Active Magazine // December 2012

! Look hot on the piste E E

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The latest skiing fashion in our sizzling snowy shoot ISSUE 6 // DECEMBER 2012

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

ISSUE 6 // DECEMBER 2012

Our Top 10

WINTER WALKS

Abes?

Ilicupe riptilictam ne noro Work off that xmas excess with our bultorio vius acci sed ni fure favourite local routes

Plus

From small acorns...

Oakham FC grows

Women’s health Eat better and get into that LBD

School sports Results from around Stamford, Oakham and Uppingham www.theACTIVEmag.com 6

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LEGACY

1558 LEG-December Active Full Page Advert-Final_LEG-December Active Full Page Advert 23/11/2012 09:37 Page 1

The Perfect Place For All Your Christmas Gifts

Beautiful vintage attire including fabulous furs, handbags, antiques & vintage jewels.

LATE SHOPPING December 6th until 9pm.

Do join us for mince pies and mulled wine throughout December

We wish all of our customers a very happy and peaceful yuletide!

Legacy, 11 High Street, Uppingham, LE15 9QB Tel: 01572 822500

Editor’s Letter HOW MUCH EXTRA WADDING WILL you manage to pack on this month? If you’re anything like me, then December is a month guaranteed to be full of booze, pies, meat and potatoes. And it’s absolutely great. But it does mean that the honed physique, chiselled after months of sweat and dedication, might start to soften at the edges, the six-pack morphs into a one barrel and those first explosively sprinted few yards might tend more towards the damp squib.

It’s OK though – there’s no need to feel guilty. In the Book of Active, life is for living and that means playing hard, training hard and partying hard.

So this month we offer a fine balance of all those things in one magazine. First off, we have sent our man Hetherington off to find 10 fantastic local walks to help work off some of that excess and get you out and about over the festive period with friends, dogs and even the family. And being the sort of chap he is, he’s even suggested some great pubs along the way.

Also, Rich Beach has been out on his bike, looking at ways of making winter wheeling more enjoyable and safe, while our photoshoot this month features the best skiing gear locally, as thoughts start to turn to heading to the slopes. Ever resourceful, we found snow in Kings Cliffe for the shoot, too.

So as the year ends, I’d like to say a massive thank-you to everyone who has contributed, advertised and read the first six months of Active. We’ve had an amazing response to the magazine and it has been an incredible experience to launch such a thing.

So Merry Christmas and see you in the new year – perhaps a little bit portlier though….

Thanks, Steve

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

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 Contributors Martin Johnson, William Hetherington, Dean Cornish, Jon Tyrell, Alexa Cutteridge, Fiona Hurlingham, Rich Beach, Sandie Hurford, Jeremy Beswick, Alex Flint, Julia Dungworth, Simon Cooper Photographers Nico Morgan, Jonathan Clarke, Harry Measures Production Assistant Abigail Sharpe Advertising Sales Rachel Meadows rachel@theactivemag.com Paula Scott paula@theactivemag.com Sarah Elmore sarah@theactivemag.com Accounts Amy Roberts amy@theactivemag.com 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 Disclaimer Copyright (c) Grassroots Publishing Limited, 2012. 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 Grassroots Publishing Limited. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Grassroots Publishing Limited 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, Grassroots Publishing Limited 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 to us and for ensuring that the material complies with applicable laws. Grassroots Publishing Limited 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 A CLUB FOR LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE

Stamford group aims to get together and try new things

16 I STAPLEFORD PARK PROMOTION Exclusive country pursuits weekends

Issue 6 /// December 2012

22

17 I BUSHELL DOES THE DOUBLE AGAIN

James Bushell scoops two world jet ski titles

HEADS UP 18-19 I KITBAG

All the best gear and gadgets

21 I MARTIN JOHNSON

The Sunday Times sports writer on cricket tests in India

53

55

44

30

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FEATURES 22-29 I SKI FASHION

As we all know, skiing is as much about looking good than being good. We choose the best kit to look cool on the slopes

30-37 I GREAT WALKS

Active’s keen walker Will Hetherington picks 10 great walks to help you burn off the extra calories this Christmas

44-45 I FROM SMALL ACORNS...

... Mighty Oaks may grow. Dean Cornish reports on the ambitious Oakham United

REGULARS 51 I FITNESS

Personal trainer Mark Gordon looks at how Team GB developed strengthening drills to boost performance

53 I SPORTSMAN’S DINNER

Dean and JT dig out their passports and leave Stamford for the heights of Medbourne and the Cinnamon Lounge

57 I MANAGEMENT IN SPORT

Mary Brooks of MAP Knowledge advises on how to use ‘downtime’ to your advantage

ROUND UPS 58-59 I SCHOOL SPORTS

A round up of what’s going on in local school sports

60-65 I ROUND UP

How clubs in the Stamford and Rutland area are getting on

16

66 I STALWART

Oakham Cricket Club’s Malcolm Rawlings

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In Play

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Side-saddle style Photograph: Nico Morgan

The Opening Meet at The Quorn Hunt Kennels last month included what is believed to be a record number of 40 side-saddle riders, organised by Leicestershire side-saddle doyenne Emma Brown.

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In Play

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Escaping the Rat Race

Photograph: Rat Race Dirty Weekend

20 miles, 20 zones and 200 obstacles: on May 11 2013, Burghley Park will play host to the world’s largest obstacle course: the Rat Race Dirty Weekend. You can enter individually or as a team and then party the night away in the park. Visit www.ratracedirtyweekend.com for details.

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25/11/2012 11:21

Ne wf r om MAPKnowl e dgeL i mi t e d-Vi r t ualCol l e ge

120+onl i neE L e ar ni ngc our s e sf r om £15.

00 B u s i n e s sL e ade r san dMan age r s , Man age r sT o o l k i t , He al t han dS af e t yc o u r s e s , L e anc o u r s e s , F o o dS af e t yan dHy gi e n e , He al t hCar e , Ho u s i n g, T r ade s , S af e gu ar di n gAdu l t s , Wo r k i n gwi t hCh i l dr e n Ci t yandGui l dsac c r e di t e d/ appr o v e d-an d/ o rCP Dc e r t i f i e d

T ak ean oo bl i gat i o nl o o ko n l i n e– wat c hde mo so fe ac hc o u r s ebe f o r ebu y i n g F o rOr gan i s at i o n al o rI n di v i du al su s e " y o ua s k e d-wel i s t e n e d-we ` v ep r o v i d e di t " T h el i s t e n i n gt h i n g: “ c an ’ tf i n dwh aty o uar el o o k i n gf o r ? ” I fy o uh av eas u bj e c tar e af o rano n l i n ec o u r s ey o uwo u l dl i k eu st opr o v i deo nt h i spo r t al J u s tt e l l u s -wewi l l l i s t e nan ddowh atwec ant opr o v i dei tf o ry o u

News

Meet Up group forms in Stamford Social network group for those who want to try new things with like-minded people A NEW GROUP HAS BEEN FORMED in Stamford for those looking to join like-minded active people.

Part of the social network of more than 100.000 groups with 17 million members worldwide, ‘Meet Up’ groups can be event specific – surfing, walking, cycling – or do a bit of everything, both social and active.

Organiser Robert Blake said: “The Stamford group aims to put on a range of adventure activities including walks, cycling, taster sessions for various sports like sailing and skiing. One of the big advantages with these types of events is we can negotiate discounts for having a large group size.

“So basically if people like what we are about and doing then they can join for free and do more of their passions more of the time with likeminded people who like to be active.”

The aim of the group is to have a diverse range of friendly meet ups such as concerts at the Corn Exchange and Arts Centre, cinema visits, restaurant nights and some more adventurous meet-ups like kayaking, karting, rock climbing, white water ra ing or bike rides.

But the group is encouraging new ideas for meet-ups, which could range from a quiz night down the pub to a base camp Everest trek.

Robert continued: “This is what makes the meet-up concept so diverse and wonderful,

Rutland golf marketing role THE LEICESTERSHIRE and Rutland County Golf Partnership is looking for a golf marketing/social media volunteer.

The role will be to help bring more people into the game of golf. They are recruiting a homebased marketing/social media volunteer to help with publicity and promotion of golf across the counties.

The volunteer will work with LRCU officers and the development officers to update and improve social media communications.

Experience in marketing and or social media would be ideal, as would good communication skills and a passion for golf.

The partnership says the role would be ideal for a student looking for a high quality volunteering placement.  For more information email lrcgp@hotmail.co.uk

Santa on the shore

FATHER CHRISTMAS will be at Rutland Watersports, on Sundays 2, 9, 16 and 23 December.

The cost for each session is £15 per child, with fun indoor art and cra activity, a powerboat ride with Santa’s elves, and a visit to Santa with a gi and chocolate from his tree. The Elves exclusive experience, without the arts and cra s is £10 per child, while for £5 you can go straight to the grotto.

The organisers say booking is preferable, and all pre-booked places will receive ‘a suitable age and gender related gi ’ from Santa. Children under five must be accompanied by an adult.  Phone Rutland Watersports on 01780 460154 for more information.

different from anything else with the door to new opportunities being opened up all the time. So it’s a win-win really.

“New faces will always be welcome, whatever your age or situation. Would be great to grow a new group in this area of like minded, friendly individuals who just want to get the most out of life but sometimes feel ‘snookered’ by circumstances when friends are busy, or don’t share your interests.”  Interested? You can find more about the group on its website: www.meetup.com/StamfordSocial-Adventure-Group or email organisers robert_blake_2003@yahoo.co.uk or gillianfenton35@yahoo.co.uk

STOKE ROCHFORD GC RAISE NEARLY £3,000 FOR ARTHRITIS GROUP THIRTY NINE PLAYERS from Stoke Rochford Golf Club travelled to Nottinghamshire last week to take part in a charity golf day that raised nearly £3,000 for the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society.

The annual fund-raising event was organised by Stoke Rochford’s vicecaptain, Peter Gill, and played at Stanton on the Wolds Golf Club (south of Nottingham) which was in excellent condition despite recent heavy rain.

A total of 88 players took part in a pairs better-ball stableford competition off three-quarters handicap, with Mark Parry and Keith Allen from The Nottinghamshire Golf Club emerging victorious with a score of 45 points.

Stoke Rochford vice-captain, Peter Gill, said: “I would like to thank everyone who took part on the day and helped us raise £2,800.

“This is the fourth year we have held the event and the support offered from players and clubs donating prizes is amazing.

“One of the golfers taking part raised more than £400 by himself” Peter added: “It’s not just about raising money but also raising awareness of the fantastic unsung charity which offers support to more than three-quarters of a million people in the UK plus more than 16,000 young people that suffer with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.”

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News

Cycle to the sea and support charities Century Cycle Challenge seeks riders for 100-mile ride from Leicestershire to Norfolk and back THE ORGANISERS OF THE CENTURY CYCLE Challenge 2013 charity bike ride are looking for participants to take part.

