stamford to Baston, where CycleWright Cycling Club will join in.

They will be travelling 40 miles to Grantham, through Witham On The Hill, Little Bytham, Corby Glen, Old Somerby and many more villages on the way on February 23 ready to pass the baton to Team Honk Nottingham.

The Cycle Club will be finishing their leg of the relay at Tenpin Grantham.  To support to the team go to http://my.sportrelief.com/sponsor/ team-honk-relay  If you want to join in with the cycle ride call one of the CycleWright shops on 01778 560495 or 01780 482899.

SILVER LINING AT BELTON WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN JEWELLERY? This year, you can see how one of the country’s finest silversmiths does it as acclaimed artists Angela Cork starts a residency at Belton House.

The event is the culmination of a hugely successful five-year partnership between The Goldsmiths’ Company and the National Trust, which has introduced thousands of visitors to contemporary silver and some of the cra ’s most accomplished artist-makers.

From March 8 to November 1, visitors will see an exhibition of Angela’s recent works and most Saturdays, they will see her in action. Angela is one of Britain’s most innovative silversmiths and part of a prestigious elite represented in The Goldsmiths’ Company’s collection, which will be lending masterpieces to Belton. Angela creates large silversmithing pieces which are visually challenging whilst retaining their functionality.

Achieving cutting-edge and extraordinarily precise designs with highly-skilled traditional techniques, Angela Cork will demonstrate hammering and chasing.

Visitors will be invited to enter a prize draw to win a silver beaker made during Angela’s residency. The lucky winner will walk away with a unique celebration of British design and cra smanship.

Andrew Barber, National Trust curator, observes: “Visitors to Belton are immediately impressed by its magnificent interiors and collections. But our visitors also love to see a cra sperson in action and the working of precious metals is particularly intriguing.”  The exhibition features a specially commissioned film revealing more about Belton House, Angela Cork and contemporary silver.

This can be viewed at www.thegoldsmithscompany.co.uk

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NEW PEUGEOT 3O8 DRIVING SENSATIONS

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MPG figures are achieved under official EU test conditions, intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving conditions. On the road prices quoted include delivery to dealership, number plates, 12 months’ Government Vehicle Excise Duty and £55 Government First Registration Fee.

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News

Bronze Age boating exhibition Discover the ‘Lost Landscape’ lecture series at Flag Fen Archaeology Park EXCAVATIONS IN 2011 AND 2012 at the Must Farm Quarry in Whittlesey uncovered eight amazing Bronze and Iron Age boats, as well as hundreds of beautifully preserved objects – and now you can see these exhibits and hear about the world they were part of in a new series of lectures.

These finds provide a unique view of life 3,000 years ago. As research yields more about this lost landscape, these lectures at Flag Fen focus on what is known so far and its significant national context.

In a A Lost Landscape Reborn, on February 5 at 7.30pm, Louise Rackham will talk about Whittlesea Mere, once the largest lake in England south of the Lake District. Learn about this last piece of wild fenland and complexities and conflicts involved in draining the mere.

In Logboats, Pile Dwellings & Causeways: Bronze Age Must Farm & Flag Fen in context, on February 12 at 7.30pm, Mark Knight will reveal new analysis of evidence from Must Farm which is shining fresh light on the Bronze Age occupants of the Flag Fen basin. Archaeologists are beginning to understand the magnitude and sophistication of second millennium BC settlement, and the role of the River Nene as a communication corridor.  For information, visit www.vivacity-peterborough.com/tryheritage

Exercise outside to live longer “PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC, life threatening illnesses, or ‘couch potato’ lifestyles can live much longer if they introduce regular outdoor exercise into their daily life,” says Kathy Horner, natural healing therapist at Get Lost in Rutland.

Britons are now on average taking 17 prescription drugs each and it is a rising trend: in 2000 we were taking an average of 11 drugs. But there is an alternative to avoid pill-popping that does more for your physical, emotional and mental wellbeing that does not involve expensive health memberships.

Regular low-key exercise such as walking and swimming increases bone density and protects against osteoporosis. A moderate walking pace (three miles per hour) provides every benefit that running does and power walking will burn more calories than running with no harmful effects on your joints.

Kathy explains: “One of the best-kept secrets is walking with Nordic walking poles. Nordic walking achieves this and also improves posture, puts less stress on joints and ligaments, and will strengthen your core. It will also protect your spine and improve the function of your arms shoulders and legs. Everything you can do in the gym can be achieved in a Nordic walk outside in our beautiful countryside.”

Recent research supports this argument: a healthy lifestyle needs to include the sun’s rays as it is the best source of vitamin D, which protects against diseases including most cancers, heart disease and can also boost immunity and vascular function and stimulates good health. Being out in the fresh air can increase your longevity by 7%.

Above Kathy Horner, le , with fellow Nordic walkers

Studies on stress confirm loneliness and a feeling of helplessness are major contributors. A potent healer is connecting with the community and joining a group on a regular basis.

Nature’s healing power helps your mind body and soul. Being outdoors and connecting with nature with companions is proven to be one of the most beneficial things you can do for your health.

Being in a natural setting may also improve the quality of sleep as being in the natural sunlight helps set the body’s internal clock and balance hormones.

“Commit to a little exercise in the fresh air every week. Go outdoors with your poles come rain or shine. When you are properly layered you can enjoy the outdoors in any season, hot, cold or wet,” says Kathy.  For more information on Nordic walking visit www.getlostinrutland.co.uk

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News

Get your bike ship-shape Road bike and mountain bike maintenance classes with the Giant store at Rutland Water EVER WONDERED ABOUT REPAIRING or maintaining your bike but never knew which tools to use or even where to start? The Giant Store Rutland Water has two maintenance classes in February, with a road bike-specific class taking place on Thursday 20th February.

The evening will be an opportunity to learn about how to take care of your

bicycle and repair those pesky problems so you’re ready for the spring. It is being led by David Ward, lead mechanic for Giant.

Thursday February 27 will be an evening for those with an interest in mountain bikes. Run by Giant mechanics, the evening will cover the basics of maintenance and repair for an MTB. Both evenings will run from 6-8pm and will cost £10 each or £15 for the both classes.  Places are strictly limited so please book your place by calling the Giant team at Normanton on 01780 720 888 or emailing info@giantrutland.co.uk

THE GIANT BIKE RIDE TO MARK THE START OF SPRING, the team at Rutland Cycling are celebrating with a Giant Bike Ride.

Taking in the sights and sounds of Rutland Water, the ride will take place on Sunday March 23, meeting at the Giant store, Normanton Car Park to set off at 10am.

Covering the full 23 miles of practically traffic-free trail, the ride is the ideal opportunity to get out a er the long comfortable winters of sofa snuggling and get that first breath of fresh spring air.

Led by Rides and Events Coordinator Lee Wigginton, no rider will get le behind. Bring

the whole family with reduced rates on hire bikes (pre-booked bikes only).

The ride will likely take around 3-4 hours.  Book your place on our ride today by calling the Giant Rutland Water team on 01780 720 888 or emailing info@giantrutland.co.uk

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RUTLAND CYCLING’S WHITWELL store staff will be leading more group night rides throughout

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Win: Entry to The Suffering THINGS ARE GETTING even more vicious at this year’s The Suffering at Rockingham Castle, but the organisers have come over all kind beforehand with a generous giveaway to two lucky winners.

All you have to do is name two obstacles that feature in all three distances of The Suffering 2014 and email your answer and contact details to thesuffering@ theactivemag.com.

First prize is an entrance ticket and a hoody, second prize is an entrance ticket and t-shirt.

Look out on Active’s Facebook (Facebook.com/theactivemag) and Twitter (@ theactivemag) accounts for more ways to win The Suffering prizes. Full terms and conditions for competitions are available at www.theactivemag.com  The Suffering at Rockingham Castle is on June 28 and 29. Details of the event can be found at: www.thesufferingrace.co.uk

Win: Entry to the Rat Race

THE EXTREME TEST of agility and endurance comes back to Burghley Park this May, with bigger and even madder obstacles than ever. And we’ve got two entries to give away, and each comes with a £50 ratrace.com voucher.

Just answer this question: What was the fastest time in 2013? (a spot of research at ratracedirtyweekend.com might help!). Email your answer and contact details to: ratrace@theactivemag.com.

Can’t wait to find out if you’ve won? Save £10 on your own entry by using promotion code active10. Full terms and conditions for competitions are available at www.theactivemag.com

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Feature /// Gear

Kitbag

The latest and kit to keep you active this winter

Under Armour SpeedForm

The SpeedForm lives up to the brand’s reputation as sports tech innovators. Why so special? For a start, it weighs a meagre 170 grams, which is as light as any running shoe on the market. The weight loss is mainly due to the upper – a single, seamless piece of fabric inspired by bra makers PlayTex – that moulds around your foot to fit like a sock.

Price £110 From underarmour.com

Olloclip 3-in-1 photo lens

Get frustrated with the lack of options when taking pictures with your iPhone? Featuring a fisheye, wide-angle and macro in one, this clip-on lens fits snugly on your iPhone and means you can capture those great sporting moments. And there’s a quality Olloclip app you can download for free from iTunes that allows you to adjust focus and exposure while filming, and then quickly edit your footage a erwards.

Price £37 From olloclip.com

SIS Rego Rapid Recovery

Rego Rapid Recovery is product used for periods of intense training.

It helps your muscles to recover and rebuild and, used immediately a er exercise, helps your body adapt to increased training demands to become stronger as quickly as possible ready for the next training session.

Price £32 (1.6kg) From Stamford Sports Nutrition, 01780 751862

Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc 2013

The lack of affordable 29ers have long been the bane of modern mountain bikes, but no longer thanks to the Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc 29er. Featuring a selection of high performance components merged with a light A1 aluminium frame, the Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc 29er brings the experience and control of 29-inch wheels to the mass market.

