Mixed fortunes for Swords

Six members of Wellington Swords made the trip to the English institute of Sport in Sheffield for the British National Championships. 

In the Individual Women's Epee both Sarah and Sophie Townsend made it through to the last 64 however Bryony Wedge-Thomas had a tough pool and was unable to secure sufficient victories to make the cut into the direct elimination.

In the Individual Men's Epee Ben Hodgson met Bath University fencer, Matt Edgar, in the first round of the direct elimination. It was a close fight which was eventually won by Matt.

Meanwhile Chris Hay fought well in the pools and secured a seeding which gave him a bye into the second round of the direct elimination. 

He continued with wins against Daniel Wood of Tameside and James Hogarth of Haverstock before losing out 14/15 to Philip Marsh of Bath Swords to settle for 12th place. This result has moved Chris to 30th on the Senior National Rankings.

Ben and Chris were joined on the following day by Luke Edbrook and together they competed in the British Men's Epee Team Championships finishing a creditable 13th.

Photo:  Wellington Swords Men's Epee Team. L to R. Luke Edbrook, Chris Hay, Ben Hodgson.

Staff changes at the PRSC

The new academic year will also herald some changes at the Princess Royal Sports Complex.

After seven and a half years as manager of the Sports Complex, JJ Rowland, is moving on to a fresh challenge overseas.

From the beginning of September JJ is to join the marketing arm of the European Handball Federation based in Vienna, Austria.

Mark Vaughan, current assistant manager, will step up to be acting manager, while Wellington School consider recruitment options.

For further information, contact Mark Vaughan at vaughan@wellington-sport.org.uk.

Gundry wins English youth championship

Four of the younger members of Wellington Swords travelled to Hatfield last weekend for the English Youth Fencing Championships. 

The team were young and inexperienced, the venue was huge and there were 600 competitors. They returned with fantastic results:  1 champion and 3 in the last 16.  

Jessica Gundry won the 2009 English Youth Girls under 13 Epee. Her performance in the poules gave her a head start into the direct elimination phase. 

She maintained this through the next four fights, beating her previous nemesis, Francesca Summers of Redhill and Reigate, to take the epee title. 

In the Foil competitions the youngest team member, Robson Alexander, overcame his initial nerves to finish a very creditable 11th in U11 Boys Foil.

Jade Clarke achieved 10th, with Jess Gundry 16th in the girls U13 foil. Daniel Willson's 21st place in the U15's Boys foil was a disappointment for him but not unexpected after a year of ill health.

School sports conference held in Wellington

The Tone Schools Sports Partnership held their sports conference at the Princess Royal Sports Complex on Thursday 9 July.

The Top Link conference saw over 100 local children and coaches take apart in a variety of activities throughout the day, all designed to develop them as young sports leaders.

New Zealand Paralympian, Tim Prendergast, was the guest speaker at the conference and talked about his experiences as an elite Paralympian and captain of the New Zealand Paralympic team in Beijing in 2008.

The next Tone Schools Sports Partnership conference will be held at the Princess Royal Sports Complex in March 2010.

Bronze to battling Bryony

Wellington Swords fencer Bryony Wedge-Thomas competed in the Manchester Open on 11 July and came a proud third. 

She lost to Louise Highton, who is twelfth in the senior national rankings. 

It was a close and long semi-final, and was eight all when Highton just managed to slip ahead, making the final score a near 15-12. 

Wellington fencers wins Oxfam Open

Ben Hodgson from Wellington Swords won the Oxfam Open 30/31 May 2009.

This was a senior national  ranking competition held in Cardiff to raise money for Oxfam. 

Ben fought well in the poules and made good progress through the early rounds of the direct elimination until he met James Taylor in the semi finals. Here Ben scored a significant victory over James who is ranked GB no.4. 

He then went on to beat Howard West, from London Thames Fencing Club, in the final.

Other Swords results; 10th Chris Hay, 29th Nick Clapham and 37th Raoul Wedge-Thomas.  

SW success for Wellington Fencers

On 6 and 7 June Wellington Swords hosted the South West's Senior Fencing Championships at the Princess Royal Sports Complex.

The men's and women's Epee took place on Saturday and the Foil and Sabre on Sunday.

 

It proved to be a successful weekend for Swords members who won two of the Championship classes and were second in two others.

 

On Saturday Chris Hay won the Men's Epee title. 

