Athletics

Orienteering reappeared as a games option this year for the first time in a decade, available to L5 and M5 pupils in Michaelmas and Lent terms. I soon found that my dwindling set of old compasses was not sufficient to cater for the group of 20+ pupils doing the sport each week. So I was very grateful when FONS agreed to fund some new ones. I took advantage of a sale to purchase 20 new compasses for £55.85, and have been using them during training sessions and at competitions throughout this term. They are perfect for teaching a range of skills to beginners; not only taking bearings and finding direction, but they also have an array of distance measuring tools along the side. They should serve the orienteering club well for many years to come. This term I’ve had a group of 10 pupils using them weekly in games sessions, and as many as 20 pupils using them at competitions at the weekend. The pupils currently involved range from Lower 3 through to Middle 5.  A highlight we have to look forward to in 2025 is that the British Championships is coming to Norwich for the first time ever. It will be held at UEA on 31st August, and hopefully lots of our pupils will take part, some armed with these new compasses!

Over the first weekend of half term, Nicholas Conway and Daniel White travelled to Boston, Lincolnshire to compete in the GB Under-19 Long Distance Trials. With 50 crews reaching this stage, they raced three times over a 3.5k course in pairs. In the first race, they were partnered with rowers assigned by the selectors. Based on their results from Run 1, they were paired with competitors ranked just above or below them for Run 2, and this process was repeated for Run 3. Daniel raced alongside rowers from Dulwich, Radley, and Shrewsbury, finishing in the late 20s for the first two runs. However, he delivered an impressive final performance, securing 17th place in Run 3. Nicholas had an outstanding set of results while racing with rowers from Canford, Bedford School, and Shiplake, progressing through the rankings with finishes of 11th, 7th, and an exceptional 5th place in the final run. Both athletes now await the selection decision for the Spring Assessment Trials in March, which will determine crews for the Munich Regatta. To progress further in the selection process for the Junior World and European Championships this summer, they must also complete a 2k ergo test and meet a required time standard to qualify for the Spring Trials in April. We wish them both the best for the luck as the Trial process continues.