Price £374.99 (reduced from £499.99) From Rutland Cycling

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WaterRower Club

Too cold to get fit outdoors? Then why not invest in this high-end rowing machine from WaterRower which combines an extraordinary blend of form, function, design and durability. The WaterRower’s design has been rewarded the accolade of being exhibited at London’s Design Museum, and in 2008, was awarded the prestigious Plus X Award in sports & lifestyles for its design.

Price £949 From www.waterrower.co.uk

Raleigh Chopper

Raleigh have teamed up with the Beano to create a limited edition Chopper. Only 400 have been made of this retro classic to mark 75 years of the Beano.

Price: £299 From: CycleWright

Paceman Bowling Machine

The Paceman Bowling Machine brings quality, accurate, reliable batting practice for all standards of cricketer at an affordable price. It can fire balls at up to 60mph, swing it both ways and be set up for any length of bowling. It’s also handy for fielding practice. It might not have the pace or flexibility of some systems, but for local clubs who want to give batsmen regular hitting drills, it could be ideal.

Price £350 approx From most cricket suppliers

Barbour Extractor jacket

Infused with contemporary meets cool appeal, the Extractor jacket is a requisite for functional meets ultra feminine layering. Complete with so quilting throughout, this jacket will help make the spring more bearable.

Beautifully cra ed to feature so leather shoulder epaulettes and leather trim to both the pocketing and cuffs, this Barbour jacket showcases the brand’s fashion-forward luxury aesthetic.

Price £199 From barbour.co.uk

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Oven Baked Camembert For Two People Marinated with garlic & rosemary, served with warm fresh bread Wild Mushroom & Chestnut Soufflé With wilted spinach, cranberry compote & asparagus spears

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Pan Seared Sea Bass Fillet Served on a bed of clam & leek linguine, bound in a tarragon cream sauce with a buttered asparagus bundle Oven Roasted Guinea Fowl Breast with Confit of Guinea Fowl Leg Served with fondant potato, buttered savoy cabbage with smoked bacon lardons & a thyme jus

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Feature /// Gear

Ski Kitbag

Special feature on stylish kit for the slopes Scott LCG goggle

North Face Furano

Possibly one of the best looking pairs of goggles on the market, the LCG utilises a ni y lens switching system, letting you easily change up your lens depending upon the nature of skiing. They’re designed to work with helmets and condensation is a thing of the past thanks to the No Fog lens treatment.

Price £150

The HyVent, three-layered, coating is waterproof, but it also keeps the jacket light and breathable, while RECCO reflectors should make you a bit more visible in the event of an accident.

Price £360

UVEX Apache 2

Instead of having just a regular lens that sticks to the same colour, these beauties utilise a variotronic LCD that changes tint depending on the conditions. This, paired with the anti-fog coating, should keep you that bit safer on the slopes.

Price £350

Zeal Optics HD Camera Goggles

Housed inside this fairly innocuous pair of goggles is a video camera capable of capturing your down hill exploits in full HD. The lens itself shoots at a 170 degree angle and you can keep an eye on your footage thanks to an in-built viewfinder.

Price £320

Oakley Airwave 1.5

These tech-fest goggles also measure your jumps, track your speed and pinpoint your location. Smartphone pairing is also a nice bonus, as is quick access to music playback.

Price £520

Quiksilver Pro Chamonix backpack

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Guest column

If it’s daft sports you’re after, you’re in for a treat...

Martin Johnson on the forthcoming Winter Olympics here are some sums of money associated with sport, Wayne Rooney’s weekly wage being one, which the brain struggles to take in. But of all of them, the one I stumbled upon the other day frankly plunged me into such an advanced state of gibbering that it may be some time before I can once again go about my daily business.

The sum in question is 51 billion US dollars, which is not the amount required to fund the next probe to Uranus, or even an announcement that Real Madrid are inviting offers for Ronaldo. It is, wait for it, the cost of the Winter Olympics – which, for a fortnight of people with enormous thighs skating around with one hand behind their backs, or sweeping ice rinks with brooms to smooth the passage for what a large steam iron, I had previously estimated to be a figure closer to 51 US cents.

It’s not even as if the 2014 Winter Olympics is being held somewhere, as it usually is, with a romantic sounding name, like Lake Placid, Lillehammer, or Garmisch-Partenkirchen. No, it’s happening at a place called Sochi in Russia, and billions of people all around the world will be glued to their TVs peering at a grey silhouette of some Norwegian biathlete skiing through a blizzard accompanied by intermittent hooting on an Alpine horn.

Somewhere in Britain there may be a secret army of curling addicts, but I have to confess that the Winter Olympics is not something I can’t wait to come round again after its four-year hibernation. Not least because so many events are decided by judges. The Winter equivalent of the Olympics is not so much “citius, altius fortius” as what some fur hatted arbiter from Azerbijan thinks of your mid-air separation, or the sequins on your dress.

One of the bigger events is the Olympic Kissing Championship, sponsored by Interflora, otherwise known as the ladies figure skating. Frankly, once you’ve seen one triple toe loop you’ve seen them all, and the real contest comes after the music stops, which is which of the girls has most bouquets of flowers thrown at them.

Once these have been cleared away the girls are required to kiss all the collectors, hug their coaches and retire to a booth containing even more flora while awaiting their marks. Blubbing uncontrollably can earn you a full set of 5.9s, while the compulsory element in the programme – waving at the camera while hugging a cuddly toy – is another crucial factor in the judges’ deliberations.

T

I’ve only been to one Winter Olympics, at Nagano in Japan, and the worst day of what was an interminable week involved – at the sports editor’s request – a two-hour ascent up a mountain to watch the great British hope, Emma Carrick-Anderson.

“How did she get on?” asked the sports ed afterwards.

“Brilliantly,” I replied. “You’d better hold the back page. She made it all the way to gate two. At which point Carrick went to the left of the pole, Anderson to the right, and the hyphen went straight through the middle. “ The British Olympic Association had issued all their athletes with a list of helpful phrases, such as “I don’t feel well” or “Could you tell me the way to McDonald’s?” but one glaring omission, or so it seemed to me as I thumbed through it, was the Japanese for “can you send an ambulance and a snow plough? The pair of skis sticking out of that snowdrift are attached to the British No 1.”

However, the one event which almost led to an expenses claim for a knife (on the grounds that it was almost impossible to overcome the urge to open a major artery) was the 10,000 metres speed skating.

This began with a series of tension building announcements (“attention please, the ice temperature currently stands at 5.5…”) and followed by someone with a sumo wrestler’s thighs skating round in circles for the thick end of a quarter of an hour. By himself.

If it’s excitement you’re looking for, make sure you’re in front of the telly when the women’s aerials are on. In Japan, to the backcloth of a banner reading “We Love You Nagano – Go USA!”, the American favourite won with something called a lay full double tuck, which involved a 40 foot leap into the air, a series of backward twists and somersaults, and finally managing to land on her feet rather than her helmet.

It was the high tariff which did it for her, while the other competitors wimped out with routines that you and I could have pulled off merely by taking to an ungritted pavement wearing leather soles.

The gold medallist was then submerged by a ferocious scrum of American reporters, and you could just make out a squeaky voice, accompanied by bouts of occasional sobbing.

Finally, you may be surprised to know that at the last Winter Olympics, held in Vancouver, Great Britain actually won a gold medal. It went to Amy Williams, and it was in the women’s skeleton.

Which is the art of sliding down a mountain on what appears to be a dinner tray.

So if it’s daft sports you’re after, don’t miss a minute of it.

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Feature /// How to coach

For the love of

CULTURA CREATIVE RF / ALAMY

THE GAME

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Ex-England cricketer and Oakham School coach Frank Hayes has taught thousands of children and believes that coaches should allow freedom of expression and not be over-prescriptive when developing young sportsmen and women

T

he game is finally up! England’s cricketers have been swept away to the most ignominious of defeats, a defeat which stands undoubtedly as their worst of all time. Many wonder at the sheer speed of their demise and just how it is possible to go from top dog to bottom in one fell swoop.

Many wonder also just how is it possible that the man who has taken them to the number one position in the world can preside over the same system that now takes them to the bottom.

There is no doubt at all that Andy Flower helped England to the very top of the pile and crucially, on the way he expertly controlled a ridiculous system full of counter-productive, so-called specialists, and he kept them at bay; he spared the players from their clutches and allowed them to think for themselves.

On their way to the bottom, however, while considering options for the future, I suspect that the same man remained in the background and allowed the system back in. It is this system, populated with lifestyle managers, sports scientists, psychologists, dieticians, batting, bowling and fielding coaches and specialists of all varieties, that has ultimately conspired to cause disaster.

Players hide behind their so-called support and a culture of excuse is bred. And yet where was this magnificent back up when first Trott and then Swann went home? They were certainly nowhere near the podium at the end when the funeral rites were read.

Conversely the Australians have done the reverse. An old-style Australian now controls what was also an over-theoretical, analytical system populated with so-called specialists. He cleaned up the malaise in a thrice and gave back the game back to its players. They clearly relished the challenge, released from the shackles of the stereotype.

More worrying back home, however, is the fact that this stereotyping, counter-productive blueprint is the order of the day across the game.

In the county academies and at ECB age group levels, youngsters are swamped by an allencompassing conditioning regime. But the issue to be addressed is not just a cricket one: is this analysis and culture of micro-coaching young players an epidemic in all sports.

At Oakham School we have a proud sporting record and watch with some concern as players return from sessions with county academies and ECB development squads. During the last eight years or so the school has supplied a steady stream of sportsmen and women to the professional ranks.