On Saturday, May 4, 2013, dozens of riders will set off from Nevill Holt in Leicestershire and head to Norfolk and back over a 100-mile route.

For the less fit or for children, there are also 50 and 25-mile cycle ride options, and there is also an a er party at the finish line to celebrate completion of the ride.

The Century Cycle Challenge is supporting three charities in 2013: the Teenage Cancer Trust, Open Hands and The British Heart Foundation, although riders can choose their own charity to support if they wish.

All registration forms and entry payments must be received by Friday, February 22, 2013.

To take part, simply complete the online registration form at www.centurycyclechallenge. co.uk

Ladies’ choir hits high notes HANDFUL OF HARMONIES, A LADIES CHOIR that began as a six-week session in the village hall at Langto is growing fast and going from strength to strength.

With six groups, Langto , Bourne, Market Deeping, Stamford, Peterborough and Spalding and a new one starting in Oundle in the New Year, they meet regularly to sing for pleasure.

With members totalling more than 250 they even cut their first DVD of the Lloyd Webber/Gary Barlow Jubilee Song to celebrate their first year.

Their musical director, Andrew Clingo, applied to take some of the ladies to perform in the West End at Her Majesties Theatre at the beginning of October, and they have been asked to return at the beginning of this month.

In addition to an already full diary of local performances the choir have begun to rehearse their ‘London’ repertoire.

If you are interested in joining this group of ladies take a look at the website www.handfulofharmonies. co.uk or contact the office on 01778 345857

FANCY REPRISING BRIEF ENCOUNTER? You can enjoy the romance of the golden age of steam this Valentine’s Day with a trip on the Nene Valley railways.

They are offering a Valentine’s dinner on February 14, leaving at 7pm. For £39.95 per head the railway will supply the location, the food and even a glass of something bubbly... as well as the obligatory red rose.

Visit www.nvr.org.uk for information.

WIN! A TIGERS MASCOT EXPERIENCE Rare chance for one lucky youngster to walk out with the team at Welford Road LEICESTER TIGERS is offering one lucky under 16 the chance to run out in front of a packed crowd at Welford Road as an official Leicester Tigers mascot when Tigers take on London Wasps in the LV= Cup in the last weekend of January.

The lucky mascot will take home with them the once in a lifetime experience of running out with the Leicester Tigers team.

As well as this each mascot gets a new home kit to keep, a complimentary match programme with their photo in and we’ll also give the winning mascot four tickets so that they can enjoy the game with friends or family.

Mascot opportunities don’t come around very o en, they are normally picked from the Junior Tiger Club, the free VIP club for fans under 16 at Leicester Tigers sponsored by Crusha.

But this month, exclusively for Active magazine readers, all juniors who sign up to the Junior Tigers Club before the deadline of January 8, 2013, will be entered into a separate draw for even more chances to win this incredible experience.

Winners will be notified by January 11, 2013. All children must be accompanied by an adult on the day.

For more information on the Junior Tigers Club and the FREE Matchday VIP Area with Crusha milkshake bar, face-painting, games, player appearances and more go to www.leicestertigers.com/jtc

TO ENTER Visit: www.leicestertigers.com/theactivemag

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Feature /// Sports awards

NIGHT OF

CHAMPIONS ANNE POLLOCK SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

sponsored by Active

Captain of Rutland Hockey’s Ladies first team, Anne scored 20 goals in 22 appearances in the Cambridgeshire Premier League last season. She is leading the team in the 2012-2013 season, which is currently unbeaten and top of the league.

The very best in the county were honoured at the Active Rutland Community Sports Awards 2012. More than 180 people attended, with Catmose Sports Centre giving each winner a month’s free membership, while Olympic torchbearer Nia Durant and GB Hockey bronze medallist Nicola White were there to talk to guests.To get involved in next year’s event, either for nominations or sponsorship, call Chloe Bond 01572 720936 or email cbond@rutland.gov.uk.

Visit www.activerutland.org.uk for more information

LIAM WATKINSON SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

sponsored by Active

A member of Oakham TaeKwon-Do Club and a 2nd degree black belt, at 17 years old Liam is not only a highly successful competitor on the national circuit, but is also part of the international circuit competing as part of the England squad.

HOLLY NEWTON

CALLUM ROWLEY

MEGAN ROWLEY

YOUNG SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

YOUNG SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR Another member of Vale Judo Club, Callum Rowley won a silver medal in the under 50kg category of the British Judo Welsh Nationals, took fi h place in the British Judo National Championships and the British Schools National Championships, and is hoping to get a call to join the English Cadet Squad.

JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

Holly is a member of the Vale Judo Club and is a seasoned campaigner on the national and international scene, and is o en to be found on a medal podium. She is also a part of the England cadet squad having won the British Schools National Championships.

Megan is another of Vale Judo Club’s stars and this year won the British National championships, was a silver medallist at the Welsh nationals and won a gold medal in the team event at the Samurai Green belt and Champion of the Vaskcup Molkom in Sweden.

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BEN JENNINGS

SIMON HARLE

JUNIOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

DISABLED SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR

ACTIVE FOR LIFE AWARD

A member of Rutland Sailing Club, Ben has been selected for the RYA North of England U15 squad, is GB’s top Under 14 Topper sailor and is on the Royal Yachting Association Olympic pathway. At regional level he came first in the RYA North of England squad racing series.

Simon, a member of Rutland Sailability, has represented Great Britain in world championships, with a first place in Melbourne, Australia, and also representing England at the European championships in Italy, as well as sailing for GB in the Olympic class regatta.

Nominated by her husband Nick and son William, six months ago Samantha was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. By giving up a 20-a-day smoking habit and going to the gym three times a week as well as taking regular strenuous walks, Samantha has transformed her fitness.

TRACEY TAYLOR

RICHARD AUCIELLO

RUTLAND ROCKETS NETBALL CLUB

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

COACH OF THE YEAR

CLUB OF THE YEAR

A 6th degree black belt in Taekwon-do, making him an international instructor, Richard runs clubs in Stamford and Rutland, and his students take part in the national and international championships. He’s also head coach of the GTUK England squad.

The club was formed following the success of the Youth Games 2012, and no other netball club existed in Rutland for young people. Now the club has 80 members, from six to adult. Last season the teams entered the junior netball league in Leicester, while the under 14s represented Leicester and Rutland.

KETTON HEALTHY WALKING GROUP

ALAN WESTRAY

RUTLAND COUNTY NETBALL

COMMUNITY AWARD

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

SPORTS PROJECT OF THE YEAR

Founded by Andy Bird and Ron Tilley, with the help of Joyce Bird, the club attracts 40-50 walkers every week in Ketton and ‘out of village’ healthy walks are organised once a month. They also host the Rutland Walking Festival every year which attracts more than 300 local people and visitors to the county.

Alan is chairman of Cottesmore Amateurs FC and has served as a player, manager, groundsman and secretary at the club for almost 50 years, Alan’s devotion to the club over the years has ensured that several generations have been able to play football in the village.

The league, founded by Tina Sayers and formed in November 2011, has reintroduced more than 120 women back to the sport. Many of these women had not played netball since school. The second season started in October with 12 teams, all of which were formed from scratch.

Without the 15 hours a week Tracey puts in, there would be no mixed hockey league in Leicestershire and Rutland. She organises training, league games, kit and transport, as well as sorting committees, managing the registration of clubs and players, and scheduling games.

SAMANTHA HARVEY

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Active promotion /// Stapleford Park

A break in the country Stapleford Park offers Country Pursuits Break for two from £160 per person AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT FROM A COUNTRY ESTATE of such high calibre, traditional English field sports have a long history at Stapleford Park. The 500 acres of beautiful Leicestershire countryside that surround the estate are the perfect setting for a wide number of country pursuits many of which they continue to offer today.

The finest and most traditional of British field sports together with some of the more modern and adventurous stand side by side at Stapleford Park to the delight of house guests.

From shooting to horse riding, falconry to mountain biking, there is plenty to keep the more active occupied. The meanders of the River Eye together with the lake, provide tranquillity whilst the extensive grounds permit the classic and heraldic sport of archery to be learned and practiced.

Guests can now experience country pursuits first hand with a Country Pursuits Break for two at Stapleford Park Country House Hotel. Guests can choose between either falconry, clay pigeon shooting or archery.

Falconry is regarded one of the oldest and most aristocratic field sports. It has long been known as the Sport of Kings, and the falcon has traditionally been a gi between royalty through the years.

Stapleford Park continues this grand sport with our Falconer Pete Sibson and his fleet of Falcons, Hawks, Owls and Eagles. Watch the cunning birds in action, as they take flight and display their majestic wings.

Guided by highly experienced Malcolm Davison, Stapleford Park’s Director of Country Pursuits, and friendly staff, you will enjoy the thrill of shooting clay pigeons with breathtaking views of Stapleford’s magnificent parklands.

Stapleford Park have unrivalled facilities for archery; with a personal tutor, Brian Abel, to closely watch you

with his expert eye while he guides you in the intricacies of the ancient sport. You will find learning at Stapleford Park an enjoyable experience and if you are already experienced, you can entertain some friendly rivalry.

The offer includes a three-course dinner from the House Menu for two people and accommodation in one of the individually designed bedrooms.

All guests have use of our swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, gymnasium and tennis courts as well as complimentary WiFi and a Stapleford Park breakfast.

THE HAWK WALK Another great experience at Stapleford Park’s School of Falconry is the Hawk Walk, a hand’s on experience with falconer Peter Sibson and Bobby the Harris Hawk or one of his friends.

Learn all about the hawk and experience his natural predatory skills as he flies free through the trees tops.

Bobby is only 10 years old and has been with us for three years. He is one of Peter’s rehabilitated birds.

Having been taken under Peter’s wing, so to speak, Bobby has grown in confidence and surprised Peter with his forgiving nature.

The Hawk Walk is £65 for an individual, £100 for a couple or £175 for a family (up to two adults and four children under 18).

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News

Q&A Bushell does the double again Local jet ski champion retains double world title. By Rich Beach ENGINEERING DIRECTOR and partner at Tallington-based 158 Performance, James Bushell has just returned from Arizona in America with his jet ski double world championship title secured for another year. James is the first ever pro rider to win both the Pro Open and the Pro GP classes two years running. This is also the eighth consecutive International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) title for the 28-year old local. Active caught five minutes with the man at the 158 Performance workshop in Tallington...

You’ve been pretty busy again this year. This double world title must be the icing on the cake?

Yes, it is. I won the British title, then the European title in Austria earlier this month, which I had to contend while injured with a damaged knee ligament a er a high-speed tumble. But I managed to defend my two titles and go to the world finals in the best possible way.

How long does a race last and how does it work?

