46 NAVY NEWS, JUNE 2009
Next stop,
Wimbledon
‘Golden age for RN hockey’
THIS year’s B Team Inter-
Services tennis tournament was
FIRST the good news.
Despite losing six selected players in twtwoo
staged at the Portsmouth Indoor
In their centenary season, the RN hockey
days due to injuries, the RN veterans beabeat t
Tennis Centre opposite HMS
squad has been named the Senior Service
the Army 4-2 then proceeded to lose 2-3 to a to a
Temeraire.
team of the year.
resurgent RAF (who had walloped the ArArmmyy
All three Services entered
The title is reward for a sea change in the
6-3) to get the Navy’s only points on the board oard
squads for the men’s and ladies’
fortunes of Navy hockey since the turn of the
in coming second.
events, with each team fi elding
century after a fairly barren 75 years.
The veteran women, well marshalled as evever
two singles players and two
Since 2001, naval hockey players have
by Julie Voss and Lindsey Jackson, were just just
doubles pairs.
bagged six U23 indoor Inter-Service titles,
pipped 4-2 by the Army and 4-1 by the RAF RAF
Competition was fi erce and
two consecutive Inter-Service indoor titles for
– both seeming to have more younger plaayyeerrs s
the game was played to an
the seniors and four outdoor IS triumphs for
than the RN ladies, most of whom were playing ying
encouragingly high standard.
the men – 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008 – while
20 years ago or more.
The RN men’s team saw an all-
a navy command team has reached a national
Disappointing scores came out of the RN RN
RM line-up. The singles matches
final for five years on the trot.
senior men. At 2-2 vs the RAF, the next team eam
were held on the fi rst day, with
“After a long wait for success, the last fi ve
to score would win it.
Cpl Greg Andrews and Cpl Ryan
years has been a golden age for RN hockey
After a yellow card to the RN, the airmmen en
Nast taking on their RAF and
and this reached a peak in 2008 with the
took a 3-2 lead and then while the Navy wwere ere
Army opponents.
Navy men at both senior and junior level
thinking about it, the RAF had the temerity to ty to
Having been selected for the
winning the indoor and outdoor Inter-Service
get a fourth in the dying seconds.
Zimbabwe Davis Cup squad
competitions,” said Lt Cdr Alan Walker,
No problem. ‘Just beat the Army 3-0 and it’d it’s s
before he joined the Corps, Cpl
RNHA secretary.
ours’ was the confi dent view in the RN campmp..
Andrews played in the No.1
And so promptly crowned team of the year,
The Navy went 1-0 up – on track, one one
slot and found himself against
now the bad news. Well, not so much bad as
thought. The Army equalised 1-1 – oh deardear.
an Army player with a similar
disappointing.
Press forward chaps – need to win 4-1 nonoww.
pedigree.
Several days of splendid weather helped to
Oh dear – left holes at the back, Army got a got a
At the end of the singles round, put pay to the Navy’s hopes of retaining – and
second. Got to win 5-2 – oh there’s the fifi nal nal
the Army were fi rmly in the improving upon, their splendid record in the
whistle.
lead having won all four of their Inter-Services
Not the Navy’s year this time. The ArArmmy y
matches. The RN as hosts have, after all, performed
lost everything in their centenary year in 2008.008.
The RN team fared much incredibly well in the current two-day format:
The Navy seem to have done the same in their their
better on the second day. Cpls having watched the RAF play the Army at four
anniversary season.
Andrews and Nast were joined by levels on day one, the Navy play the losers on
But through it all the sun shone, the occasion asion
Sgt Glyn Luke and Mne Ashley the morning of the second day and the winners
sparkled, the organisation ticked along without hout
Hicks for the doubles matches. in the afternoon.
major mishap, and 250 Navy, Army, and d
Each pair won one out of their After three successive defeats of the RAF
RAF players all stayed till 6pm for the e
two matches, with Andrews and at the indoors in three years, this year the
presentations ceremony.