Moody, Croft and Goode have played rugby for England and Stuart Broad is now one of only three players to take 200 wickets and score 2,000 runs. Indeed he is one of only two players along with Stokes to come out with any credit from the recent debacle. During this unprecedented period, many fabulous players strode the scene and many went on to play at higher levels of the game – some to premier leagues, others to the professional ranks. And the key to it all – well ask Stuart Broad: “At Oakham School we enjoyed the game, the coaches made it all seem so simple.”

This is what I believe coaching young players in all sports should be about: basics are taught within the context of the natural shape of the individual and when a player goes out to perform, his is the style that is evident and not that of the coach.

Although individual technical options are outlined, ultimately it is the player who ventured on with his own initiative. It is his own input which largely drives him forward.

If six former pupils at Oakham now display their skills at the exalted level of professional cricket, it is because their own ability has

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Feature /// How to coach

‘AT SCHOOL WE ENJOYED THE GAME. THE COACHES MADE IT SEEM SO SIMPLE’ – STUART BROAD

enabled it. They have fulfilled their own potential. Quite simply if the ability is not there, no coach can contrive to find it.

Intrinsic judgement and feeling for a game is the order of the day, while I believe overprescriptive coaching involving the use of manuals is avoided at all costs. See the ball, hit it – whether that’s cricket, golf or football.

There really is no substitute for common sense, good judgement and a wealth of experience. And you can only gain that experience when you are young by pushing the boundaries and trying things. If you are so corralled into an adult, risk-assessed view of sport then you cannot express yourself and find out of what you are capable. So advice, and advice is what is should be, not orders, should come straight from the heart and with no punches pulled.

I think in cricket, you can see how individual

minds have developed and operated even more clearly than in other sports. True genius, the very epitome of the player allowed to develop and express their talents in an unfettered way, is worth looking at in more detail to see if any lessons can be learned for us mere mortals.

It’s not just in modern sport, but true genius has always been an endangered species. It does not sit easily within the system – it is eccentric and carries risk. Botham was hounded, Hick struggled to attain his best at the highest level.

Genius is intuitive and must be allowed to be so; if constrained it dies and thereby hangs the rub.

An instinctive act of genius is feted but woe betide the act which fails, as incrimination ensues and the act of genius is now simply one of irresponsibility. That applies to lesser sporting talent, too. As a young emerging player in the ’70s I was batting against Worcestershire on an old sticky dog. Gifford and Slade were making it

turn and bounce. My instructions were: “Get out there and graft, lad, and none of your funny shots today.” I did and grafted for half an hour before gloving a spiteful delivery to short leg.

Back in the dressing room the captain said: “Well done today, lad, you showed real guts out there.”

And I had. My score? Zero. I’d made nought and all the time an inner voice had said “hit it over the top, play your natural game”.

How many sportsmen and women have fallen prey to that dilemma, of not playing their natural game? Did Ramprakash? Surely one of the finest players ever to play for England, possessing as much talent as any cricketer in the world. Did he conspire with the same demons so that his ultimate potential at international level was never achieved? If it happens at international level, then what are the thoughts going through a child’s head when an over-prescriptive coach is demanding they play a particular way?

Today far too often young players are identified, tampered with and cloned. Parents beware; on many occasions well-meaning but ill-advised coaches fashion them into robotic caricatures of themselves (or the player they wanted to be) and at just barely 10 years of age.

The nurturing of natural, intrinsic talent, is the key. Talent is not produced by the actions of an over-complicated coaching team. It is not produced by biomechanic analysis either but surely can be ruined by it.

Players think on their feet and the captain takes charge of his own side. How many times these days do we witness instructions from the side? How many times are notes sent onto the field of play? It must be stopped. Coaches must bite their tongues. It might be frustrating but in the long run it will win the day.

Obviously, winning is important. It is why almost all of us play sport. Taking part is great but most young players who constantly lose will drift off from a sport in the end in search of more fulfilment elsewhere. But there is a balance to be struck and this is why coaches have to play the long game: is winning on that particular Sunday morning by barking orders and forcing youngsters to do certain things more important than finding that at 18 years old you have produced well-rounded, talented, strong characters who can play their natural game with flair and apply their experience of failure and success, and importantly continue to play for your club and pass their knowledge on?

I think we all know the answer to that one, and along the way, you might even unearth a gem or two that will one day go on to do remarkable things for their country.

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Feature /// Point to point

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WHAT’S THE POINT? Point-to-pointing is a great spring day out and a cheap way to go racing, says Julia Dungworth Photography: Nico Morgan

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Feature /// Point to point

P

oint-to-pointing has already started down south but it is heading up to the Midlands soon and locally we have two of the best spots to go and watch. With Garthorpe and Dingley hosting at least three point-to-points apiece, one of them is bound to have a date to suit your diary so there are no excuses not to have an early picnic this year. It’s time to blow away the cobwebs and get pointing!

Point-to-pointing was originally called steeple chasing and was founded in Ireland in 1752 where a Mr Blake challenged his neighbour, Mr O’Callaghan, to race from Buttevant Church to Doneraile Church, some four-and-a-half miles distance with stone walls, ditches and hedges in between, keeping the steeple in sight so both riders could see their finishing points. Over the years as the event expanded they ran out of church steeples and it soon became a race from ‘point to point’.

Pretty soon after that it crossed the Irish Sea and has been a popular sport in Britain ever since. It is a form of horse racing traditionally open for hunt subscribers, masters or members, with an obvious first-past-the-post winner.

Which also then follows that there are many bookies on hand to take some of your hardearned pennies…

Although the crowds don’t seem to have dwindled much over the last few years, the runners have. Pointing is famed for having a

good beer tent and being a good day out, although to be fair the former is still true, Garthorpe especially has more of an emphasis on a fun family day with trade stands, food vendors and with children’s face painting and bouncy castles. Don’t forget, of course, that a good point-to-point is also the place to be seen in the spring for the country set.

The Cottesmore, Belvoir and Quorn hunts have also joined forces this year for their members’ races, where as long as you subscribe to one of the three hunts then you may ride in each other’s members’ race, which should be great fun to follow over the three events.

You can expect to see five to seven races each day including a ladies open, men’s open, maiden race and also restrictions within that, such as age

Top and above

Our region boasts two popular point-to-point locations at Garthorpe and Dingley, where local hunts will compete for trophies such as the Belvoir Challenge

of horses, riders, novices and so on. The only other thing to remember is that you may need to carry weight, or in most people’s cases, lose some! Men have to be 12st 5lb and the fairer sex (the ladies) 12st, with again various concessions for age classes and penalties for being either side of that mark.

Pointing is a true amateur sport, which is one of the main reasons it can be such a popular spectator sport as everyone loves to support the local hero. It is also on a lot of people’s “bucket list” and is really simple to get into.

If you wanted to try it for yourself, firstly and most importantly you must own or have the ride on a pure thoroughbred with a passport to prove it, save for the odd hunt members race, which is pretty much open to anyone that is brave enough. Then you can set about qualifying your horse. To do this you must be seen to actively hunt your steed four times or more and get your card marked by the Master. The MFHA (Master of Foxhounds Association) has recently introduced a new incentive for first-time riders so that they don’t have to pay a full hunting cap.

Hunting caps on high days can be up to £180, so it really is a big saving.

You must also get a full medical; the cost of this can vary but can be up to £100. Then all you need is to get a full Riders Qualification Certificate from the PPA (Point-to-Point Authority) which will set you back £195. All this information is really easy to get hold of at www. pointtopoint.co.uk.

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Feature Phoebe Buckley from Willingham, who is more known for her riding of the pint-sized grey mare Little Tiger at events like Burghley and Badminton, bought Kevin the 10-year-old bay gelding specifically to point him.

He had raced under rules before and Phoebe has started his training out hunting a lot earlier in the season.

She does love a good day with the Cottesmore and will keep Kevin up the front as he is a brilliant hunter and will normally take him home at second horses.

Kevin has had his first run of the season already and headed down to Barbury near Marlborough to finish a very credible fifth in the Ladies Open race.

Phoebe said afterwards: “I was so excited, I had a fabulous first ride of the season and Kevin ran really well, especially as he hasn’t run for 18 months.”

Phoebe is desperately keen and dreams of one day of being able to ride at the Grand National.

She also runs six to seven miles a day to keep herself fit enough on top of riding her other horses and doing battle with the donkey.

She would encourage anyone that hasn’t done it before to keep up their fitness as she couldn’t

///

Point to point

believe the level of fitness you need to compete at this level.

You will be able to watch Phoebe and Kevin in action at both Garthorpe and Dingley, as although his diary isn’t set in stone, she is keen to compete locally.

I would recommend keeping an eye on the relevant hunt websites in case of heavy snow or bad weather, and they will also give you more definite start times.

Most point-to-points start at midday with a parade of hounds first. But later in the season when the nights draw out they will often start at 2pm.

You will normally expect to pay around £5 per person and £10 for parking your car, with children going free. But of course, you’ll get all those costs back with all your winnings, won’t you?

DIARY DATES March 2 March 30 April 27 April 18 April TBC May TBC

Cottesmore Hunt Belvoir Hunt Quorn Hunt Melton Hunt Club Fernie Fitzwilliam

Garthorpe Garthorpe Garthorpe Garthorpe Dingley Dingley

‘POINTING IS FAMED FOR HAVING A GOOD BEER TENT AND BEING A GOOD DAY OUT’

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Feature /// Adventure holidays

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Active holidays of a lifetime

Had enough of deckchairs and daquiris? Why not swap them for Bear Grylls, sharks and space? By Steve Moody

S

ome people just can’t get excited about a luxurious holiday which involves sitting on a deckchair, reading a book and sipping a cocktail. Instead they’re looking for adventure, adrenalin rushes and experiences when they pack their bags.