He fought a close and  exciting  semi final winning 15/14 against last years winner and fellow club member Ben Hodgson. 

He then went on to fence Bill Osbaldeston from Truro in the final. Bill is a former National Champion and member of this years Veterans  (40+) World Championship team. 

This was a match of youth against experience and 17 yr old Chris fenced well to clinch victory in the final 15/9.  

 

In the women's Epee club members, Sarah Townsend and Jenny McGeever, met in the sem-finals. 

This was a close match with Jenny winning through 15/14 and going on to meet Toni Denham from Plymouth in the final. On this occasion Toni was the victor winning the trophy for a second year.

 

On Sunday Maggie Myers gave the club a second championship win when she cruised to victory in the Women's Foil final against Angela Findlay of Sidmouth Fencing Club. 

Matt Mackenzie hoped to repeat last years success in the Men's Foil but was unlucky to lose to Tim Miles from Bath Swords in a stirring final.

 

Wellington Swords results; Women's Foil 1st Maggie Myers. Women's Epee 2nd Jenny McGeever. 3rd Sarah Townsend. 7th Bryony Wedge-Thomas. 9th Tyla Elworthy. Men's Foil. 2nd Matt MacKenzie 3rd Alan Large. Men's Epee. 1st Chris Hay. 3rd Ben Hodgson. 8th Raoul Wedge-Thomas. 10th Jim Pilkington. 11th Luke Edbrook. 12th Joseph Bonner. 14th Nick Clapham. 15th Jack Edmunds. 21st Nick Dugmore. 22nd Peter Smith 23rd Carlson Tsui. 25th Julian Cheung

 

Photo L to R Maggie Myers and Chris Hay with their trophies.

Ballet Bugs launch new website

Wellington-based dance company, Ballet Bugs, who run classes at the PRSC on Saturday afternoons have launched a new website.

The new website offers lots of information about the classes Ballet Bugs run, what children and parents can expect from the class and term dates for classes throughout Devon and Cornwall.

Ballet Bugs Ltd was created in September 2007 by founder Joanna Elliott, a trained and experienced teacher qualified with the Royal Academy of Dance and Imperial Society for the teachers of Dance.

Parents interested in signing up for Ballet Bugs at the PRSC should contact the Ballet Bugs office on tel: 01823 242 414 or send an email.  

Crafters descend on Wellignton

The Sports Complex was a busy place this weekend as craft enthusiast from across the region travelled to Wellington for the Sincerely Yours Papercraft Extravaganza.

The Show saw exhibitors travel from as far a field as Yorkshire, Kent and Shropshire to sell their wares to over 800 people.

The event's organisers are planning a return visit to Wellington on Sunday 1 November for the next show.

A little thank you to our Friends

Regular users of the Sports Complex will notice a small change in our main corridor on their next visit.

We've added another water fountain to ensure that all our many users, staff, pupils and members of the public, always have access to fresh water whilst they are exercising.

The water fountain and others like it around Wellington School have been purchased thanks to the fund raising efforts of the Friends of Wellington School.

The Friends organise the annual Wellington School Christmas Fair, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday 28 November at the Sports Complex.

South West England, The Perfect Pre-Games Training Venue

The South West region has begun its campaign to attract Olympic teams for Pre-Games Training Camps ahead of the London 2012 Games.

Sport England and the Regional Development Authority, under the banner of Team South West, have published a new brochure to promote the 60 world-class sports venues in the South West selected as possible venues.

As one of these Pre-Games Training Camp venues we are hoping that their campaign pays dividends and we can invite Olympic athletes to Somerset ahead of 2012.

The Princess Royal Sports Complex has been selected as a training venue for handball, wrestling, table tennis, archery, Tae Kwon Do and judo.

Anyone for ping pong?

We’ve recently taken delivery of four brand new Butterfly competition table tennis tables for a new Wellington School table tennis club.

This takes the number of tables we have available at the Sports Complex to six.

Now we’re keen to hear from anybody in the Wellington area, who might be keen to set-up a community club at the Sports Complex, or perhaps even use our facilities for competitions (we are after all a Pre-Games Training Camp for table tennis!).

Contact the Sports Complex Manager, JJ Rowland or call (01823) 668 718 for more information.

New treadmill arrives

Our on-going programme of investment in fitness equipment continues.