It’s no different to other motor sport, like F1 or bike racing, where you race alongside others for a certain number of laps, and the first over the line wins. The only real difference is that the track surface is forever changing, with the wind and the wake from the other skis. There can be a bit of paint swapping and contact, with 20 of you on the water at the same time, and obviously the odd crash. We are getting up to speeds around 90mph. It’s very physical in the way you are a dynamic part of the cra , using your body as a counterweight to control the ski in the turns.

the end of the final race. A quick ski helps, and mine goes from 0-80mph in two seconds.

Is your jet ski specially modified for racing?

There are different classes with different restrictions, but in the GP class you simply have an engine capacity and weight limit, just like in MotoGP. What you then do is up to you. Mine is a turbocharged Sea-Doo RXT with full carbonfibre hull. The standard RXT, as sold in our shop for £15,000, puts out 260bhp and weighs 360kg. Mine makes 520bhp and weighs just 250kg.

So what’s next for you, or is that it for this year?

No, there’s one more title to go for this year – the World Cup Grand Prix in Thailand this month. I’ll continue training for that and developing our showroom and hire centre at Tattershall Lakes, where anyone can come down and have go on the same kind of Sea-Doo jet ski I compete with.

TRY IT OUT YOURSELF 158 Performance hires Sea-Doo jet skis from its showroom at Tattershall Lakes Country Park, where it has a 45-acre lake for you to have a go.

Jet ski hire is £50 an hour including wet suit, buoyancy aid and helmet, and includes the basic instruction, o en from the reigning world champion himself.

You must be over 18, unless you bring your own watercra .

Call Tattershall Lakes Country Park on 01526 348800, or 158 Performance on 01778 341144 to learn more about Sea-Doo jet skis.

What’s your secret to winning?

Getting the holeshot (leading away from the start) and getting away first so you don’t have to deal with anyone else’s wake! I was pretty much half a lap ahead of everyone else by

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Feature /// Gear

Kitbag

Got the idea, but no gear?

Here’s some great sporting stuff to spend your hard-earned on

Margo Selby Pink Throw A stunning designer throw for instant impact. This multi-coloured pink and red throw has been designed in the Margo Selby studio and then carefully woven in Scotland, made from fine lambswool yarns and woven in a multi-coloured geometric weave structure.

From The Wool Room, Stamford Price £230

Nike Mercurial Vapour VIII CR We all want to be Cristiano Ronaldo, with his good looks, skill and incredible humility. Well, now you can wear his boots, which feature a heart (representing a love of winning) overlaid with an X (representing a hatred of losing), to reflect Cristiano’s philosophy From Nike.com Price £160

North Face Shellista women’s lace boots An ideal boot for snow-bound streets, these boots wrap legs and feet up in insulated comfort. Seam-sealed and cemented construction leaves the boots waterproof, while Primalo Eco insulation add warmth.

From Precision Outdoors Price £103

Volkl V-WERKS RTM 84 Carbon, aramid and titanium combine for the ultimate performance ski, that is 15% lighter than its predecessor. And they’ll look great stood up against the bar too.

From Volkl stockists Price £1,300

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North Face Men’s boot

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For next year’s tour to Australia, suppliers adidas have gone back to a more traditional looking shirt with a white colour and ‘tonal hoop’ design as a link back to the hooped jersey from 1891 and 1888.

From local stockists Price £55

Little Life Animal Daysack This brilliant range feature adorable daysacks which add a touch of fun while still holding an amazing amount of stuff, combined with a safety rein which gives crucial parental control when you’re out and about. We like this dinosaur one.

From Rutlandoutdoor.com Price £16.99

Callaway Razr Fit Xtreme In the depth of winter, golfers’ thoughts turn to how next season might fare better.

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From Callaway stockists Price £350 (est)

Ugg Foxley earmuffs Ugg might be experts at keeping your feet warm, but they’re applying their skills up top too with these sheepskin earmuffs with a suede headband. Cosy.

From Cavells Price £75

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Guest column

Iron Bottoms, donkeys playing billiards, and the odd spot of cricket...

The Sunday Times sports correspondent Martin Johnson on the surrealism of playing and watching cricket in India hen England last won a Test series in India, a quarter of a century ago, there was only one player the locals wanted to see. “Iron Bottom! Iron Bottom!” they shouted, which we initially took be sage advice on what’s required to survive the trip, before realising what they wanted was Ian Botham’s autograph.

His signature would still be among the most sought after, even 27 years on, as a Sky Sports pundit, except that Sky – thanks to the Indian Cricket Board demanding a shed load of cash to allow their cameras into the ground – are actually commentating from London.

This means that the men behind the microphone have been setting their alarm for about 3am, which is the time Botham is usually getting into a bed rather than out of one.

No wonder, then, that he was pretty grumpy when analysing England’s performance after the opening Test.

Mind you, he’d have been even grumpier had he been in Ahmedabad, which might just about qualify as a spa town, but only if you were there on holiday from Chernobyl.

Neither would his Beefyness have enjoyed his dinner very much. In a Muslim town drier than a ship’s biscuit, if you ask the drinks waiter for something a bit stronger, all you’ll get is an extra squeeze of citrus in your lime soda.

In which case, you can sit in a Sky TV studio all you like analysing where it all went wrong, but the fact is you can put a large percentage of it down to simply being in India. There isn’t a tour like it, and anyone who’s made the morning bus trip to the ground – more suicide run than relaxing journey – will understand why so many England batsmen performed as though their brains had been scrambled.

The best thing you can do is not look out the window, and certainly not to open one, when too deep a breath can leave your lungs requiring the services of a chimney sweep. There are no rules... only the donkeys proceed at a sedate pace, largely because they are loaded down with vegetables,

W

furniture and just about anything that can be carried.

Including, and this one made me blink twice, a billiard table.

Then, should you make it safely back to the hotel, you find that your single room has been re-allocated as a twin, which you are now sharing with a brown rat the size of a badger. I have the photo to prove it.

If I can offer one piece of advice to any first time visitor, it’s this. When you hear the phrase: “No problem, sir” – and believe me you will hear this at least 40 times a day – then brace yourself for a problem. Nothing works in India... an engaging characteristic if you’re on holiday, not so clever if, like the England cricket team, you’re there on business.

Not everyone manages to get their head around it, including, among others, Raymond Illingworth could never work out why the place wasn’t exactly like his home town of Farsley, with a chip shop, traffic that stopped at red lights, and a log fire a dartboard at the Slug and Lettuce.

Phil Tufnell was of a similar disposition, and as inoculated as Illy against the gentle charm of the country and its inhabitants. Asked how he was enjoying India, Tufnell took a deep drag on his roll-up, sighed, and said: “Done the elephants mate, got the T-shirt.”

No wonder England didn’t quite look all there when it was time to play cricket. One excuse they no longer have, however, is the umpiring. Years ago, before neutral officials were introduced, England batsmen used to have to contend not just with spinners who could charm a cobra out of its basket, but also local umpires who’d fire you out before the bowler had time to yell “Ow”, never mind “Zat.” Mike Brearley was once given lbw to a ball that wouldn’t have hit another set of stumps, and was having lunch when the umpire who despatched him approached.

“I am so sorry Mr Brearley,” he said. “I knew it was not out, but I felt my finger going up, and I just couldn’t stop it.”

So, given that India gets so much into your head, we can now excuse Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen on similar grounds.

“I am sorry Mr Cook. I knew I was about to play the shot of a complete plonker, but I just couldn’t help myself.”

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Feature /// Winter fashion

PINING FOR THE SLOPES?

RIGHT Evalyn wears: North Face Reversible MoonDoggy Jacket North Face McMurdo Boots Lucy wears North Face Baker White Jacket North Face GoGo Cargo Timber Tan Pants North Face Shellista Lace Black Boots from Precision Outdoors, Stamford

The skiing season is near, and so it’s time to get kitted up in the best and coolest gear for the slopes. We report on the latest fashions from the snowy climes of King Cliffe sur neige Photography: Nico Morgan

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Feature /// Winter fashion

RIGHT Adam wears: North Face BanskoJacket Alexa wears: North Face Black Decagon Jacket from Precision Outdoors, Stamford BELOW Georgie wears: North Face Baker Black Jacket From Precision Outdoors, Stamford

ABOVE Archie wears:North Face Reversible MoonDoggy Jacket Evalyn wears: North Face Reversible Moon Doggy Jacket North Face McMurdo Boots from Precision Outdoors, Stamford

RIGHT Archie wears:North Face Reversible MoonDoggy Jacket, North Face Chillkat Boots James wears: North Face Insane Decagon Blue Jacket & Stretch Highlander Pants, North Face Chillkat II Boots from Precision Outdoors, Stamford

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LEFT Evalyn wears: North Face Reversible MoonDoggy Jacket North Face McMurdo Boots from Precision Outdoors, Stamford FAR LEFT Lucy wears: North Face Baker White Jacket, North Face GoGo Cargo Timber Tan Pants, North Face Shellista Lace Black Boots, North Face Denali Thermal Gloves Nicola wears: North Face Cherry Purple Decagon Jacket, North Face Vaporous Grey Cable Knit Hat, Scarf and Gloves, North Face Chillkat II Boots Georgie wears: North Face Baker Black Jacket, North Face GoGo Cargo Timber Tan Pants , North Face Chillkat II Boots , ETip Gloves from Precision Outdoors, Stamford BELOW Alexa wears: North Face Black Decadon Jacket, North Face GoGo Cargo Pink Trousers, North Face Nuptse Faux Fur IV Boots Archie wears: North Face Reversible MoonDoggy Jacket, North Face Chillkat Boots Evalyn wears: North Face Reversible MoonDoggy Jacket, North Face McMurdo Boots from Precision Outdoors, Stamford

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Feature /// Winter fashion

RIGHT Georgie wears: Armani Quilted Puffa Jacket Alexa wears: Napapijri Ambre Coat from Cavells, Oakham FAR RIGHT James wears: Edwin ED-47 Regular Jean,Napapijri Dakota 10 Gilet, Sorel Mad Boot Napapijri Douala Jumper Adam wears: Edwin ED-55 Relaxed Jean, Icebreaker Sierra Full Zip Jumper, Napapijri Rainforest Jacket, Sorel Caribou Boot Alex wears: Gant Stonewashed Cords, Icebreaker Apex Zip Jumper, Napapijri Open Skidoo Coat, Sorel Cheyanne Lace Boot from Cavells, Oakham

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Feature /// Winter fashion FAR RIGHT Lucy wears: Napapijri Nayre Trouser, Somerville Eskimo Hat, Napapijri Taba 12 Jumper, Armani Short Puffa Jacket, Sorel Tofino Solid Boot from Cavells, Oakham Archie wears: North Face Reversible MoonDoggy Jacket, North Face Chillkat Boots, Evalyn wears: North Face Reversible MoonDoggy Jacket, North Face McMurdo Boots from Precision Outdoors, Stamford Alex wears: Gant Stonewashed Cords, Icebreaker Apex Zip Jumper, Napapijri Open Skidoo Coat, Sorel Cheyanne Lace Boot from Cavells, Oakham BELOW Volvo XC90 with ski/snowboard rack from Sturgess Volvo, Leicester

Wrap up your Christmas at Cavells. Make a one-stop shop this December for fabulous party wear and a beautiful selection of Christmas gifts, which we will gift wrap for you. Visit our brand new website to buy online at www.cavells.co.uk

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ABOVE Alexa wears: J Brand Maria Skinny Jean, Icebreaker Chakra Zip, Napapijri Ambre Coat, Sorel Joan of Arctic Boot James wears: Edwin ED-47 Regular Jean, Napapijri Dakota 10 Gilet, Napapijri Douala Jumper, Sorel Mad Boot Nicola wears: Levi Hi Rise Skinny Jean, Napapijri Dalian Jumper,Napapijri New Queen Winter Gilet, Sorel Joan of Arctic Premium Boot Adam wears: Edwin ED-55 Relaxed Jean, Icebreaker Sierra Full, Sorel Caribou Boot Georgie wears: Armani Quilted Puffa Jacket, Seven Gwenevere Skinny Jean, Penelope Chilvers Intrepid Boot.