For them, new experiential travel company Mantis Extreme has come up with some incredible trips where Bear Grylls is the holiday guide, the nightlife takes place on the edge of space and the locals are polar bears and snow leopards.

It’s a sector of the travel industry that is growing considerably. It’s not cheap, but it is unique, giving travellers experiences that they will remember for a lifetime. Set up by Mantis, the family-run collection of award-winning, privately owned, five-star properties around the world, there is everything from snow leopard

encounters in Nepal and whale shark diving in Australia; to near-space flights and snow golf in Sweden.

One of the latest packages is how to learn the ultimate in self-rescue skills from the world’s most recognised face of survival and outdoor adventure: Bear Grylls. With seven seasons of Man vs Wild/Born Survivor experience, and the many skills learned from his time with the British Reserve Special Forces, he has launched The Bear Grylls Survival Academy, designed by Bear himself and the courses will be run by his close team of highly trained experts.

There are various different courses testing survival skills around the globe, but one closer to home is ‘Survival in the Highlands’, an intensive five day course which culminates in a challenging 36-hour expedition to put new-found talents for living off the land to the ultimate test. Not exactly a relaxing few days away from the office, but unforgettable nevertheless.

Above and le

Who needs all-inclusive meals and kids’ club facilities when there’s the great outdoors to discover? Why not try your hand at survival skills in the Scottish Highlands, or a diving holiday with great white sharks

/// F E B R U A R Y 2 0 14 3 5

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Feature /// Adventure holidays

If the Highlands aren’t really extreme enough for you, then there’s always the White Desert trip. After a five-hour flight across the Southern Ocean, you are transported to a beautifully designed, ecological camp that is set in one of the last great wildernesses on earth: Antarctica.

From there, you have exclusive access to a 6,000 strong emperor penguin colony with their newly-hatched chicks, can fly to unexplored mountains with world record breaking polar explorers to summit peaks no-one has ever climbed before, or having outdoor picnics over the 200ft ice cliff by White Desert’s luxury snow safari camp with delicious food prepared by their award-winning chef.

It’s all about doing things that almost nobody else ever has, such as flying out to the ice barrier on the edge of Dronning Maud Land and seeing the thousands of stunning icebergs. Beats an infinity pool hands-down.

But if ice cliffs and the last wilderness on earth are still not quite extreme enough an environment, there’s always space!

Imagine flying above 99% of the mass of the atmosphere, seeing the black sky, the stars and the sun, the curvature of the Earth and the blue line of the atmosphere shimmering below, all while comfortably seated and enjoying your favorite meal with friends while listening to your favorite music.

Bloon is a helium balloon pod that will be carrying guests to near-space as soon as 2015. Located in Spain, the pod is currently on-going tests to turn this out-of-thisworld experience into a reality, and can host four guests with two pilots who will also act as guides.

There are more traditional adventures though, such as

safaris through Africa, diving near the Galapagos Islands, white water rafting on the Zambezi and nature features highly in many of the packages, such as going to see bears in Canada’s stunning Auyuittuq National Park, and the rugged and awe-inspiring glacier-capped and icebergstudded coastline of south eastern Baffin Island, from where you can explore the natural habitat of polar bears on land, and bowhead whales on the sea.

Of course no experienced extreme holidaymaker’s portfolio would be complete without shark diving, and few things compare to the adrenalin rush and exhilaration one gets from being face-to-face with a three-metre Great White.

Taking place off the South African coast, it’s a trip where you can get to really understand these magnificent, terrifying creatures, and is a combination of goose-bump thrills, education and relaxation on a luxury boat in the company of experienced experts and researchers. They will show you how to distinguish between a male and female shark and how to identify a specific shark by its unique dorsal fin and scars.

It all takes place on the ‘Slashfin’ a unique, multi-million rand aluminium boat custom-designed for speed, stability, safety and space.

On any given day, you will also usually see at least two or more members of the marine big five: sharks, dolphins, whales, seals and penguins, as well as several bird species.

That’s typical of the sort of holidays offered: luxurious surroundings will certainly help the days along, but the real highlights are those experiences that money can only just buy.

Clockwise, from top le

Driving husky dogs, kayaking and bear watching, the White Desert’s luxury snow safari base, and stunning scenery

/// F E B R U A R Y 2 0 14 3 7

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24/01/2014 13:24

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Feature /// Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness

Everything a woman needs to be fit, healthy and fantastic. Edited by Sandie Hurford

MOST WOMEN HAVE FOOT PROBLEMS

Think you’ve had a hard day? Spare a thought for your feet

F

EET ARE ONE OF THE HARDEST working parts of the body and in a lifetime you will walk in excess of 150,000 miles – about five times around the world! As a result, foot problems are common and if untreated can cause discomfort and wider health problems.

The College of Podiatry is encouraging people to become more foot aware and not be embarrassed about seeking help where needed.

Some of the most common foot problems that can cause embarrassment include foot odour, verrucae, corns and callus, fungal infections, ingrowing toenails, bunions and cracked heels.

Podiatrist Lorraine Jones says: “Our feet are one of the most neglected parts of our body, but it’s important to keep an eye on them and to know what’s normal for you so you can spot any

problems. Feet are not supposed to hurt so if you do experience ongoing pain then you need to have this investigated. Don’t be embarrassed about seeking professional help, it’s a podiatrist’s job to treat feet so there will be nothing we haven’t seen before. Follow our tips to spot some of the symptoms of common foot problems so you don’t have to suffer in silence or hide your feet away in the summer.”

Foot odour Wash feet at least once a day and dry carefully between the toes. Wear clean socks made from at least 70% cotton or wool. Alternate shoes daily to allow them to dry out. If odour persists try an antibacterial soap.

Verrucae are a type of wart that looks like a small, dark puncture mark in the early stages

Follow our tips for healthy tootsies

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▲

New research has revealed that 90% of women have suffered with a foot problem, with one in five (20%) confessing to being embarrassed about their feet.

As a result, more than one in ten (12%) women have resorted to covering up their feet in front of people or on a sunny day because they don’t like how their feet look.

The top foot problems suffered by women are blisters (55%), cracked heels (45%), veruccas (28%), corns (24%) and ingrown toenails (20%). More than twice the number of women to men report suffering from corns, cracked heels and bunions. Despite these problems, 19% of women haven’t sought help because they didn’t think their foot complaint was important.

Women are also more likely than men to put up with discomfort and pain in the name of fashion. Nearly half (43%) of women admit they have continued to wear uncomfortable shoes even though they hurt their feet – twice as many as the men in the survey. A third (36%) of women have worn shoes they knew didn’t fit them because they looked nice, with just 12% of men reporting to have done the same.

When it comes to footwear, UK women have an average of 17 pairs of shoes, compared to just eight pairs for the average male. If wearing high heels, women report it takes an average of just over an hour for their feet to start hurting. One in five (20%) say they start to feel pain within just 10 minutes. A third of women (37%) say they have walked home with no shoes on a er a night out because their feet hurt and 28% have danced barefoot while on a night out because of foot pain.

The younger the woman, the higher the heel worn, with 20% of women aged 18-24 owning a pair of six-inch high-heeled shoes compared to 10% of those aged 25-42 and just 3% of 35-44 year olds.

In a separate survey amongst podiatrists, they report that the biggest cause of foot problems in the UK is footwear, with a lack of public awareness of common foot complaints also contributing to the problem.

Lorraine Jones, podiatrist from The College of Podiatry, said: “It’s shocking how little regard we show for our feet. Feet are one of the hardest-working parts of the body and in a lifetime you will walk in excess of 150,000 miles. As a result of general wear and tear, most of us will suffer with some sort of foot complaint at some point in our lives but we are seeing a lot of cases which could have been prevented – particularly amongst women.”

It pays to take care of your feet

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IF IN DOUBT, TURN TO THE EXPERTS As we get older our feet seem to get further away, don’t they? Foot health professional Joanne Taylor MAFHP MCFHP can take care of your feet to ensure they look and feel great! Joanne can deal with all of your foot issues.

Thick, in-grown or just too difficult to trim, toenails can be catered for, as well as hard skin, corns and cracked heels.

Running a mobile practice, Joanne has been working with feet for over30 years so whatever the problem, don’t worry, as she has probably seen and dealt with it before.

Joanne’s mobile practice covers the whole of the Rutland area and specialises in treating the elderly and diabetics so, whatever your requirements, give her a call for friendly, professional, caring treatment in the comfort of your own home.

Call 01572 747424 or 07970 673128.

RELAX WITH REFLEXOLOGY

▲

Feeling stressed and out of sorts? Why not give both you and your feet a treat and book in with Corinne Alexander for a deeply relaxing reflexology treatment?

“Many of us lead hectic lifestyles and it is thought that ongoing stress lies at the root of many conditions such as headaches, anxiety, insomnia, depression, IBS etc,” she says.

“Reflexology is a technique of applying but later turns grey or brown. It’s contagious through direct contact. You can buy over-thecounter remedies from your pharmacy; ask for products with salicylic acid. If at any stage your verruca becomes painful and the surrounding skin goes red, stop treating immediately and see a podiatrist.

Corns and calluses occur as a result of pressure on the foot. Corns appear over a bony prominence such as a joint and a callus usually occurs on the sole of the foot. Do not cut corns yourself and don’t use corn plasters or paints which can burn the healthy tissue around the corns. Commercially available cures should only be used following professional advice. Calluses can be kept at bay by using a pumice stone or non-metal foot file gently in the bath.

Fungal infections such as athlete’s foot can lead to itching, cracked, blistered or peeling areas of the skin. If left untreated, it can spread to the toenails, causing thickening and yellowing of the nail. Fungal infections are highly contagious so avoid handling and do not use the same towel for your feet as the rest of your body. You can buy over-the-counter remedies but nail infections do not often respond to topical treatments so you may need oral medication.