Pupils, staff and customers will be pleased to hear that we've now taken delivery of a Technogym Excite (pictured) tradmill to replace the Kip Machine, which developed a serious fault a few weeks ago.

Wellington hosts national fencing event

Last weekend (Sunday 19 April) it was the turn of Wellington Swords Fencing Club to run a qualifying competition as part of the Leon Paul Junior Series (LPJS) at the Princess Royal Sports Complex.

It was well attended with fencers travelling from as far as Lancashire, Kent and Cornwall.

This series encourages youngsters from ages nine to seventeen to develop in the sport through a friendly yet challenging introduction to national competition.

Many of the GB fencers in Wellington Swords started in LPJS before attaining international honours.

60 aspiring champions started. They fenced two rounds of pools to gain position in the 'sudden death' Direct Elimination or DE phase. In this fencers fight, first to score 15 hits, and there is no second chance!

Wellington Swords member Bryony Wedge-Thomas, who attends Castle School won the U17 Girls final 15/9 against Tara Crank from Tiger Swords, Kent.

This was a special day for Bryony who is just returning to fencing after a long break due to an ankle injury.

Alicia Parr, a Richard Huish pupil and fellow Wellington Sword, finished 3rd in this her first Leon Paul'.

In the a strong U13 Girls class, Jessica Gundry from Wellington School fenced very well to win the silver medal losing 10/9 in a closely fought, thrilling final against Francesca Summers of Redhill & Reigate, Kent.

Photo: Left to right; Alicia Parr, Bryony Wedge-Thomas, Jessica Gundry.

Whirlwinds website goes live

Wellington Whirlwinds Trampolining Club have launched their own website.

The new site can be found at www.wellingtonwhirlwinds.co.uk.

Although the website is still in its infancy this is a great development for the PRSC-based club and their many members.

The Whirlwinds were one of the first clubs to start using the PRSC facilities after we opened in the Autumn of 2002.

They started out with just one trampoline and 12 children and have now grown into one of the most successful clubs in the region, with seven trampolines, a double mini tramp and over 80 members.

The Whirlwinds train three times a week at the PRSC, Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday mornings.

The club offers trampolining for both children and adults. Visit their website to find out more and contact club officials.

PRSC joins Facebook

There's another new development at the PRSC this week with the creation of our very own Facebook page.

We know that Facebook is hugely popular with many of our users (and all the Sports Complex staff of course!) and we thought it was about time we had our own page.

Take a look at the page and click to become a fan of the PRSC.

If you're not yet a Facebook user, you'll need to sign up to become a fan.

We've already added several photo galleries to the page, including a bit of nostalgia with photos of the construction of the building and our opening by HRH The Princess Royal back in 2002.

The PRSC Facebook page offers us another chance (in addition to our blog and website) to keep all our users informed of what is going on at the Sports Complex as well as helping us to promote all the sports clubs and societies that use our facilities each and every week.

Performing Arts School launches 8 May

Regular users of the PRSC could well be forgiven for wondering if we were planning on changing our name to the Princess Royal Arts Centre.

Last week it was Carmina Burana in the sports hall and from May our fencing salle will the home of a brand new Performing Arts Theatre School.

The new School is the brainchild of Andrew Brodie, himself an actor in his younger days, who already runs maths and English classes out of the Sports Complex.

Joining Andrew for the classes will be former Wellington School pupils, dancer teacher, Emma Smith  and musician, Chris Sampson.

The class is aimed at 11 to 18 year olds and will offer children the chance to dance, sing and perform and have fun of course. It will run on Friday evenings from 5.00 - 8.00 pm.

More details on the new School are available from Andrew at AB Education on (01823) 667 726.

 

Successful first concert at PRSC

There was a first for the Sports Complex this weekend as we hosted our very first music concert.

Wellington School's Choral Scoiety performed Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with a professional orchestra and a choir made up of hundreds of teachers, pupils, former pupils, parents and friends.

Well over 400 people came to watch the event, which saw the Sports Complex and our next door neighbour - the Alan Rogers Centre - transformed into a concert venue for the evening.

The success of the event will almost certainly lead to an annual return for the School's Choral Society and more events in the future at the PRSC.

Carmina Burana comes to the PRSC

March sees a first for the Princess Royal Sports Complex as Wellington School's Choral Society performs Carmina Burana.

With a large professional orchestra and a choir of hundreds, the concert promises to be one of the largest Wellington School events of the year.