FAR LEFT North Face Animus Hydration Backpack from Precision Outdoors, Stamford LEFT Adam wears: North Face Insane Blue Decagon Jacket James wears: North Face Fiery Red Barnskio White Trim from Precision Outdoors, Stamford Volvo XC90 with roof kit from Sturgess Volvo, Leicester

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Feature /// Great walks

TOP 10

WALKS

We are blessed with some beautiful walks in this area and Will Hetherington has chosen some great options to burn off the calories this festive period Photography: Will Hetherington

1. Shillingthorpe ECHOES OF FORMER glories abound in the slightly haunted woods and ruins here. You can walk to it from Greatford or park at the entrance to the avenue on the road between Greatford and the level crossing to Belmesthorpe.

The eponymous hall was used as a convalescence home during the Second World War but was knocked down shortly after the War ended. The 10-foot red brick walls of the garden remain but little else.

Further back in history King George III was treated for his famous ‘madness’ here by Doctor Willis. So when you stroll Shillingthorpe’s peaceful footpaths think back on the troubled

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2. Tolethorpe THIS IS THE SHORTEST of all 10 walks but it’s worth it. Follow the signs to the Stamford Shakespeare Company at Tolethorpe Hall but don’t go in to the car park. Park 200 yards further on in a big gateway in a bend on the right hand side of the road, by a footpath sign. Walk down the hill and turn left at the bottom before the bridge over the Gwash.

Follow the footpath through the grounds of the mill house until you come into an open grazing field. Now head towards Little Casterton church spire. The path takes you through Tolethorpe Park Cricket Club and it’s a peaceful, dreamy setting. Stay on the path out of the church into the village and turn left on the main road back towards Tolethorpe.

You can either cut left across the grazing field or stay on the road and walk round.

Distance and time: It’s only about one mile in total and takes half an hour at the most.

Refreshments: The Plough or the Crown in Great Casterton.

Or head into Stamford to the Tobie Norris or the King’s Head.

Difficulty rating (out of five)

Shillingthorpe offers beautiful walking among the shadows of former glories

souls who have sought help here and be thankful we can enjoy its natural beauty. Beware though, there are often cattle in the main part of this walk.

Distance and time: From Greatford and back it’s two and a half miles but if you park on the road it can be a lot less than that.

Refreshments: The Green Dragon in Ryhall. For a smarter meal go to the Wicked Witch in Ryhall.

Difficulty rating (out of five)

Short and sweet. This gentle stroll offers all sorts of charming sights

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Feature /// Great walks

4. Rutland Water, Whitwell YOU CAN WALK all the way round the reservoir if you have five or six hours and some Christmas calories to burn. But if you aren’t up for the long march then pick one spot and go for a bit of a wander.

Whitwell has the excellent Rutland Cycling shop where you can hire a bike and head off for as long as you like. Or you can take a trip on the Rutland Belle across the water. There is a climbing wall and a café at Whitwell and this is just one of the many places you can go

Casewick Hall has an impressive facade and has now been divided into separate private homes

3. Casewick Hall NESTLED INTO the woodland between Uffington and Barholm, Casewick Hall is an impressive house and makes for a lovely stroll.

Start in Uffington and head down Casewick Lane. You will soon come to the grand old gates, which take you into the parkland.

The main house was divided into separate private residences some years ago and there is also a thriving stud farm here.

If you want to stretch your legs properly then follow the footpath over the East Coast mainline and keep going until you get to the welcoming sight of the Five

Horseshoes in Barholm. Be careful you don’t overdo it here, though, because you will have to walk back.

and take advantage of the numerous options provided.

Distance and time: The world’s your oyster.

Refreshments: The café near Rutland Cycling, the Noel Arms in Whitwell or Barnsdale Lodge.

Difficulty rating (NA)

Rutland Water offers all sorts of activities, including cycling, climbing, walking, sailing and a trip on the Rutland Belle

Distance and time: To the Five Horseshoes and back it’s five miles. The time depends on how many pints you have.

Refreshments: The Five Horseshoes.

Difficulty rating (out of five)

5. Fineshade Top Lodge The tracks through the woods at Fineshade are pushchair-friendly which makes it a great option if you have young children

TURN OFF THE A43 to Fineshade Top Lodge and park in the pay and display car park. Yes, you will have to pay for parking, but if you have young children or any mobility problems you will not mind one bit.

The well-maintained paths through the woods are pushchair and wheelchair-friendly and there are numerous distance options so you can walk as far as you like. It’s also very dog friendly, as long as you have a degree of control because there are lots of young children around.

There is a well-built adventure playground out in the woods and an excellent playground just by the car park. To top it all, the smart little Lodge Café is a good place for a coffee and a slice of cake, if you haven’t eaten enough this Christmas.

Distance and time: Take your pick of the numerous paths through the woods.

Refreshments: The Lodge Cafe is open 10am-5pm every day except Christmas Day.

Difficulty rating (out of five)

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Feature /// Great walks

Fort Henry conjures up images of a grand past and marvellous aristocratic summer parties

6. Fort Henry THIS IS A CLASSIC Boxing Day walk, taking in the old Fort Henry boathouse and the pretty village of Exton.

Park just by the Trout Hatchery and Horn Mill (both marked on the OS map) to the east of Exton. Take the footpath north from here and soon you will cross the North Brook on a small concrete bridge.

The footpath takes you up to the Fort Henry lakes and you can either take the first path to Exton or take the longer option.

The boathouse conjures up images of wild Edwardian parties, and it’s not hard to imagine Lady Chatterley meeting Mellors in secluded spots in the woodland around here.

When you get to Exton enjoy a drink in the Fox & Hounds on the village green and then you can either head back to the car the same way you came or go via the Hawkswell spring and Cuckoo farm.

This is a peaceful walk with hardly any traffic around and few other people.

Distance and time: There are at least three different distance options but the longest is six-and-a-half miles and takes at least two and a quarter hours.

Refreshments: The Fox & Hounds in Exton.

Difficulty rating (out of five)

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7. Walcot Hall, Barnack PARK AT ANY of the entrances to the Hills and Holes Nature Reserve in the south west of Barnack and head into this unique place which is the remains of a limestone quarry first used by the Romans 2,500 years ago.

Make for the south west corner where the footpath takes you along a field edge with the estate wall on your left. When you reach the road turn left immediately, keeping the wall on your left. You will pass the gateway to Walcot Hall, giving a splendid view down the ride to the house. After this stay on the footpath for another half a mile until you come out on to the road in Southorpe.

Turn left and walk through this linear village until you come to another stile which leads to the footpath back over two fields to Barnack.

Enjoy a stroll over the well-manicured land around Walcot Hall

Distance and time: Three miles/one hour Refreshments: The Millstone in Barnack or you can make a small detour for lunch at the White Hart in Ufford on the way back from Southorpe.

Difficulty rating (out of five)

8. Lyddington to Uppingham THE STUNNING SANDSTONE village of Lyddington is a great base from which to explore the hilliest part of our region. If you leave the car here in the morning you can walk north into Uppingham, have a potter around and then be back in time for lunch in either the Marquess of Exeter or the Old White Hart. They are both excellent and you will have definitely worked up an appetite on the steep hills.

Other options are west to Stoke Dry and Eyebrook reservoir or east towards Seaton and Thorpe-by-Water. Whichever route you take there is plenty of beautiful scenery to go round and returning to Lyddington is always a pleasure.

Distance and time: Into Uppingham and back is about three miles in total but there are some pretty steep climbs so allow an hour-and-a-half for the walking Refreshments: The Marquess of Exeter and the Old White Hart in Lyddington. Don Paddy’s and The Vaults or The Falcon in Uppingham.

Walk from Lyddington to Uppingham and potter around the town’s shops for an hour or so

Difficulty rating (out of five)

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Feature /// Great walks

9. Lyndon IF YOU EVER IMAGINED an old-fashioned village all belonging to one estate then Lyndon would be it. Lying a mile from the south shore of Rutland Water it remains seemingly untouched by the modern world and is extraordinarily pretty in places.

Park anywhere in the village and stroll down the Manton road until you come to a footpath on your left. Head down here towards Wing and either take the route back to Lyndon via grand old Lyndon Hall, which was completed in 1677, or carry on to Wing.

This is a lovely walk which may leave you feeling a little envious of the lucky people who get to live in this rural paradise.

It’s pretty dog-friendly too, although the estate has an excellent pheasant shoot so be careful not to upset the gamekeeper, one of the few ladies in this role in the country.

Distance and time: Two miles/45 minutes Refreshments: The King’s Arms in Wing has an excellent reputation and is a good place to eat.

Difficulty rating (out of five)

The village of Lyndon has benefitted from the sympathetic ownership of just two families over the centuries

10. Langham triangle PARK BY THE CHURCH in the heart of the village and strike out east on the footpath towards Mickley Lodge and Langham Lodge.

Once you have passed through both of these stay on the footpath as it turns north around some field edges. Don’t miss the left-hand turn which will take you on to the footpath which crosses Ashwell Road. This part of the walk is the uphill bit and, while it may only be a gentle ascent, on the day I visited it was extremely muddy on the bridleway and the climb was pretty hard work, but it’s all worth it!

When you reach the high ground there are some lovely views in all directions from the ridgeway to Ashwell, Whissendine windmill, Cold Overton and beyond Langham back to Oakham. Once you have enjoyed these views follow the bridleway until you start heading downhill and back towards Langham.

Distance and time: Five miles/two hours Refreshments: The Noel Arms in the village or head back to Oakham and the Lord Nelson or the Grainstore.

Difficulty rating (out of five) The welcome sight of St Peter and St Paul’s Church at the end of the walk

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Feature /// Sports memorabilia

Past times

There’s a booming market for hunting, shooting and sporting antiques, Stamford dealer Stuart Porter tells Steve Moody

I

F YOU ARE INTERESTED in any kind of sport or activity, then the antiques and memorabilia of those pastimes always harbour a certain fascination.