Ingrowing toenails Ingrowing toenails pierce the flesh of the toe and can be extremely painful

gentle pressure to certain reflex points on the feet. It is a totally safe and natural therapy that can help counter stress and improve your sense of well-being.

“It is suitable for all ages and is a safe treatment to use during pregnancy.”

■ Contact Corinne at 2 Scotgate Mews, Scotgate, Stamford, on 07737 172939 or visit her website www.corinnealexander.co.uk and lead to further infection. They most commonly affect the big toenail but can affect other toes too. To reduce risk, use nail cutters and cut nails straight across and don’t cut too low at the edge or down the side. If you have an ingrowing toenail, see a podiatrist who can remove the offending spike of nail and cover with an antiseptic dressing. If you have bleeding or discharge, you may require antibiotics.

Bunions A bunion is a condition where the big toe is angled excessively towards the second toe and a bony prominence develops on the side.

Contrary to popular belief, bunions are not solely caused by shoes. They are caused by a defective mechanical structure of the foot which is genetic, although footwear can contribute to a bunion developing. Some treatments can ease the pain, such as padding in the shoes, but only surgery can correct the defect. To avoid exacerbating a bunion, try not to wear narrow shoes with pointed toes. If you experience frequent pain, see a podiatrist.

Cracked heels can be extremely painful and occur where the skin has become dry or has experienced excessive pressure. To prevent them, moisturise regularly and use a pumice stone or non-metal file in the bath or shower. If the problem worsens, see a podiatrist as some severe cases can require strapping of the cracks in order to allow the feet to heal.

GIVE YOUR FEET A TREAT Annabel Elkins, spa manager at Rutland’s Barnsdale Hall Hotel, recommends having monthly pedicures to keep your feet in good condition.

“In between treatments you can look a er your feet at home by rasping them every couple of days (easiest a er you’ve had a shower/bath) and applying foot cream twice a day,” she says. “People tend to forget their feet but you need to remember that they do all the hard work!

“In terms of footwear, the key is not too high or too low. Shoes with a little heel/ wedge are the best for posture. Flip-flops are some of the worst footwear – being so flat, they provide no arch support whatsoever. Also, be careful to wear the correct-sized shoes. If you are squeezing your feet into the wrong size, you will most likely end up with bunions.”

ADVICE FOR RUNNERS Got a pair of old trainers in the cupboard?

It’s not advisable to just dust them off and start clocking up the mileage, says Simon Miles, of P&SI (Physiotheraphy and Sports Injury Centre) at Greetham Valley Golf Club and Conference Centre.

“Old trainers that are ill fitting and misshapen are a leading cause of running injuries,” he says. “As trainers are worn they slowly lose their shock absorbency and the soles can subtly change shape.

O en not noticeable, this can place your foot at an angle that increases the load on some structures more than others.

“Even a slow jogger can take 2,500 steps per mile so every time your foot interacts with the ground it’s like running on a camber. Add this to actually running on a camber and you’re likely to be in trouble. It is advisable to change your running shoes every 500 miles and you can increase their life by having two pairs (of different makes and styles) in rotation as this has been shown to reduce injury rates.

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Feature /// Great walks

A classic English country walk This superb route includes a market town, three villages, plenty of hills and a few good pubs too, as Will Hetherington discovers Photography: Will Hetherington THE ROUTE

As this is a classic circular walk you can start and finish in Uppingham, Lyddington or Seaton and take the clockwise or anti-clockwise route. But I would recommend starting in Uppingham and taking the anti-clockwise option. I think you get the best of the views this way round and you can always stop for a quick refreshment in one of the excellent village pubs if you don’t want to miss them.

Park in the Market Place or on High Street East in Uppingham and take the alleyway which runs south a few doors down from the Lake Isle hotel and restaurant. Cross South View road and the path then goes through a couple of big dippers as it leaves the town behind. In wet conditions this is probably the trickiest part of the walk because the hills are steep and muddy. But it should get your heart rate going nice and early on a cold day. After the two dips the path crosses the playing fields of Uppingham College and over a quiet road before entering the open country looking down at Lyddington and beyond.

When you cross the stile at the bottom of the hill which brings you on to the road into Lyddington you have a choice: you can either stay on the road into the village and enjoy what is probably Rutland’s most attractive settlement. By doing this you can stop at either the Marquess of Exeter or The Old White Hart and walk past the stunning Bede House, before rejoining the path to Seaton. Or if you are familiar with Lyddington and want to get cracking then cross the road and take the field path which by-passes the village via a couple of paddocks with a pretty stream to the right. Just watch out for grumpy horses that don’t like dogs.

Both routes are charming in their own way and both will bring you to the mile and a half long path to Seaton. The path takes the low route with intriguing Prestley Hill and The Barrows to the right. With no roads in view it’s a soothing experience as you gradually approach Seaton on its hillside perch. On weekends expect to see a few other people on this part of the walk because it’s a local favourite.

Just below Seaton the path joins Grange Lane which heads up the hill and joins Seaton Road at the top. Turn right here and walk into the village.

Look out for the stone steps on the left which lead

to the footpath further up the hill. If you need a refreshment stop then keep going until you get to the George & Dragon, which is a good village pub, but if not take the stone steps and follow the path up and over the hill.

Once you are over the crest you can see Glaston and the A47 ahead, but the path bears downhill and to the left over the dismantled railway and towards Bisbrooke. After the old railway you will cross a stream on a footbridge before crossing another stile on the approach to Bisbrooke.

I think the best way to enter any village is via a footpath and it’s no different with sleepy little Bisbrooke, as St John the Baptish Church gently hoves into view. Once you have passed the church carry on over the crossroads on to Bottom Road and pick up the path again as it leaves the village via The Inhams, a row of houses on the western edge. From here it’s straight over a hilltop and back into Uppingham.

By now you will be ready for a drink and a bite to eat in any of the town’s fine hostelries. We always find The Vaults hits the mark but Don Paddy’s, The Crown and The Falcon are all good alternatives.

Difficulty rating (out of five)

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Where to park The Market Square or High Street East in Uppingham.

can be quite a challenge, as can some of the steeper, well-trodden hills.

Distance and time Six and a quarter miles/two and a quarter hours.

Refreshments The Marquess of Exeter and The Old White Hart in Lyddington and The George and Dragon in Seaton.

Uppingham has plenty of pubs to choose from but The Vaults is a good place to start.

Highlights Uppingham and Lyddington are both stunning. The views from the numerous high spots. The whole stretch from Lyddington to Seaton.

Excellent pubs at regular intervals.

Lowlights There are a lot of stiles on this route and in wet conditions they

meet one horse in a paddock near Lyddington that clearly doesn’t like black Labradors!

The pooch perspective Very dog friendly. Lots of arable fields and hardly any livestock. And the route crosses at least five streams so there are plenty of cooling off opportunities. We did

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TOP STAT

lway station Uppingham rai s of a branch was the terminu n. It opened line from Seato one stage in 1894 and at trains a day there were five miles away. to Seaton, two .

It closed in 1960

Clockwise, from top

There are plenty of streams on this route, giving your pooch ample opportunity to cool down. This route features some stunning Rutland scenery, including the picturesque villages of Lyddington and Seaton. The only downside are several stiles en route, which can prove to be a little tricky. On the plus side, there are several excellent pubs both along the way and also in Upingham so you won’t go thirsty or hungry.

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© AURORA PHOTOS / ALAMY

Feature /// Pet advice

Active canines

Bobs Broadbent looks at how to keep your dog fit and healthy IF YOU HAVE noticed your dog has started to put on a few extra pounds then you might be tempted to address this by reducing their food intake, but it’s your lifestyle and exercise routine that will offer the best benefits.

There is no question that human lifestyle habits are affecting the level of exercise that some pet owners give their dogs, which in turn is leading to a rise in more overweight dogs across the country. It can also be a contributing factor to unwanted behaviour problems, as dogs will find their own way to expel built up energy.

Consider whether you are the type of owner that takes their dog out for excursions rather than exercise? Does your dog accompany you in the back of your vehicle on the school run, then to the supermarket and back home for a romp in the garden?

Or, are you perhaps a fair-weather dog walker? Do you think a small dog needs little exercise or that you can save the walks until the weekend?

Dogs that are past puppyhood and not yet in their ‘golden years’ are in the prime of their life and assuming they are injury and illness-free are eager to exercise and need to do so each day. These dogs require a minimum of two 45-minute walks each day but a fit and healthy adult dog will happily do more.

All dogs enjoy exercise but you do need to adjust the type and length of exercise depending on their age. There’s no question that every pet dog deserves a daily exercise routine and as the weather improves, now is a great time to reassess this.

Any increase in exercise should be done gradually. Start by adding 10

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Puppy School Rutland

minutes to a walk for the first week and then building up by a further 10 minutes the next week and so on.

Any concerns you have regarding your dog’s body condition should be discussed with your vet, especially if your dog has a more serious weight problem. If you are in any doubt seek veterinary advice before starting your dog on a new exercise regime.

If you want to find something more energetic that will benefit you and your dog there are lots of dog activities and sports that you can start and local clubs always want newcomers. These include activities such as dog agility or flyball. You can find out about these and more at www. thekennelclub.org.uk/activities. Here you can also read about ‘get fit with fido’ – an initiative with The Kennel Club and Rosemary Conley.

If you are taking up running or a seasoned runner you might like to find out more about Canicross – it’s the sport where you can only run if you are with a dog (www.canicross.org.uk).

So pick up your dog’s lead and enjoy the health and vitality that time spent with your dog can bring!