The concert takes place on Sunday 15 March at 7.30 pm.

Tickets are limited and available now from the Wellington School Music Department on (01823) 668856.

British title for Hay

Wellington Swords's fencer, Chris Hay, has won a British title at the recent British Youth Epee Championship in Stoke on Trent.

Chris had an excellent competition, starting in devastating form, crushing his opponent from the East Midlands 15/1.

He continued through the rounds to the final winning 15/9, 15/10, 15/6 against opposition from Southern, West Midlands and Wales respectively.

There he met David Burnside of Northern Ireland. Chris maintained his focus to dominant the final 15/9 and become the 2009 British Youth Champion.

Wellington fencers Jenny McGeever, Sophie Townsend and Luke Edbrook also competed in the event for the South West, finishing in third, sixth and ninth respectively.

Silver for Swords fencer

Wellington Swords are celebrating success following a sliver medal for young fencer, Jade Clarke, at the recent British Youth Foil Championships.

The event, held at RAF Cosford, attracted over 400 fencers.

Jade won her way through nine fights in the u-12's category to meet the top seed Lydia Stanier (Southern) in the final. Stanier, another left hander, was simply more experienced and powerful. 

What makes Jade's silver medal so amazing is that this is only her third competition. She is definitely one to watch in the future!

Other Wellington fencers to represent the South West were Rohan Knowles with a good result in the Boy's U12 (14/66), Simon Ames(42/64) and Tom Brain(51/64)in the Boy's U14 and Jessica Gundry in the Girl's Under 14 (36/51).

Prostar Football League in Wellington

The Princess Royal Sports Complex's Monday evening football league has been relaunched thanks to a new sponsorship deal.

The new name for the 6 a-side football league is Prostar Leagues.

The deal not only means a change of name for the league run by Soccersixes Ltd, it also brings with it benefits for local sides, including matches played with top of the range Prostar footballs, branded bibs and kits. 

League winners will now receive top quality Prostar strips, runner's up trophies as well as the top goal scorers.

Any new teams looking to get involved in the Wellington 6 a-side league, played on the facility's all-weather pitch, should contact the organisers on 0870 330 0888 or visit www.prostarleagues.com to sign up. 

PRSC hosts National League

English handball's National Development League (South) was played at the PRSC at the beginning of December.

Hosts for the event were Bristol Handball Club (pictured) and teams from London, Bath and Warwick made the trip to the South West to compete.


The PRSC is one of very few sports facilities in the UK to boast a full-sized handball court.

Results from the tournament:

Bristol 18-12 Warwick University HC
Olympia London II 25-10 Squirrels London
Bath University 16-9 Warwick University HC
Bristol 11-23 Olympia London
Squirrels London 10-21 Bristol

The next handball event at the PRSC will take place on Saturday 4 April.

Awarding winning fitness equipment

Out go the old steppers and cross trainers, to be replaced by three awarding winning Cybex Arc Trainers and a brand new stepper.

The Arc Trainer is a total unique kind of cross trainer, combining elements of a climber, cross-trainer and cross-country skier.

The science behind the Arc’s big calorie burn is the Arc motion it is definitely not a traditional elliptical cross trainer.

It engages the right muscles – quads and glutes – that demand lots of energy from the body when they are called upon to work.

That means calorie burn and, because the Arc is demanding of the muscles – not the joints, it can be used longer without putting a strain on the knees, hip or back.

At lower incline levels, the "glide" is a cross country skier.

In the mid-range levels, the motion is a "stride" (like an elliptical except with proper positioning).

At the high levels, the "climb" of a stepper or climber. One machine trains for strength, power, endurance, cardio, and weight loss.

At the high levels, the "climb" of a stepper or climber. One machine trains for strength, power, endurance, cardio, and weight loss.

Fitness Room updated

Fitness members, staff and pupils are in for a treat when they return in January, thanks to the arrival of four brand new CV machines for the PRSC fitness room.

The old Life Fitness steppers and cross trainers have gone and have been replaced with brand new equipment, all part of Wellington School's continued investment in equipment and the facilities at the PRSC.

The PRSC has continued its partnership with leading US fitness equipment supplier, Cybex International, which saw the arrival of new fitness bikes, treadmill and leg press machine in the last few years.

Tumie Ngakane will be running sessions throughout January to ensure that everybody knows exactly how the new equipment works and how to get the most out of them.