Just to look at thin wooden laminated skis with metal bindings, or a thickly linseeded cricket bat with Sir Len Hutton’s signature evoke all those images of daring adventurers in beards exploring the snowy continents for the first time, or Brylcreemed batsmen in heavy jumpers lightly slapping left arm twisters to the Lord’s boundary.

Walking into the sports memorabilia section of Stuart Porter Antiques on Broad Street, Stamford, all those shadowy feats are brought

back into sharp relief. If a sports club is looking for some characterful bits and pieces to hang on their walls, or if you’re a keen collector yourself, you’ll find plenty here from sports and activities including golf, fishing, cricket, racquet sports, croquet, billiards, boxing, football, skiing, hunting, polo shooting, racing and more. Even eel catching is featured.

There’s a strong market for this stuff, says Stuart Porter, who also offers a personal shopping service and has sourced antiques for the likes of Marco Pierre White and Roman Abramovich.

So if you have old bits of kit or sporting paintings hanging around at your club or in

your home, it might be worth stepping in to his centre to find out if there is a value attached to the items.

The memorabilia and antique section has a strong partner in Beaufort Antiques, run by Lady Caroline Headley. A keen shot and sportswoman, Lady Caroline has run Beaufort Antiques for 30 years, with shops in Bath, London, Boston (USA, not Lincolnshire) and Miami.

We’ve asked Stuart and Lady Caroline, the Lovejoy and Lady Jane of the Rutland antiques scene, to highlight some of the most interesting pieces that might serve as Christmas gifts or decoration for home or club.

HUNTING Harrods hunting canteen £225 “The quality of the leather in this is what sets it apart, and there’s a lovely glass drinking bottle for your favourite tipple, and a metal sandwich case. You just don’t get cra smanship in modern leather goods like this. We have lots of these kind of pieces, with hip flasks especially popular at this time of year as a winter gi .”

Swaine Adeney Brigg hunting crop £195 “This is the Roll-Royce of crops. If you go on a hunt, people will instantly recognise the quality and sophistication of it, and buying an antique one is considerably cheaper than buying a new one, plus this particular piece comes with fascinating provenance.”

Churchill gun case £425 “This is a beautiful, high quality gun case that would look perfect on a shoot. It’s already nicely weathered with a lovely patina, so unlike a bright, brand-new case, you won’t stick out like a sore thumb. And J Churchill are one of the finest makers of this kind of thing.”

Men’s Maxwell riding boots and tree £3,375 “Some people like to buy these just as decoration in a hallway or bedroom, but they are wonderfully so leather boots and would be even more at home being used while riding. The boot trees are fantastic quality too, and to get something like this new nowadays would cost around £2,000.”

SPORT Lampinen skis £60 “How on earth people used to ski on these things I have no idea, but they would make a fascinating and humorous decorative piece, perhaps in a games or snooker room.”

Eel Spear £190 “This is an incredibly rare piece and there aren’t many around now, even though they were used a lot in the past. Some can be many hundreds of years old and if you have one at home it could be worth some money.”

Edwardian sport equipment picture £24 “We have lots of pictures such as this fascinating piece, or with equestrian themes, and they are always popular, whether it be for a sports club or downstairs loo. This one is especially interesting as it is a miscellany of pre-war sports equipment, so has historic interest as well as purely decorative appeal.”

STUART PORTER ANTIQUES 15 Broad Street, Stamford Web: www.stuartporterantiques.com Tel: 01780 766214

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© BLUEMOON STOCK / ALAMY

Feature /// Cycling

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Icy cycles Just because winter’s here, that’s no reason to shut your bike away. Rich Beach investigates how to ‘winterise’ your cycling

T

here’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing, as a sage adventurer once said. And with the right kit, plus a little adaptation of skills and mindset, the advent of winter shouldn’t stop you getting out on your bike; if anything, it can open up a whole new world of night riding fun. Here’s Active’s five-step plan to cycling through the winter...

1. PREPARE YOUR BIKE

Just as you might make adjustments to your car for winter, such as adding anti-freeze to your radiator and topping up all the fluids, a few simple checks and tweaks to your bike are also warranted to ensure you keep moving through the colder months.

A service is essential, making sure all moving components are sufficiently greased to maintain their free movement and to protect them from water. For extremely cold weather you can use a low temperature grease, and also fluids for hydraulic brakes, designed to work at sub-zero temperatures and not freeze up and affect movement.

Fitting winter tyres is another option, especially if you ride off-road and are expecting

snow. Wide tyres with spaced out knobbles work best, but for most of us, simply reducing tyre pressures a little to increase the contact patch on the ground will aid grip.

This, however, is a balance between grip and rolling resistance, so more grip means your bike won’t roll as freely and will require more work.

Slime tubes are an inner tube filled with a protective gel which helps to prevent punctures, and are a smart option as rain-filled potholes hide all manner of detritus in winter.

And don’t forget lights! Lights to be seen are essential on the road, but if you plan to cycle off-road then powerful illumination will open up a world of night-time riding.

2. PREPARE YOURSELF

“Riding in the winter can be a great way to beat post-summer blues, but cold fingers can turn a simple journey into a nightmare,” says Rutland Cycling’s events co-ordinator Alex Woollen.

“If you are focused on your cold fingers and toes you can’t concentrate on actually riding your bike, and keeping your eye out for ice patches and other hazards.”

Rutland Cycling’s store has an impressive range of kit but Alex tells us the best-selling winter product is the Endura Strike glove. “It’s waterproof and warm, but you can still feel the

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Feature /// Cycling controls perfectly. Plus they have the benefit of reflective strips which means that when you need to indicate and cross traffic they make you even more visible to other road users.”

Wearing the right layers is vital, too. You generate plenty of heat while cycling, so your clothing needs to be able to deal with this heat build up and not let it turn to moisture.

The front of your outer layer needs to be windproof, while vented side panels will help dissipate excess heat.

Breathable fabrics such as GoreTex work well, but at sub-zero temperatures the tiny holes in the fabric can freeze up, locking in moisture at the sides and back.

Choose lightweight outer layers with zips that you can adjust on the go depending on conditions.

Also, make sure your mid and base-layers are synthetic or wool and not cotton, as cotton will retain moisture and feel colder.

Linds Moules, owner of The Gorilla Firm cycling shop in Oundle, recommends products

by Castelli: “Their kit is premium stuff, but not the most expensive. I highly recommend it as you won’t enjoy your ride if you’re cold.”

Linds also suggests that you cover your shoes with some form of neoprene over-sock like the Castelli Toe Thingy to keep wind chill at bay.

“I also wouldn’t ride without some kind of skull cap under my helmet,” Linds says.

“Castelli’s Thermo Skully is like a warm, fleecy, swimming cap. And the Head Thingy is like a Buff, that can protect your face, neck and head.”

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3. PREPARE YOUR MIND

Once your bike’s ready, and you’re properly kitted up, the darkness and cold air are no longer a problem but part of the joy.

All you need to do now is program your brain for winter riding; this simply means looking further ahead and planning your position on the path or road, aiming your front wheel at dry patches or grippy sections, avoiding white painted road markings, manhole covers and the dreaded potholes.

More potholes appear in winter and when filled with rain water can hide all manner of detritus, as well as their depth. At best you might just get a shock as you hit one, at worst you could get a puncture from the impact or even be thrown off your bike.

Alex at Rutland Cycling agrees it’s all in the mind: “As long as you’re warm and have decent lights, winter riding is great fun. I tend to change my route to spend more time off road, as I like sliding about! But if you don’t, then simply give yourself extra time to stop and turn, as you would in your car. Use only your rear brake, with gentle, progressive application, and you’ll have no problems.

“If your bike slides and starts going sideways, don’t panic, make small corrections rather than sudden over-steering that’ll set you up in a weave, and you’ll be fine. Being warm is really the key to staying focused and enjoying it, but remember this: if you feel warm when you set off, you’re probably too over-dressed for any ride longer than half an hour.”

4. CHANGE YOUR ROUTE

Finding a new route for your commute, or seeking out great trails and tracks to ride in the dark, can revitalise your cycling and make winter more fun than you’d think.

You might consider a new route to avoid traffic, which can be more perilous in winter as visibility worsens. Or you might just choose a new route to make your journey longer and make a work-out out of it, replacing the gym, and getting your limited daylight during the morning ride instead.

To find new routes, have a look at the Sustrans (sustainable transport) website to find which of the UK’s national cycle network run through our area. http://microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk/ countryside/visiting-the-countryside/cycling/ cycling-routes?tab=downloads

5. LOOK AFTER YOUR BIKE

Rutland Cycling’s technical manager, Graeme McKay warns: “If you are cycling on roads that have been salted, make sure your bike is washed and, more importantly, dried regularly. If you hose it down and then stick it into your sub-zero shed you could find that when you come to get your bike out the next day, freehubs, gears and brakes will be frozen solid. If possible keep the bike in a heated environment.”

For more advice on maintenance, check out Rutland Cycling’s evening maintenance courses on either the 26 November, 3 or 17 December, and for just a tenner a session, too.

Winter riding essentials

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1. Castelli Iride seamless long sleeve base layer £65 // www.gorillafirmcycling.com 2. Castelli Head Thingy £18

// www. gorillafirmcycling.com

3. Exposure Reflex front light £403

// www.rutlandcycling.com

4. Endura Strike gloves £28.49

// www.rutlandcycling.com

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Raring to be the next Wiggo?

Serious about your riding? Then perhaps you need a one-on-one training and equipment consultant YOU NEVER FORGET HOW TO RIDE A bike, so the expression goes, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to pick the right bike for you.

Local rider Ben Price is offering a service for those looking to get into fairly serious cycling for fitness or competition that picks the right bike and tailors bespoke programmes to suit riders’ aspirations.

Having started mountain bike racing at the age of 15, Ben’s love of cycling soon developed and quickly progressed to track and road racing.

From 2002 Ben spent the next six years training and racing, climbing the ranks from ‘3rd cat’ club level to an elite rider and had the honour to ride with some of the best teams in the country, riding at home and abroad.

Assimilating the knowledge he gained from racing, training and working in the bike trade, Ben is a firm believer in being flexible and being able to visit the client, offering a service that is tailored to the client’s needs.

He said: “In my view, when most people walk into a bike shop and they are bombarded with many brands and an array of different products;

but where do you go from there? You seek advice from knowledgeable staff and then take your new road bike to be fitted correctly, and all this takes time that most people just don’t have.”

Ben believes his firm, Kinetic Velo, is different in that it offers a one-to-one service that is tailored to the client’s needs and so they will only deal with one person from start to finish.

There are three services, whether it’s a full bike fit, or some performance management to help make aspirations a reality.

