PAC News 12, 20th March 2018

PAC athletes help Dorset in Torbay Sportshall.

Of the 15 PAC athletes originally selected to compete for Dorset in the South-West Regional Championships at Paignton, six actually travelled to the event staged on Saturday March 10^th. Their points helped Dorset to finish 3^rd out of four teams.  All six will probably feature highly in their imminent track season!

Seriously cold English Schools XC in Leeds!

New Balance sponsored this annual extravaganza which drew teams from most English counties and had over 2000 finishers. Six Dorset teams travelled to Leeds with Team Manager Gavin Rusling and found a major challenge, faced with a very wet Temple Newsam Park course.  The icy weather also chilled active limbs.   A total of nine PAC athletes represented Dorset Schools. In the 4100m Junior Boys race, Josh Smith led home the Dorset Team finishing 148/346.  Mark Ruby (256) and Liam Nixon (322) supported his effort. That team finished 34/45. In the 3100m Junior Girls race, Emilie Castagna (11/342) and Ashia Wilson (26) helped the team to a brilliant 3^rd out of 44 teams vying for the “Rochdale Trophy” (it is ironic that, if they had finished 4^th, they would have won a trophy for “team outside the first three with the best 8^th place”! In all races a maximum of eight runners had to produce 6 scorers.)

Demi-Marie Goddard finished 285/339 in the IG race over 3800m and the team finished 31/43. Zac Cloete finished 295/339 in the 5200m and the IB race Team 32/44.

Harry Heffer (104/312) was 3^rd Dorset finisher and helped the SB team to rank 21/39 in their 6800m race. Isabelle Taylor (62/323) as 2^nd Dorset finisher in the SG 4100m race, helped them to rank 25/40.

Aggregate Team trophies were awarded in three (school population) size categories. The boys ranked 6^th of 12 teams, competing for the Sussex Trophy. The Dorset girls fared much better and were ranked 3^rd out of 10 teams competing for the Sydney Rose Trophy. Great thanks to Gavin and to the athletes and parents.

PAC News Continued

We hope all those who have entered for the Bournemouth AC Open at King’s Park on Sunday, March 25, do well and set a bench-mark for their 2018 season. Entries now closed!

Note that the Dorset County (Clubs) Championships will be held on Sunday, May 13th.   Entries close on April 27^th. Check the Track and Field “News” on the Dorset County AA site for updates.

Starting on Wednesday March 28^th, there will be LJ/TJ coaching on the back field from 6-7 pm, followed by a hurdles coaching session on the track from 7-8 pm. You are asked to come 15 minutes ahead of each, please.

Wheelchair athlete Heather Rowe competed in the Midlands Open at Birmingham on March 17^th. She competed in snow and a wind chill of -7C! She set two PBs; in the Shot with 3.34m and in the Discus with 8.82m. Well done Heather.

By contrast in sunny Madrid on March 19th, coach James Hind competed in the European Masters’ Indoor Championships. In the VM40 category he WON the High Jump with an indoor PB of 2.01m! That puts him just 9cm behind the existing BRITISH age-group record! No pressure!

To all u11s, u13s and u15s, starting with the BAC Open next Sunday, all athletes who represent Poole AC in competitions through the season will qualify to receive club wrist-bands showing your commitment. For one match you get a BLACK band; for 5 matches you get a WHITE band and for 10 matches you get a YELLOW band. These are the Club colours and approximately represent bronze, silver and gold!