Contact: Bobs Broadbent, Dogknows , 01664 454 792, bobs@dogknows.co.uk

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A six week training & socialisation course tailored specially for vaccinated puppies up to 20 weeks of age.

Our classes are fun and friendly and you will learn how to use modern, force-free and kind training techniques.

Classes are held at Oakham Veterinary Hospital on Wednesday evenings.

To register your puppy, please contact Bobs Broadbent by e-mail: bobs@dogknows.co.uk or phone: 01664 454 792

www.puppyschool.co.uk

24/01/2014 13:30

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Feature /// Sportsman’s Dinner

Red Indiia, Uppingham This month it’s another fine curry as JT and Dean head to Uppingham Dean Good to be back with you JT. It felt like you were cheating on me last month when I was away abroad. It almost brought me to tears to hear about your romantic liaisons with Will in Oakham.

JT It wasn’t the same without you. Will didn’t spill any poppadum sauce over his shirt, didn’t drop the pilau rice on the floor, didn’t try and chat up the waitress, and didn’t try and steal 95% of the shared onion bhaji. I’m delighted you’re back.

drink, Red Indiia can concentrate on their excellent food.

help you? Drag you to the nearest hospital if you fail to take the heat!?

JT Agreed. It was a lovely selection of poppadums, with some cracking sauces. I’ve not had a sweet chilli sauce with poppadums before, but it was superb. With good quality onion salad, lovely raita and pickles, we were already well warmed up before the starters came out.

My mixed kebab platter was class – sheekh kebab, lamb tikka and chicken tikka served on a sizzling platter with onions.

JT No Dean, a lassi is an Indian yoghurt drink.

It’s cooling... and is well needed! The meal is made with mustard oil with ginger, garlic, onions and toasted fennel. It gets its name from the pickling limes from the ‘Sylhet’ area, with the meal infused with cumin, green chillies and Scotch bonnet peppers.

Dean Well thanks for the compliments. It’s my first time at a restaurant in Uppingham, and already I feel it’s been worth the trip. A nice drink in a town I rarely go out in, an atmospheric walk past one of the country’s best public schools and now a cracking curry at a restaurant that’s long been a favourite in Oakham, and is now causing waves in Uppingham, too.

Dean I had the konji, which is something a bit different that I’d not seen on a curry house menu before. Also very tasty – strips of beef lightly fried and sizzled with peppers in sweet and sour sauce.

JT One of the good things about the Red Indiia (two ii’s as it’s their second restaurant) is their ‘bring your own drink’ policy. As well as being a great way of keeping the bill down, it’s also great if you’re picky about your booze. I saw one table enjoying their own carafe of wine. It would have been perfect for us if you’d not insisted on bringing your dad’s out-of-date cans of Skol.

Dean For a bit of a change, I had the Punjabi lamb, which was excellent. Tender pieces of lamb with herbs, coriander and onions in mustard oil, blended to give a medium taste.

Dean Thankfully the attentive staff will happily put your drink in a glass, or uncork your wine bottle so you still get the proper restaurant experience. And without having to worry about

JT The mains were great as well. As you say Dean, there’s a lot of variety on the menu, but all the usual curry house favourites as well.

JT You do like your medium curries, don’t you?

Why don’t you ever have a man’s meal like me?!

I had the sylheti, an old recipe from East Bengal made with beef strips, a dish so well-known for being hot you’re recommended to have a lassi with it.

Dean A lassi? How’s a border collie going to

Dean Scotch bonnet? Isn’t that a hat worn north of the border in the winter?

JT Possibly the worst gag you’ve ever made on this page. You almost deserve a few months off to improve your humour.

Dean Maybe you’re right.

JT Overall, Red Indiia is a great Indian restaurant. The menu is extremely comprehensive, with lots of special dishes as well as the old favourites. Everything is well cooked by the chef, Mr K Khan, and the staff are friendly and attentive with manager Abdul Waqui obviously running an excellent restaurant. It’s definitely worth a try, if only for the bindi bhaji. Probably the best of its kind I’ve had in the local area. Certainly worth the trip.

Red Indiia

Stockerston Road, Uppingham.

01572 829999

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Get fit, meet friends and have fun!

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For more information please contact Sofie Suckley on 01572 758154 or email ssuckley@rutland.gov.uk www.roundersengland.co.uk

www.stamfordsportsnutrition.co.uk Active USSC Quarter page Jan 2014_Layout 1 07/01/2014 09:16 Page 1

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Children’s half term activities Hockey

Cricket

Dates Mon 17-Fri 21 Feb Time 10.00-11.00 Age range 7-14 Cost £25 Members £30 Non-members

Dates Mon 17-Fri 21 Feb Time 14.00-15.00 Age range 7-14 Cost £25 Members £30 Non-members

Tennis Strength and Conditioning Dates Mon 17-Fri 21 Feb Time 10.00-12.00 Age range 8-12 Cost £50 Members £60 Non-members

T: 01572 820830 E: ussc@uppingham.co.uk www.sportscentre.uppingham.co.uk

06/12/2013 11:54

Feature /// Great rides

Corby Glen... and beyond!

Jon Sheehan of Tri Coach 3 continues to offer routes and training advice for cyclists, runners and swimmers. This month he heads north to Corby Glen on a long loop Starting outside The Jolly Brewer in Stamford, turn left down the hill to the traffic lights at Scotgate and turn left into Casterton Road.

At the first set of lights take a right on to Little Casterton Road, follow until the end and turn right on to Tolethorpe, and stay on this road until the end. Then turn left and continue over the bridge and take a left onto the B1176. Continue until you reach the Crossroads Spinney and take a left turn on to Holywell Road. This is a nice undulating road and will take you past Castledike Wood.

Then, continue on to Station Road into Castle Bytham, take the first right turn down Castlegate and on to Glen Road, and at Swayfield bear right and go past the Royal Oak Inn on your left.

Continue through to the next junction and turn right on to Corby Road, take the next left and continue through to the A151 Station Road and turn right, take a left into Station Road into Corby Glen village and follow the road right through bearing left and on to Irnham.

At the junction in Irnham turn left and look for the Griffin Inn on your right. Follow the Hawkthorpe Road into Callan’s Lane for the next 3.5 miles, you will reach a junction where you turn right into Stainfield Road, bear right at the junction where the Stainfield Road turns right and get on the Edenham Road, up a gentle climb and a nice descent until the next junction.

Next take a left into Edenham, then a left into Church Lane and a left at the A151, go through the lights and half a mile later take the right turn as the A151 turns sharp left, as this will take you through to Toft.

At Toft turn right on the A6121 and continue onto until you reach Ryhall, at the junction go up Ryhall Road, follow to the end and turn left on to the Old Great North Road. Follow into Stamford until you reach the traffic lights and turn right back up to The Jolly Brewer.

STATS Start/Finish The Jolly Brewer, Stamford Distance 37.9 miles Time 12mph = 3.09:30 15mph = 2.31:36 18mph = 2.06:20 Elevation 1,910 Difficulty 8.5/10

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Feature /// School sports

End of an era for Bourne team FOR THE MAJORITY of the First XV at Bourne Grammar, this season has been the final chance to pull on the green and white shirt after seven years of representing the school.

For many of the players, including captain Josh Finch, they have enjoyed rugby as part of their school life since Year 7. While the school has only recently introduced rugby into the PE curriculum, it has been offered as a popular extra-curricular activity with support from PE teacher Jackie Mohan and Bourne Rugby Club coach, Nigel Lindley.

The season started with a curtain-raiser at home to Spalding Grammar in a training match split into thirds. This gave the 30-strong squad the opportunity to blood the new players and get a feel for combinations around the park, resulting in a 2-1 split in Bourne’s favour.

Soon after was the first round of the NatWest Cup, against familiar rivals Carres Grammar.

Bourne blew hot and cold, but managed a comfortable victory in the end, running out 34-21 winners. After some local fixtures with mixed results, they again ran out solid winners to Carres and a 52-0 drubbing of Prince William, Oundle.

Matches against strong teams such as Nottingham High School, where players train and play on a regular basis, were more challenging. The penultimate match of the

season was an away fixture at King’s Peterborough. Grammar’s ability to score from anywhere was evident, with three tries coming from midfield breaks, polished off with clinical offloading and immaculate support play. Strong tackling and his eye for the line, alongside

Brooke Priory pupils try choi kwang do BROOKE PRIORY SCHOOL has taken its first steps to black belt in choi kwang do. Twenty two boys and girls from the Pre Prep (4-7 years old) gathered in the sports hall to learn their first moves.

Choi kwang do will not only improve the children’s fitness levels and reinforce discipline and respect, but it should also give them the confidence and skills to defend themselves if the need ever arises.

Headmistress Elizabeth Bell said: “This is a fabulous addition to the extra curricular opportunities available to our boys and girls and I look forward to watching them progress up through the belts.”

consistency off the tee, saw Grammar chalk up another win.

The squad are now currently in Sevens training looking forward to the upcoming tournaments including the prestigious worldrenowned National 7’s at Rosslyn Park.”

STAMFORD SCHOOL SPORT PRAISED BY GSG STAMFORD SCHOOL is celebrating a complimentary review from the Good Schools Guide (GSG), the leading appraiser of UK schools.

The GSG is much respected for its forthright, authoritative and unbiased reviews of the top 1,100 independent and state schools in the country.

The review considered and assessed all areas of life at Stamford School. It praised the school’s academic performance, particularly the wide range of subject choice at A-Level and the popularity of maths, the sciences, economics and business studies. The small average class sizes of 16 at GCSE and nine at A-Level were mentioned, as were the strong examination results.

The accessibility of sport to all pupils was praised – ‘even the non-sporty boy is encouraged to have a go’ – as were the strong performances of the cricket, basketball, squash, hockey, swimming, triathlon and rugby teams. The First XV rugby team was described as ‘formidable’ for being unbeaten last year.