“Kinetic Velo offers a bike fitting service that fuses traditional methods and modern practices,” he says. His fitting techniques are similar to those of a traditional Savile Row tailors: attention to detail to gain the best possible fit.

“Performance management is a service designed to suit either the rider who has is own personal fitness goals or to that of a competitive cyclist looking for that edge.

“Kinetic Velo is able to offer packages or ‘one-off’ rides to help you kick-start your performance. As many of us have busy hectic

lives but also have fitness aspirations I’m aware that flexibility is key to help achieve your goals on the bike.”

As an example, in his late 40s, Malcolm Smith, has been road racing for a while but decided he needed more one-to-one training. He said: “I met Ben and we started to ride regularly together, laying down some base mileage. We began to discuss goals. Ben was very supportive and invited me into his training world when he started to build for the following season.

“It was all I could do to follow him, however Ben’s continued interest in helping me came through when, based upon my goals and availability for training, he suggested a number of core training sessions which could be repeated all aimed at improving my power.

“At the end of the season I won a sprint finish in the St Ives CC LVRC road race on the Coppingford course and beat the recently crowned national age group champion and the guy who was second in the younger age group.

“We put together a programme of road and turbo training to fit in with my life, always emphasising the need to recover, which is something I’d never been particularly good at.

The training delivered me to the beginning of the season in good form which then built through repeated sessions to the eve of the national age group championship road race.

After an aggressive display of riding I sprinted clear of the lead group in the final mile to win!”

Kinetic Velo offers a bespoke sales and delivery service, where after a consultation, Ben will find you the best bike that suits your needs and also find the right clothing and accessories package. If this isn’t enough, Kinetic Velo will take care of the delivery and assembly. You can also choose to have the bike fitted correctly. www.kineticvelo.co.uk

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Feature /// Football

From small acorns, great Oakhams grow Newly-formed Oakham United has grand plans to go from the current local level into semiprofessional leagues Words: Dean Cornish /// Photography: Harry Measures

WHEN YOU THINK OF HOTBEDS of football, you wouldn’t necessarily think of Oakham. It’s one of those towns with a demographic traditionally biased towards rugby, and if the queues to get on to the train at the station on a Leicester Tigers matchday are anything to by, it’s the sport that’s most watched as well.

That could all change in the future though, with the rise of Oakham United, a highly ambitious football club which is putting exciting plans in place to move into the non-league pyramid, and with it bring possibly semiprofessional football to Rutland for the first time.

If you haven’t heard of Oakham United before, that’s probably because it is such a new club, having only just recently started its second season as a United front. That’s not to say there’s any shortage of experience at the club though, with the club ‘uniting’ as a merger between the previous two Saturday afternoon football outfits in the town: Rutland Rangers and the Oakham Imps.

The initial impetus for the merger was borne through frustration at not being able to push on to the next level in their previous set ups, explained United chairman Ali Forbes.

Rutland Rangers had been a highly successful side in the Peterborough leagues, nurturing a pool of talented players who grew into a side that completed the Peterborough Premier League and Cup double in 2009.

With the Rangers still playing on councilowned school pitches, there was no way it could progress from that majestic double. To be accepted into the level above, the United Counties League (Step 6 of the non-league pyramid), you need certain facilities that playing on council pitches just couldn’t provide, and eventually Rangers lost pretty much that whole side to other local teams such as Bourne, Blackstones and St Neots.

Ali Forbes, then chairman of Rutland Rangers, and Barry Clarke, then chairman of Oakham Imps and now the president at

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‘WE’VE GOT THE PLAYERS. SOON WE’LL HAVE THE FACILITIES. LET’S SEE WHAT STANDARD WE CAN GET TO’ Rutland Rangers, both had a shared vision that Rutland’s county town was more than capable of being home to a semi-professional side, and started working towards forming United.

It’s not something that’s happened in a flash though, having taken more than five years to get to where they are now. The first priority to ensure progress was seeking permission to build a ground the club can call home, and you can tell the club is brimming with excitement at the prospect of playing at their new ground at the old Barleythorpe Conference Centre within the next year or so.

Players I’ve spoken to have enthused that the floodlights are now up (all football fans love floodlights!), with the clubhouse well under construction and the seed laid on the two pitches, you can see why the club is itching to get hold of the keys toward the end of this year.

With a proper barrier around the pitch, those floodlights, dugouts, parking, a covered spectator area, and a bar all in a beautiful setting, it’s definitely all set up to surpass UCL League regulations and, more importantly, be a cracking place to play and watch football.

It’s not just a building that makes a football club though, with a football soul being far more important. And it seems there’s no shortage of that at Oakham United. At training on a cold Thursday night there were almost 30 players, all enjoying being put through their paces by the likes of Andy Saddington, first team manager.

Few clubs can muster that many dedicated souls for weekend games, let alone Thursday training.

The banter was flying, many players were bedecked in smart Oakham United branded gear, and the level of training was as high as you’d see at many non-league clubs. There’s still plenty of work needed though, with the team needing to stay in the top echelons of the Peterborough League before it can then apply to be accepted into the next level up. Oakham won’t necessarily have to win the Peterborough League again, but to be accepted into the level above, the UCL bigwigs will want to see that the playing staff are up to the job, as well as having the facilities to match.

Overall, the future seems bright. Run by football people, in a town that brims with football talent, we could see an Oakham v Blackstones derby within the next few years, and maybe Oakham v Stamford could be a big fixture in the football calendar, as well as in school rugby!

As Ali Forbes says: “We’ve got the players.

Soon we’ll have the facilities. Let’s see what standard we can get to.”

With a new ground under construction at the old Barleythorpe Conference Centre, new kit and a keen set of players, Oakham United is building a club with a footballing soul in traditional rugby country

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Feature /// Great runs

Burghley Park to Easton-on-the-Hill Alexa Cutteridge sets out a great local run... with the promise of mulled wine at the end! ///

Photography: Harry Measures

THIS RUN TAKES YOU through Burghley Park, out to Easton-on-the-Hill and finishes with an invigorating downhill section back in to Stamford.

Start at the back of the Girls’ School on Burghley Lane, go through the swing gate entering Burghley Park (near the cricket club) and head towards Burghley House, picking up with the road on the left (if you’re lucky you may see some deer to get you in the Christmas spirit).

At the Iron Gate turn right and head back uphill towards South Bottle Lodge. Turn left at the lodge and head uphill towards Burghley golf club along London Road, turn right opposite the golf club and join on to the bridlepath taking you over the A1 then through a pretty woodland trail for 15 minutes towards Easton-on-the-Hill.

At the end of the trail take care and cross over Stamford Road heading downhill in to the village. Then head uphill and turn right at the Blue Bell Pub on to Church Street.

With the church on your left continue ahead, go through the kissing gate and on to a grass track.

The view of Stamford and the surrounding countryside here is wonderful so enjoy as you descend! At the footpath junction turn left and run alongside the field for 100 metres or so before taking a right through the middle of the field. The bottom of the field meets the railway, so cross with care and continue on to a grass path towards the meandering River Welland head. Run on the grass track next to the river towards Stamford for around 10 to 15 minutes.

You will go under the A1 and then ahead on the left go over the green suspension bridge (the second bridge you pass) and continue running on the other side of the river as you join the second meadow. Continue ahead and before you know it you have joined the main meadows

and are in the heart of Stamford! Go over the little bridge on the right and then head left towards the George, decorated with its traditional Christmas trees – a reminder Christmas is nearly here! Yipee!

After admiring the festivities turn right on High Street St Mary’s and head back to the start. Alternatively, mulled wine (or the new mulled cider) at the Tobie Norris? Rude not to – just don’t forget to rehydrate first!

ALEXA’S ACTIVE CHRISTMAS TIPS

1. Get active outdoors: exposing yourself to the elements teaches your body to combat winter illness, boosting your immune system and mood!

2. Support local farm shops and markets, as well as your immune system, by stocking up on fresh fruit and vegetables – forget five portions, it’s all about eight in the winter months!

3. Don’t ban certain foods from your diet over Christmas – just cut your portion size. Eat little and often, including plenty of protein, wholesome carbohydrates and good fats.

4. Drink plenty of water – even though it’s winter you still get dehydrated! Mix your water intake up by sipping herbal teas (try chai for a festive flavour) or sparkling water for a refreshing change.

5. Get plenty of sleep. Christmas is a really busy time but lack of sleep can cause havoc with health. Make the most of cosy evenings in by the fire (after some exercise!) and aim for 7-9 hours sleep a night for maximum benefits.

6. Don’t wait for New Year to start your new diet and exercise plan – do it NOW and reap the benefits! Need motivation? Get yourself involved with local exercises classes or a personal trainer.

STATS DISTANCE 6.5 miles TERRAIN Woodland paths, grass tracks, two hills TIME 65 minutes at 10-minute mile pace DIFFICULTY 3/5

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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.

Top 10 foods to help you get in shape for Christmas Here’s the list of foods you should be including in your diet if you want to boost fat-burning and show off a leaner profile.

I

t’s the time of year when thoughts start to turn towards Christmas and planning those all-important party outfits.

Personal trainers Shaun Petafi and Dean Connor have compiled a report, Ripped to Shreds, that dispels some of the established myths around eating habits and offers food for thought (literally!) for anyone wanting to shed fat and improve their body shape. * Ripped To Shreds is available to download from: www.rippedtoshreds.co.uk, iTunes, Waterstones, Probook, and other online outlets.

The best fat-burning foods 1. Walnuts All nuts contain the Omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid, but most only contain trace amounts. Walnuts are actually a rich source of Omega-3s, with one ounce providing almost 3g of alpha-linolenic acid.

2. Gluten-free oatmeal This very slow-digesting carb keeps blood sugar and insulin levels low, so fat burning can stay high.

In fact, research has shown that athletes who consume slowdigesting carbs in the morning burn more fat throughout the entire day and during workouts than those consuming fast-digesting carbs.

3. Avocado The mono-unsaturated fats found in avocados are burned readily for fuel during exercise and encourage fat burning.

Avocados also contain a very interesting carb called mannoheptulose, a sugar that actually blunts insulin release and enhances calcium absorption, both of which are critical for encouraging fat loss.

4. Salmon This fish is one of the richest sources of the Omega-3 essential fats EPA and DHA so you know you’re getting a direct supply of the fats that turn on fat burning and block fat storage.

5. Grapefruit A study from the Scripps Clinic in San Diego reported that subjects eating half a grapefruit while maintaining their normal diet lost an average of 4lb over 12 weeks – and some lost more than 10lb without even dieting! Results were likely to be down to grapefruit’s ability to reduce insulin levels and to a chemical in grapefruit (naringin) which prevents fat from being stored in the body.

6. Honey Yes, it’s a sugar, but it’s fairly low on the glycemic index. Keeping insulin levels low and steady is critical for maintaining a fatburning environment in your body.