Nast comfortably beating the rapidly-improving RN women had begun to
The evening before, 120 people enjoyed d
RAF in the fi nal contest of the fancy having a crack at them outdoors.
a splendid centenary cocktail party aboard ard
weekend, consequently securing They found a well-organised RAF outfi t
HMS Warrior.
second place overall for the Navy. ready for them, being handed a 4-0 defeat in
Having emerged victorious last the fi rst match. The ladies then ran out of legs ● Retired CPO Paul Congerton challenges
year it had been hoped to retain on a lovely warm afternoon to lose 8-0 to the Wg Cdr Neil Powell during the veterans
the title, but the Army team were rampant Army. match, won 4-3 by the RAF. In the
too strong this time, winning The U23s dreadfully missed half a dozen background three grandees of Royal Navy
seven of their 12 matches. Royals in Afghanistan and fared just the same, hockey – former CPO(PTI) Harry Pimblett,
Nevertheless, the RN side losing a close game with the RAF then also Lt Cdr John Coley and Capt Nick Batho –
showed considerable potential, running out of legs in the second match of the look on
which will be developed during day – again to the Army but by 9-0. Picture: Keith Woodland, HMS Collingwood
the coming months with a
bespoke training programme
provided for the Navy’s
leading players each month in
Portsmouth.
Having been unable to fi eld a
Things can only get better
team last year the ladies B team
made a welcome return to the
Inter-Service arena.
THE 2009 golf season has
of the Army in September at the CPO Richard McInstray (HMS enthralling foursomes combination the next match.
Captained by Lt Cdr Sophie
opened in disappointing
Inter-Service Championships, Shoreham), LS Connor Macleod, in the morning where no less than This year’s Navy Championships
Shaughnessy, the team was a
fashion with both the
drawing the same opposition in (HMS Neptune) and WO Shaun 11 birdies were enjoyed between will be held at Hesketh Golf Club,
mixture of returning players and
the fi rst round of this event meant Matthews (HMS Montrose). them before an honourable half Southport, from June 22-26.
some new blood.
men’s and ladies teams a tough start to the competition. The overall loss by 3½ points was declared on the fi nal green. For those not selected for
CPO Di Roast led the singles suffering signifi cant
However, the team performed to 17½ stresses the strength of the King went on to an equally command teams, opportunities
but, despite some spirited tennis,
losses.
admirably in beating the strong opposition and the management exciting fi nal green singles win exist to enter as an individual
the Navy team did not manage to
On the positive side, a
Army six, thus gaining fi rst blood were happy with the majority of in the afternoon, and Merralls (handicap limit 10).
carry any wins.
development coaching weekend
for the season. aspects from the weekend. would have done the same had This year’s event will, for the
The second day saw the new
Unfortunately, the same form The men then went north to the it not been for a ‘miracle’ shot fi rst time, incorporate the ladies
was held at Southwick Park,
talent in the form of Lt Cdr
could not be repeated in the popular fi xture against Leeds and from his opponent on the 18th and any lady golfer interested in
writes Cdr Gary Skinns, Secretary
Debra Vout and Cdr Diane
afternoon and the team was left District Golf Union. hole. His halved match was still a playing should contact the ladies’
RNGA.
Stewart USN as the second
to win the consolation prize on Traditional Yorkshire hospitality considerable achievement. secretary, Lt Cdr Debra Vout on
The event attracted 13 players
double pair. The ladies went out
Sunday. is always in abundant supply Two more players from the 93832 3521.
with three current squad members
fi ghting and, despite not winning
Three weeks later saw the during this weekend and the development were given a taste of Men should contact Cdr Skinns
and ten prospective players.
a match, both pairs gave the
traditional annual match against members of Garforth Golf Club competitive representative golf. on 9380 27880.
Under the tuition of Eddy
other two Services a run for their
Cornwall played this year at West were no exception. Lt Al Woodward (824 NAS)
Rawlings, the local professional,
money; the Army came out as the
Cornwall Golf Club, St Ives. After a very friendly match on showed signifi cant promise but
eventual winners.
all aspects of the game were
The RN team included three the Saturday in which the Royal found the step-up in standard
It was an encouraging start
addressed bringing out some
Dan-tastic
players from the development Navy achieved a rare win, a very diffi cult and would be the fi rst to
to the season but there is a lot
interesting fi ndings.
weekend – ABs Joe Andrews social evening together with host admit that work needs to be done;
of work to be done if the squad
The outcome of the weekend was
(HMS Drake) and David Thomas players and partners was enjoyed. Mne Jamie O’Reilly has enjoyed
are going to have a chance of
that a very encouraging number of
judo trip
(HMS Edinburgh) and PO Peter The next day saw the RN pitched county golf in the past and with
winning the Inter-Service A Team
possible Royal Navy representative
Thompson (814 NAS). against the strongest Union side in more practice and play should
players were identifi ed and will be
While all three acquitted the history of the event. With their prove to be a signifi cant addition
THE RN judo squad headed to
championships at Wimbledon
invited to test themselves under
themselves well, Thomas was the ‘worst’ player enjoying a handicap to the squad.