Will Phelan, head of Stamford School, said: “I am extremely pleased that the school received such a positive review. The picture painted is one that our pupils, parents and staff would recognise as faithful to their daily experiences, and there is much praise for the teaching, attitude to learning, ethos and extra-curricular programme. The boys at Stamford School really are our greatest ambassadors and so it is pleasing to see the review acknowledge them as “confident, courteous, friendly and grounded.”

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Barcelona tour for Oakham hockey team OAKHAM’S U18 HOCKEY SQUAD travelled to Barcelona to take part in an intensive pre-season training tour.

As well as playing five matches, they took part in intensive training sessions at Barcelona’s Royal Polo Club focusing on attacking the goal, penalty corners and set piece practices.

“Oakham continues to be a great training ground for national squads,” says Ashley Denman, director of hockey at Oakham. “Our great results are due to the intensive training that our pupils and coaches put into hockey at Oakham.

It is a real achievement for eight of our students to be selected to take part in The Futures Cup tournament.”

Oakham won their first fixture of the tour against Churcher’s College. End to end hockey was the story of the first half with Oakham taking an early lead.

Jefferson, Roper and Spies were the goal scorers in the eventual 5-2 victory.

Their second match was against Royal Wellington, a strong touring side from Belgium. Two quick goals from the opposition at the start of the second half led to a 5-2 defeat. The same scoreline saw defeat in the third tour match against their old touring rivals, the Egara U18s, but the fourth was more successful: playing in the 1992 Olympic Park against Wellington College, the goals started to flow very early in the game, and the eventual score was a convincing 6-0 win for Oakham.

The goals kept coming in the final match, a huge 11-2 win with goals from Spies (3), Jefferson (3), Measom, Kendall, Rose, Cracknell and Down, against Iluro Hockey Club in Mataro.

Sam Williams was named player of the tour, Paul Spies was top goalscorer and Tom Gorman was credited to be most improved player.

Jamie to play in Commonwealth Games JAMIE CAMERON, a year 13 pupil at Stamford School, has been selected for the Wales basketball squad ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Since representing Wales in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) European Tournament last summer, Jamie has continued to dedicate himself to the sport, travelling to Wales once a month for training.

Jamie will now be making the four hour journey twice a month as he begins his training with the development team.

As captain of the Stamford School Basketball team, Jamie has been integral in driving the team’s success. They have only lost two games in the past four seasons and Jamie has been the top scorer for the last two.

Garry Mitchell, Basketball coach at Stamford School, said: “Jamie has always given 100% to basketball, from warm ups, drills, conditioned games to full games. He now runs coaching sessions for the school team and the younger boys and is passing on his knowledge effectively.”

Rare treat as Apache drops in at Catmose College STUDENTS AT CATMOSE COLLEGE were treated to a rare visit from a British Army Apache helicopter.

The terrifying looking aircraft buzzed the top of the college building before safely landing on the tennis courts. When the wheels were down, excited students were given a tour of the aircraft by the pilot, captain Wilkinson, and the commander, staff sergeant Wollams. They showed them the huge amount of technology on board and answered the many questions from the cadets about the Apache and general military life.

Based at Wattisham Air Field in Suffolk, the helicopter is part of the 663 Squadron of the 3rd Regiment of the Army Air Corps. The visit had been arranged for the cadets by a member of the college staff who had served previously in the British Army.

Principal Stuart Williams said: “We’re very proud of the work our cadets do within the college, so it was great to be able to offer them the opportunity of not only seeing an Apache aircraft, but to see it flying and then examine it up close.

“Not only did the students get to see the aircraft, they were also able to speak to the pilots and find out more about what it is capable of. A very rare and unique experience indeed.”

/// F E B R U A R Y 2 0 14 5 1

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// To advertise on the Market Place page please email marketplace@theactivemag.com or call 01780 480789 Untitled-2 116

16/12/2013 14:34

Feature /// School sports

Girls win netball tournament THE FIRST VII NETBALL team at Stamford High School travelled to The Perse School in Cambridge for a pre-season invitational tournament with strong opposition from the local area and seven back-to back matches throughout the day.

The SHS team started the tournament with a match against Ipswich. After a bit of a slow start, they got into a rhythm and came out with an impressive 11-9 victory.

After finding their flow, the successes kept coming with wins against Uppingham (16-5), Perse (7-6), Framlingham (12-8), Kimbolton (11-9), and Culford (12-6).

For their final match of the tournament the SHS team were up against unbeaten local rivals, Oundle. They started really well and were leading at half time, and after an Oundle surge in the second half, the girls picked up their game again and came out with a win of 14-11.

Stamford High School PE teacher, Cat Raitt, said: “Well done to all the girls that played in the tournament and a big thank you to all the parents who travelled to come and support. Your continued support is much appreciated.”

Catmose kids in concert FIFTEEN GCSE MUSIC STUDENTS from Catmose College performed an array of pieces to the Carers Support Group for Age UK Oakham.

A varied programme consisted of classical music to more contemporary pieces played on a wide range of instruments.

Principal Stuart Williams said: “This was a great opportunity for the students to build their confidence and performance skills by playing in front of an audience.

“The students thoroughly enjoyed their time entertaining the group and it’s a testament to their preparation work to hear that the carers expressed their gratitude to all the students who took part in this excellent community event”

Pictured

ENGLAND CALL-UP FOR GRIMOLDBY STAMFORD SCHOOL old boy and 2011 First XV captain, Louis Grimoldby, has been selected for the England U20 team.

The Harlequins player will be part of the team that will begin its pursuit of a fourth successive Six Nations title in France.

The school’s current First XV captain, Connor Collett, has been named in the Rugby World All Stars Team of the Autumn term.

Connor is the third captain in a row to make the Rugby World All Stars side following Tom Gulland in 2012 and Louis Grimoldby in 2011.

Connor has lead the team to 15 wins from 16 games as the side came perilously close to a second successive unbeaten season, losing narrowly away at Bedford School.

Rory Madelin and Chloe Williams

/// F E B R U A R Y 2 0 14 5 3

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Roundup The scores, star performers and stats from a month in Stamford and Rutland sport

Football

Good runs thwarted by bad weather

BY DEAN CORNISH

I

n the last issue of Active, I suggested that the Christmas period of fixtures could define the season for Stamford AFC, and let’s hope that is the case after a cracking festive period and new year for David Staff’s men.

The Daniels bounced back from defeat on December 20 away at Blyth with a superb 3-0 Boxing Day win over local rivals and play off hopefuls, King’s Lynn.

That day saw two goals from man of the match Jon Challinor, who has now left for a return to Conference football with Halifax Town. The Daniels then followed this up with a 4-0 drubbing of basement boys Droylsden in front of another bumper 300-plus crowd, before then coming away with a point at Grantham Town on New Year’s Day. The game at ‘The Meres’ will be remembered for little else apart from the dreadful conditions of a force nine gale, driving rain, boggy pitch and a distinct lack of match time, such was the unwillingness of the home side to get the ball back into play.

It shows how far the Daniels have come, and how far Grantham have dropped, that the Gingerbreads were so obviously happy to play time out for the draw.

The Daniels followed up the New Year game with another draw on January 11 against Nantwich Town. The game finished 2-2 with Ryan Robbins returning to the Daniels’ scoresheet after his Christmas suspension, and hot property Nabil Sharif bagging the late equaliser.

The Daniels have been frustrated with few league games in 2014 due to the poor weather, but their current four-match unbeaten run in the league bodes well for their hopes of avoiding the drop. With the bottom three as good as down, it’s one from four or five clubs to join them in relegation.

Let’s hope it’s not David Staff’s men.

In the cups, January has been a mixed month for the Daniels. They crashed out of the Doodson Cup (contested by the Evo Stik clubs), but did progress in the Lincs Shield with a victory on penalties over Spalding Town. The Daniels will now face Grantham Town in the next round.

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In the United Counties First Division, Blackstones’ form has slipped again after their monumental run up to Christmas.

The Stones drew with Peterborough Sports on Boxing Day, before then losing to Raunds Town two days later. The new year then didn’t start well with home and away defeats to title chasing Harrowby Town. In fairness, Gary Peace’s side have been beset by injury problems and it’s not easy to deal with a busy Christmas period with their limited squad.

Thankfully though, their good form pre-Christmas has eased any relegation worries. Stones are considering re-entering a reserve side into the league next season. If you’re interested in sponsoring or managing the side, please contact the club at Lincoln Road, Stamford.

In the Peterborough League, Uppingham Town remain the area’s top side, although they’ve not played in the league since before Christmas!

Richard Kendrick’s men are fifth in the league, 21 points away now from top side Netherton, although they do have a

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ludicrous seven games in hand. With the league leaders able to make use of an all-weather facility, it does seem unfair that Uppingham will have so many games to catch up on once the weather improves.

It’s a similar story for Oakham United in terms of the number of recent games played. Having won 3-0 on December 28 away at Parson Drove, Oakham have subsequently had all their league games postponed, with only a cup exit away at Netherton to show in 2014 so far. Oakham remain mid-table, which isn’t bad considering their start to the season.

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Drama at The Bels The air ambulance was called to Stamford Bels’ match against Leverington following a nasty gash on Pete Conneely’s leg. The game was abandoned, although Pete did not need to be airli ed to hospital

In the first division, Ketton still lead the way for our local teams, but have had no luck with the recent weather at all.

The Pit Laners are seventh, 17 points off the top, but with plenty of games in hand due to recent postponements meaning they haven’t played a league game in 2014.

Ryhall United have had a bit more luck, if you can call it that, having actually got a game in in January.