Honey is also a rich source of nitric oxide (NO) metabolites; ultimately, that means it actually encourages fat release from the body’s fat cells.

7. Peanut butter A source of helpful monounsaturated fat that can actually aid fat loss. Many food manufacturers make low-fat peanut butters but replace these healthy mono-unsaturated fats with carbs, namely sugar. Avoid these and stick with natural peanut butters that don’t add the type of fat you want to avoid – trans fats.

8. Chili pepper flakes Hot peppers contain capsaicin, a chemical that can enhance calorie burning at rest as well as reducing hunger and food intake. The boost in calorie burn is particularly enhanced when capsaicin is used with caffeine.

9. Broccoli This fibrous vegetable doesn’t provide many net carbs or calories, but it can make you feel full.

Broccoli also contains phytochemicals that can help enhance fat loss.

10. Extra virgin olive oil Like avocados, olive oil is a great source of mono-unsaturated fats, lowering levels of the ‘bad’ type of cholesterol and improving cardiovascular health, but they’re also more likely to be burned as fuel.

STICK A BUNNY DOWN YOUR BRA FOR BREAST CANCER A fluff y pink bunny worn down your bra looks set to make charity ribbons and wristbands a thing of the past.

Endorsed by Cancer Research UK, Brabunny – www.brabunny.com - certainly puts the fun back into fund-raising. And with £1 from every sale going directly to the charity, it’s a meaningful way to show your support. Literally.

The idea is the brainchild of Terry Harvey, a former policeman, who was inspired to do something when he discovered a friend had breast cancer. People fell in love with the cute little character and, in response to customer demand, the recently launched range includes Brabunny chocolate, cards and T-shirts.

Commenting on his idea, Terry said: “When I found out a close family friend was going through treatment for breast cancer, I wanted to do something that would help women everywhere. Despite being cute, Brabunny certainly draws attention to the issue! I’m hoping to raise £100,000 for Cancer Research UK in year one alone. Another design for the little rabbit is now underway as a limited edition for Race For Life in 2013.” * Brabunny retails for £7.99 and can be bought on-line at www.brabunny.com along with the other merchandise.

DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS? Is relaxing in a snowdri or rolling in the white stuff your idea of a good time?

Described as a ‘unique Finnish experience’, Snow Paradise invites guests to freeze their way to good health in a cooling oasis of the finest natural powder snow.

Based at K West Hotel & Spa in Richmond Way, west London, a spell in the invigorating wintry cabin at a tingling -15ºC provides a novel approach to cooling off a er a sauna.

Guests are advised to experience a hot-cold therapy by alternating between steamy and icy environments as the sudden and extreme change in temperature is said to stimulate the body’s circulation.

A cool £50 buys a day at the Wet Spa, with access to the Snow Paradise. The spa also features a hydrotherapy pool, sanarium, sauna, sun meadow, dry flotation tank, experience showers, foot baths, aromatic herbal steam room and treatment rooms. *www.k-west.co.uk

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Work your way to the perfect party body Whichever Little Black Dress you rock this party season, make the most of it by getting yourself in shape.

PERFECT PINS Show off toned thighs in a sparkly mini dress for statement glamour this Christmas. Lunges are fantastic for developing your entire lower body, and walking lunges are an easy, timeeffective way to tone inner and outer thighs for wearing high hemlines.

“Getting the full range of motion into your leg work is the key to developing long and strong legs,” says personal training practice Six3Nine’s founder, James Conci-Mitchell.

“Go as low as possible in your squats whilst maintaining correct form. This will both ensure you develop the whole muscle and engage your glutes, helping you achieve a balanced pair of legs.”

SEXY SHOULDERS All eyes are on arms and shoulders in strappy LBDs, so showcase a taut, toned frame with help from some weightlifting.

“Women are generally afraid to lift heavy weights, but to get the most out of those shoulders this is exactly what you will have to do. Pick compound exercises for the shoulders and triceps, like a military press (overhead weight lift) and hit a weight that you can’t lift for more than 10 reps.

“Complete three sets with 30 seconds rest between each. If you need to knock the weight down a little after the first set, then that’s fine but make sure you’re really struggling when you hit reps 8, 9 and 10.”

TONED TUMMIES Tight, body-con party dresses require flat, toned stomachs, so achieve firm abs and sizzle in a sexy dress whatever the occasion this Christmas. High-intensity circuit training is an effective way to strip fat and tone up, so forget conventional cardio and try fast resistance work.

“When in the gym, try using a kettle bell.

Think six or seven exercises comprising big movements back to back and with no rest in between.

“Complete two to three circuits with a little active recovery on the cardio machines between.

Keep the reps high but don’t skimp on the weight; if you’re not out of breath and sweating, you’re not working hard enough.

“Good exercises for this include kettle-bell swings, press-ups, squats, lunges, cleans, and seated rows.”

This stylish jersey dress by Velvet (£149) is perfect for any Christmas occasion. Style it with a gorgeous evening bag

by Mulberry (£450) and shoe boots from Vic (£195) to complete this party look. Available at Cavells, 16 Mill Street, Oakham.

SAVE YOUR SKIN THIS WINTER Christmas is coming, the days are getting colder, and for many of us the battle against dry skin begins. Here are some tips to make sure your skin survives the festive period.

■ Your schedule of Christmas parties may already be sorted, but try to take it easy on the alcohol (and caffeine the next day). They are diuretics and can cause dehydration, depleting water and causing dry skin. Drink plenty of H2O to keep hydrated.

■ Nipping out of your office party and braving the cold for a cigarette can dry out your skin and make conditions like eczema worse.

Maybe giving up now could be a plan?

■ That woolly jumper on your Christmas wishlist may keep you nice and toasty, but can also chafe and itch. So go for looserfitting, kinder fabrics, such as cotton.

■ Use warm water instead of hot when having baths or showers, and pat yourself dry instead of rubbing. As nice as a long soak feels in freezing temperatures, the hot, soapy water strips away the natural oils, making dry skin worse.

■ Ditch the SLS. Keeping your skin moisturised is vital and there are loads of ointments, creams and oils which you can pop into your bath. Ones with simple ingredients are best. SLS is a thickening agent found in many high street products and cleansers, and used to make bubbles and lather. It can aggravate dry skin by thinning the natural protective barrier, which causes water loss. Try new Care Aqueous Emollient Cream (available from pharmacies), a 2-in-1 emollient and soap substitute for dry skin and 100% SLS free. It can be used as a leave-on moisturiser or a non-drying alternative to a soap or shower gel.

■ And finally just relax! All that stress over the festive season can bring about bouts of psoriasis and even eczema. When you’re stressed out, the skin’s ability to retain water isn’t as good, so chill out!

Common winter skin ailments: Chilblains: Symptoms include redness, itchiness on hands and feet after exposure to cold weather. More likely to occur when cold skin is heated up too quickly. Smoking makes it worse because nicotine constricts blood vessels.

Eczema: Aggravated by cold weather, Eczema causes inflammation of the skin and makes it red and itchy.

Frostnip: An early stage of frostbite, it is common in people who live or work in cold climates. Fingers, toes and ears are most commonly affected and symptoms include tingling, throbbing or aching and the skin becomes cold, numb and white.

Psoriasis: Dry air, less exposure to sun rays and stress can make symptoms worse during the winter. The dry heat indoors and lack of humidity in the air outside can deprive your skin of the moisture it so badly needs.

Raynaud’s disease: Triggered by cold temperatures, anxiety and stress, Raynaud’s disease can affect the blood supply to parts of the body such as the fingers and toes.

Causes pain, numbness, pins and needles and the skin becomes white, blue, then red.

*Tips from community pharmacist and Care spokesman Steve Riley.

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Feature /// Fitness

Muscle with movement

Personal trainer Mark Gordon on how to build strength without becoming muscle-bound THE OLYMPICS MAY BE OVER but the legacy of success and jubilation lives on. To try and understand how Team GB achieved so much success, let’s take a little peak into ‘strength training’, which is key to high performance.

A short time ago, most people thought that strength training would cause you to become muscle-bound and would be counterproductive to your chosen sport, be that running, cycling, rowing, etc.

The basic principles of strength training involve a manipulation of the number of repetitions (reps), sets, tempo, exercises and force to cause desired changes in strength, endurance or size by overloading of a group of muscles.

According to popular theory: // Sets of one to five repetitions primarily develop strength, with more impact on muscle size and none on endurance. // Sets of six to 12 repetitions develop a balance of strength, muscle size and endurance.

// Sets of 13 to 20 repetitions develop endurance, with some increases to muscle size and limited impact on strength. // Sets of more than 20 repetitions are considered to be focused on aerobic exercise Exercise selection should be limited to the basic foundational barbell movements such as the squat, bench press, deadlift, overhead press and bent-over row.

When properly performed, strength training can provide significant functional benefits and improvement in overall health and well-being, including increased bone, muscle, tendon and ligament strength and toughness, improved joint function, reduced potential for injury, increased bone density, a temporary increase in metabolism, improved cardiac function and elevated HDL (good) cholesterol.

Strength training is a vital part of complete conditioning. The primary function of the body’s 600-plus muscles is to contract (shorten in length) to move body parts (remember that only

muscle can cause movement).

The stronger the muscles and the more forceful the contractions, the faster the athlete will run, higher he will jump, further he will throw/kick, and harder he will hit.

An added bonus of strength training is injury prevention. Athletes who strength train tend to have fewer injuries. This is because strength training strengthens the muscle attachments and increases density of bones at the sites of muscle origins and insertions. If an injury does occur to an athlete who has been strength training properly, it will probably not be as serious and will tend to heal faster.

A proper strength-training program just may be the final piece of your training routine and the solution to better performance and success.

MARK GORDON Mark@fitness2health www.fitness2health.co.uk FACEBOOK: Mark Fitness Trainer MOBILE: 07525 657596

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25/11/2012 15:58

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Feature /// Sportsman’s Dinner

Cinnamon Lounge, Medbourne This month Dean and professor of poppadummery JT venture out of Stamford for the far-flung delights of Medbourne, home to the Cinnamon Lounge and spectacular curry JT We had to get our passports out this month didn’t we Deano – off to some classy Indian restaurant in Medbourne called the Cinnamon Lounge, and out of Stamford which is a rarity for us. Bit too far for a bike ride, though.

Dean Medbourne? I thought that was in Australia, and wondered if Active was paying for our flights. Like I say, I usually only leave Stamford if the Daniels are playing away from home.

JT Actually, it’s just outside Oakham. Lovely part of the world, and the restaurant looks lovely too, based in a 17th Century thatched farmhouse.

Dean It sounded a bit posh for us. I thought we had better put a shirt on.

JT Not your best one though – you know what you’re like with the mint sauce.

Dean It’s great that on arrival we were met by one of the five brothers who own the restaurant, the charming Abdul. It’s genuinely a beautiful location, and the property is stunning. The reception area is like the front room you always dreamed of. Open fire, comfy sofas, and waiter service with beer. Kingfisher on tap, too. Nice touch.