Jersey for three days of intensive
later in the year.
competitive conditions in the near
pick of the bunch, playing the fi nal of 1.6, results were always going to Back to Southwick Park and the
training ahead of the 2009 season.
More details on that – and
future.
hole of his singles with unexpected hard to come by. RN Ladies were in action against
Thoroughly prepared, the
training and fi xtures, including
Over that same weekend, a team experience and apparent lack of So it was to prove with some the local club side.
RN-RM squad then grappled
warm-weather camps and
of six travelled to the tough links nerves to halve with his opponent. fairly heavy defeats suffered by With a very inexperienced
with two Jersey and two
tours abroad – contact RNLTA
course at Burnham and Berrow to New RNGA captain LNN Scott the RN players. Two exceptions team, SPNRC ladies proved to be
Guernsey teams, then took on
secretary, Cdr Alan Church
compete in the prestigious Brent Gilbert (MDHU Portsmouth) led were CPO Steve King (DES Bath) far too strong and the RN were
a Channel Islands’ select side
(02392 724193) or visit www.
Knoll Bowl. from the front with an excellent and AET Craig Merralls (AES on the end of, what for them, was
(themselves in preparation for the
navytennis.co.uk.
Having suffered a rather singles victory and there were Sultan). an unusual 4-0 defeat. Hopefully
World Island Games).
In all five encounters, the
President’s
humiliating defeat at the hands also good performances from The two paired up in an some of the regulars will return in
Service judo players came out
on top – despite many first-team
sole effort
The A, B and sea of gig racing
regulars unable to attend due to
global commitments.
That, said trip organiser
4th Dan CPO John Thacker,
A TEAM from HMS President encouraged some outstanding
joined walkers from across the performances from some of
globe on the lanes and roads of the less-experienced players,
Northamptonshire in preparation notably ABs Alex Stocker (HMS
for a slog around Flanders. Nottingham) and Andy Ireson
The Waendel international (Sultan) and Lt Cdr John Baxter
walk – offering distances from (Northwood) who had only
five up to 42 kilometres (three to recently taken up the sport.
26 miles) – is a three-day warm- There was more than just a
up for the Ypres 100 (cunningly trophy at stake in the final event
enough a 100km – 62-mile – in Jersey: this was a very personal
‘stroll’ centred on the historic contest for the RN team.
Belgian market town).
NO, NOT a recreation of the infamous air station’s gig club headed to the Scillies. clubs who were pleased to see Culdrose
They were competing for the
The half dozen or so reservists
Cambridge team sinking during the 1978 boat There the three Seahawk teams, A, B and competing again after a few years’ absence due
inaugural John Manuel Memorial
from the London unit were the
race, but RNAS Culdrose’s B squad – from Ladies, faced competition from 119 other gig to operational commitments.
Trophy, named in honour of Sgt
sole RN representatives in the
left to right, Andy Tullin, Simon Mitchell, teams in four gruelling races played out in “I’m particularly proud of the effort and
John ‘Manny’ Manuel, a mainstay
event.
Mark Goulborn, Rolf Newton, Ross Elston, challenging conditions. achievement especially as the majority had
of judo in the Senior Service
You can find out more about
Jeff Smith and Robyn Pyne – struggling with As befits their status, the A team posted the never raced before, and I’m grateful to those
who was killed in action in
endurance walking in the Senior
choppy waters off the Isles of Scilly at the 2009 best results, taking 68th position overall. The B club members who could not make the
Afghanistan in December.
Service at uk.groups.yahoo.
World Pilot Gig Championships. squad were 13 places behind them, while the championships but contributed by making up
More details on RN judo are
com/group/RNR-Walking-
After a few months training since reforming Ladies took 96th position. the numbers for training sessions prior to the
available from CPO Thacker on
Expeds/
at the end of 2008, 22 members of the Helston A warm welcome was extended from other event,” said club captain Steve Cass.
01743 232541 or rnjudo.com.
046_NN_June.indd 1 19/5/09 15:49:24
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