Unfortunately their solitary league match of this year finished in 2-0 defeat away at Stanground.

James Sheehan’s men did finish 2013 off

well though, with two 3-0 home wins over Sutton Bridge and King’s Cliffe. Ryhall lie a respectful eigth in the table.

The Stamford Bels have also had a lousy start to the year in terms of games played, having not played a league game yet this year. They did get their cup game underway against Leverington, but the game then had to be abandoned due to a nasty gash on Pete Conneely’s leg which resulted in the air ambulance being called (see above). Hopefully Pete and The Bels can get back playing soon, and stave off relegation from the first division.

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Rugby

Twists, truancies and ton-ups

BY JEREMY BESWICK

T

here was less rugby than usual to chose from this month, a combination of the holiday break and the weather restricting most sides to a single match and, on the face of it, Stamford Town at home to Bakewell Mannerians didn’t seem like that promising a fixture.

Town had lost the last meeting between these two 74-7 but, not having checked out the purple, black and whites for a while, a crisp sunny Saturday afternoon saw me back on the touchline at Hambleton Road.

The early pressure came from the visitors but Stamford were showing almost Gallic ambition by running the ball from deep at every opportunity and were unfortunate not to earn an early try as a result.

After a scoreless opening half hour it was clear there was to be no repeat of that earlier thrashing, although it was Bakewell who finally broke the deadlock. Awarded a penalty under the posts they opted for a scrum and their ambition was rewarded with a converted try from a well-rehearsed set play. This setback only served to galvanise Matt Albinson’s men, who twice came close to a pushover try before a tap penalty from Albinson led to a brilliant

individual run from Tom Gulland on the stroke of half time to level the score.

The slope was now in Stamford’s favour but it was Bakewell who took the lead again with a try in the corner after Town had knocked on and, expecting the whistle, were caught napping by the referee rightly playing advantage.

Again, Stamford were unfazed and Austin Schwartz went over after good work by the elusive Lindley, who then scored himself to put Town 19-12 ahead, which prompted a joyful 50-yard celebratory dash from his skipper, arms raised and with expletives aplenty. I think he was, shall we say, quite pleased.

However, another twist in this absorbing fixture came as indiscipline led to yellow cards for Stamford and Bakewell levelled with a converted try after extended forward pressure.

As the tension mounted in the final quarter Town nearly went over in the corner, the would-be scorer held up by a Bakewell forward but with ten minutes to go a penalty put the home side up 22-19 and they managed to play out the remaining time in the opponents’ half.

Bakewell were gracious in defeat and

Stamford president Steve Fowkes said: “A great turn around. We had some problems when we lost 74-7 so I knew we’d do better but to win it...that’ll raise a few eyebrows”.

A great game played in the right spirit and expertly refereed – this was a joy to watch.

Congratulations are also due to the Vets side who retained the Gin Bottle Trophy in their annual match against Peterborough.

It’s been a difficult few weeks for Oakham; their fine early season form compromised by a run of four losses, including a 42-0 drubbing at Dronfield who they’d beaten convincingly at home earlier in the season.

For those of us scratching our heads in perplexity at the sudden loss of form there was some insight from coach Tom Armstrong in the programme for the next home match against Kesteven.

It turns out only 15 players made the long trip to Dronfield and, after early injuries, Oaks were essentially playing with 12 men.

However, there were wider implications, as Armstrong made clear. “The lads who pulled out told me one thing but I have since found out that they didn’t fancy the long trip. It was a game that we could have

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TIGERS TALK Toby Flood’s departure has been confirmed, although whether his destination is Toulouse or Toulon remains unclear.

Either will also almost certainly spell the end of his England career. A er six years with the Tigers most fans will wish him well as he seeks a lucrative twilight to his playing days. It seems likely that his replacement will be Freddie Burns, with Richard Cockerill commenting: “He’s a fantastic player and certainly someone we would be interested in” and Gloucester confirming that he’ll be leaving them at the end of the season.

Burns is five years younger than Flood and looks to be an ideal fit, but I won’t be the only one lamenting the departure of prodigy George Ford last year, who cited lack of playing time as the main reason for going. If only he’d waited another season...

Those of us at Welford Road for the match against Bath will need no reminding of what we’ve lost, with Ford having a hand in all three tries and keeping the score board ticking over with his reliable place kicking – underlined by Owen Williams having an off day with the boot. It took a last minute try from Jamie Gibson to level the scores 27-27, Tigers showing typical tenacity by refusing to be beaten in what was a gripping encounter.

Cockerill calls it “cussedness” and that’s been the quality that’s defined this season. Victory over Treviso confirmed their participation in the Heineken Cup knock-out phase (the home loss to Ulster leaving Tigers with a jaunt to France to take on Clermont in the quarter-finals) and given their well documented injury problems, to be in fourth place in the Premiership and top of their LV= pool is a notable achievement.

With Steve Mafi, Rob Hawkins and Anthony Allen back from injury and Manu Tuilagi and Logovi’i Mulipola all set to return, a frustrating campaign may yet have a glorious ending.

Cockerill summed it up well: “We’ve had so many injuries to key players and multiple injuries in some positions but we’re still in the mix. To be at this point and already in the quarter-finals is a testament to the quality of the squad.”

won easily with a full squad and probably picked up a bonus point victory, too. As we have enough points in the league we are safe, so I’m only going to pick the lads who train and are committed. We need more of a team ethic back.”

It was clear from a couple of notable absentees from the team sheet who’d incurred Armstrong’s wrath and he will have been delighted at the 22-10 victory that followed. Proof of the old adage that “a better team is better than better players”.

Stamford College Old Boys’ were again

Above

Toby Flood will be leaving Tigers at the end of the season to join either Toulouse or Toulon

consistently inconsistent this month. With a full team on the park they’re a match for most of their division but a thin squad will always mean that a couple of injuries hurt them badly.

On the bright side they reached the semi-finals of the NLD cup by beating North Hykeham 24-12, the score line not reflecting the extent of College’s dominance.

Inevitably, they then went on to lose the next fixture at Corby 39-5 as injuries both before and during the game weakened the side.

Deepings played only once, their match against Stewarts and Lloyds postponed due to the wet weather. Doubtless some of their supporters wish the same had happened to their fixture at Stockwood Park, who chalked up 110 points without response.

Finally, those Uppingham cuckoos Stoneygate retained their 100% league record with an 84-0 crushing of Market Harborough Vets.

These boys really should be playing at a higher level – and doubtless will be next year.

2014 RANGES NOW ONLINE

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Roundup

Equestrianism

Hunting and a big gathering at Wittering Academy

BY JULIA DUNGWORTH

T

he Christmas period is generally a quiet one for all but the hunting community; unfortunately with very wet weather over the Yuletide period there was a drop in mounted riders. On the upside there was a huge increase in foot followers and supporters at most meets.

As usual there were many donning their tinsel in the festive spirit at the Christmas Eve meets, especially the Fitzwilliam who had their meet at the Prince of Wales Feathers in Castor before finishing in Milton Park. It’s always a good meet to go and watch, with lots of children out with antlers.

The Cottesmore Boxing Day meet at Cutt’s Close in Oakham was a very memorable one for different reasons for Peter Chojanacki, who so bravely proposed to his partner Anna Munton in front of hundreds of people. Well done to Anna for sparing his blushes and saying yes!

The Belvoir had its New Year’s Day meet at the Town Hall at Grantham, where like last year there was a huge amount of locals who came out into the town centre to greet the hunt and, most importantly, pet the very friendly hounds. A lot of them also took to their cars and followed the hunt for the rest of the day.

The Fitzwilliam also has a very popular

New Year’s Day meet at the Haycock at Wansford, which like the Belvoir had a slightly smaller mounted following but truly made up for it in foot followers, supporters and general Christmas spirit in torrid weather.

Elsewhere, Wittering Academy saw an end to its Dressage League on January 11; again it had a huge number of entries.

Henny McIntosh made a brilliant debut on her new horse Jivetime Romantic Encounter (Dotty to her friends), winning two classes.

Henny had only had Dotty for two weeks, having bought her from local show jumper Mark Williams. The plan was to show jump her, but it turns out she moves quite well, winning both classes on just a smidgen below 70%. Maybe we’ll see Henny becoming the next Charlotte Dujardin rather than Ellen Whitaker, which she has always aspired to.

Henny did have to share her first place victory with Katie Woods, on Malibu, who took the Junior League. Charlie Brown also won her section on her mare Eriena, who was also bought to jump, but likewise, turns out to be pretty snazzy in the arena.

She too went on to win the Intro Senior League.

Becky Pick was a very popular winner of

the Prelim Juniors on Star, as like Charlie, she won the league on consistency over the four competitions.

The Prelim and Novice classes saw wins for Nicky Polson and Rachel Dinwoodie, both winning on over 72%, and also both of whom will also be seen out eventing in a month or so. Then finally a win in the Elementary for Karen Young on her own Marley. Both Karen and Nicky also took their league sections.

Wittering Academy is now planning on running some eventer trials over the next couple of months, both training and shows, as they do have a full set of Jump4Joy Cross Country fences.

Also, very excitingly, equestrian Andrew Hoy has moved to Somerby, just the other side of Oakham. Andrew still competes for Australia and has won three consecutive gold medals and has been competing internationally since 1979.

Round here he is well known for winning Burghley in 2004 on Moon Fleet and in 1979 on Davey and also, more famously, for not winning Burghley in 2006 as the final leg of the $250,000 Rolex Grand Slam. I’m sure he won’t thank me for reminding you of that, but I do look forward to seeing him out more locally this spring.

Support your local team Email advertise@ theactivemag.com or call 01780 480789 5 8 F E BRUA RY 2014 ///

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Untitled-1 1

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25/01/2014 16:47

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