JT We decided what we were eating here before going through to one of the three rooms to eat.

And it turned out they have the best poppadums in Rutland, and as a professor of poppadummery I should know. Nice bit of mint sauce, and the smoothest mango chutney I’ve ever had. You could use it as shaving cream, it’s that smooth.

Dean You did JT. It got all over your cheeks. The Cinnamon kebab platter sounded good for a starter to share: chicken tikka, lamb tikka, sheek tikka and tandoori chicken.

JT Sharing again. You’re obsessed. But it was the ideal choice, though. A superb starter. Chicken cooked to succulent perfection, nice lamb and a good bit of salad to make us feel healthy.

Dean I tell you what JT, the room we ate in was fantastic. It’s got the feel of a high dining restaurant. Not the place to stagger into after the rugby and 10 pints! It feels so much like I’m in someone’s beautiful house, I almost feel like I need permission to go to the toilet.

JT I agree. This place used to be the Horse and Trumpet. Now it has nice feel and is definitely higher end than most curry restaurants.

Dean My main course – chef’s special korai – was supreme. Different tikka meats and a well spiced sauce.

JT I’d had a change from the norm: a grilled sea bass special. It’s all part of me trying to continue with my healthy, active lifestyle. It was divine.

White fleshy meat, blended with Indian spices.

I’ll definitely have fish again. Did I ever tell you I once fished for England, Dean?

Dean What, fished in England you mean? Is that another line you use to impress the ladies?

JT I had to forgo a pudding as I was already full, although the dessert menu looks good. Plenty of Indian classics, and some more traditional British dishes, too.

Dean Yes, a superb meal here. Friendly service, high-end atmosphere, cracking food, a reasonable price and a beautiful building with log fires. I’d definitely come again. Next time, we’ll stay over and have a few beers. They’ve got accommodation here, too.

JT Well as much as I want to ‘stay over’ with you, perhaps we could go to their new one in Market Harborough next time, and train it back – this one is that good it’s worth the effort of trying the other restaurant. Maybe do their renowned Sunday buffet. Always popular I hear, but best to book. I’m not surprised after the meal we had.

The Cinnamon Lounge 12 Old Green, Medbourne 01858 565965

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25/11/2012 11:34

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Feature /// Win or lose

The Vaults, Uppingham A lack of donkeys, but plenty of brasses, internet and HD rugby at a fine pub, Steve Moody finds

J

ust like donkeys, you just don’t see enough horse brasses these days. As a young lad, I remember them being everywhere, hanging dolefully from smoke-stained walls, in pubs and houses. I remember my great aunt’s dark, dingy house being festooned with the things, and I used to stare at them, wondering what purpose on earth they served.

I was ruminating on their use or otherwise while sitting in the The Vaults in Uppingham, because there are quite a few on the walls there, along with plenty of other detritus of a more agricultural past: old signs, plenty of lovely, evocative old pictures of the locality, ghostly faces of men and women that might well have frequented this very pub when there was a use for horse brasses.

But the Vaults isn’t a shadowy, dark place full of inquisitive eyes staring out at strangers from the gloom. It’s in fact a really interesting take on the traditional pub, brighter and cleaner, without falling into the flea market pastiche of so many establishments trying to look Olde Worlde. The walls are still painted in that off-white colour that used to be that way through smoke, and the wooden beams covered in flat matt black that has a timeless quality.

There’s a decent selection of beers, pulled and pumped, including their own Vaults session beer, and I was pleased as always to see the calling card of proper pubs: the Scampi Frie.

The pub also offers a range of good honest food including a rather fun build-a-burger, with

themed evenings most nights from curry to pie often with a beer thrown in, and you don’t go short either. It’s good stuff and you won’t leave hungry.

Another promising sign when we walked in was the Leicester Tigers flag on the wall by the TV and in-depth discussion with manager Matt Lambert revealed the presence of Sky, ESPN and high definition television. I like a pub that is able to show all forms of rugby in 1080p, and all Premiership matches.

Far from me to disparage our friends north of the border, but wandering into a pub on a Saturday afternoon during the autumn internationals and being faced with having to

watch Scotland being thrashed by whichever foe they face on the BBC is always a disappointment. I’d much rather watch England being thrashed on Sky instead.

Still on the technology front, the pub has free wifi as do the other establishments in the group – Don Paddy’s and The Falcon. This is another boon: places that require payment for something so cheap to provide and easily ubiquitous as wifi should be razed to the ground, wiped from the British landscape as Henry VIII obliterated the monasteries. You might infer I feel quite strongly about this.

Even in winter The Vaults’ location is great too for teams travelling past Uppingham, because you can park easily in the Market Place, and there’s lots of tables outside too so on a nice day you can park yourself on a bench and watch the world go by.

It all adds up to a very accommodating pub, with good food and beer, a nice, easygoing traditional atmosphere and harbouring the technological and snack-based accoutrements expected of a fine establishment.

And should you be wondering, horse brasses were purely decorative for shows and processions. I found that on Wikipedia, using The Vaults’ free wifi. A perfect symbiosis of ancient and modern, I think you’ll agree.

4 Market Place, Uppingham Tel: 01572 823259

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25/11/2012 13:01

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BLUEMOON STOCK / ALAMY

Feature /// Management in sport

Reflection time

You should find the time to think about your goals and how you’re getting on achieving them, says Mary Brooks of MAP Knowledge I NOTICE THAT MOST GYMS have mirrors. I used to kickbox and play squash and I remember that when I used to work out or use the running machine there were big mirrors in front so that you could see yourself and reflect on your techniques; right posture, right movements.

It makes me think of my workplace and home life now. I often reflect on things, and in the workplace it is reflection that often gets you to a successful outcome.

Sometimes it seems we are on this endless treadmill that just seems to go faster and faster, with more and more happening at work and at home. How many times do you think after an event of what you should have said/done/ reacted?

We hear people say: “I just don’t have time to think.”

And yet, I have never heard this from a truly successful person. They protect their reflection time each week. It’s their reflection time that

helps them to make sense of their day’s experiences and get clarity on the journey ahead.

They take some time out to debrief themselves on what happened, what worked and what didn’t, and how they could do things differently next time.

You can do that. We all can – it is about building in reflection time to our working week.

Use what you would normally think of as wasted time. A car journey, a bus journey, the train, the plane, walking the dog, running, riding your bike, waiting in a queue – all classed as travelling or transition time.

This is valuable time, not wasted time. This is where you can reflect, when you have to do things that stop you from the normal treadmill of work and home. When did you last stop, look into that mirror and really reflect on your experiences, good and bad, large and small?

Do you fall into the trap of rationalising that you lack the time to assess your time choices?

Consider that time is precious, unrepeatable, and

finite. So value your life and refine your time choices by building regular ‘reflection points’ into the rhythm of your life. Pause and reflect on how things are going.

Consider asking yourself these questions: // What are the goals you are progressing with? // What are the intentions you wish to follow up on? // What relationships need tending? // What are your accomplishments?

Try this: a weekly review of your progress towards your goals. When you are on that treadmill at the gym, or on that journey - it’s a natural time to reflect on what your goals are and what’s preventing you from getting there.

Are you confident the treadmill pathways you are on are moving you towards these goals?

And remember the words of Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the US: “Do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.”

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25/11/2012 16:00

Feature /// School sports

Louis hits the big time in rugby LAST YEAR’S STAMFORD School rugby captain, Louis Grimoldby, had his first test of the big time recently when he made his first team debut for Harlequins in the LV Cup. The 18-year old came off the bench at half-time to enjoy his first taste of the professional game, lining up against the likes of England’s Matt Banahan, Springbok Michael Classens and World Cup-winning All Black Stephen

Donald. It was a tight game in which it fell to Louis to nail two long range penalties to take the Quins to a 21-12 victory.

Speaking after the game, Harlequins director of rugby, Conor O’Shea, said: “We struggled a bit to keep our structure but you can’t coach bottle and Louis stepped up to make the goals under enormous pressure.

“Do people have the capacity to play

UPPINGHAM COLLEGE TASTE OLYMPIC GLORY PUPILS AT UPPINGHAM COLLEGE learned what it is like to be an Olympian recently when Team GB women’s hockey star and Olympic bronze medallist Nicola White visited the school.

sport at a certain level? Well, you find out at times like that.”

Louis returned to school on the Saturday to watch the First XV. He said: “It was a great experience to line up against some of those guys, it was fast and physical.

“But it’s where I want to be week in week out, so I will keep on working at it and keep my fingers crossed for more opportunities.”

Nicola, who plays for Leicester Ladies Hockey Club, ran a training session for the pupils and gave a speech to the school. College principal Jan Turner said: “We have a tradition of excellent hockey at the college, with boys and girls making up the majority of the Rutland hockey teams.

“The college is honoured that such an inspirational athlete agreed to visit.

She is a fantastic role model for our young people.”

Nicola added: “This is the start of our Olympic legacy and, as an athlete, it is fantastic for me to be able to see all the hard work that goes on locally.”

Oakham pupils selected for England at hockey Stamford advance in national cup STAMFORD SCHOOL First XV went through to the next round of the Daily Mail Under 18 Cup with a solid home victory over St Georges College Harpenden.

Showing no signs of tiredness after their victory over Rugby, they started brightly and never looked back. They were on top of the visitors from the first whistle as centre Bo Vergalen rounded a dive into the corner after five minutes.

Ethan Moss and Angus Collett kept the forwards moving and Connor Collett and Henry Charlton ran riot in the back row.

Tries followed for Tom Gulland, Angus Pinner, Dan Macfadden, Charlie Page Morris and Tom Williams. Further tries came from Moss, Collett and Toseland.

Kieran Staunton and Charlie Page Morris had their kicking boots on to make it 56-3.

FOUR OAKHAM PUPILS have been selected for England duty or trials at various age groups following the school’s success at regional level.

After nine months of County and Junior Regional Performance training, seven Oakham pupils successfully gained selection to represent the regional team Mercian Lynx; either at U15 and U17 HiPAC (High Performance Assessment Camps) or in the U16 & U18 Futures Cup (England Trials).

Mercian Lynx’s Selection: U18 Futures Cup – Kathryn Lane, Amelia Milton, U17 HiPAC – Monty Jefferson, George Edwards, Monty Fynn (Saxon Tigers), U16 Futures Cup – Tom Gorman,

U15 HiPAC – Alice Huddlestone.

Four pupils have gone on from their performances at HiPAC and at Futures Cup to be selected for England trials.

Alice Huddlestone, (Year 9) has earned an England U16 trial.

Alice’s outstanding hockey talent was first spotted at an U10 tournament playing for her prep school Wellow House.

Monty Jefferson has earned an England U18 trial, having played for England U16. Joining them are old hands at playing for England, form 7 girls Kathryn Lane and Amelia Milton who have been selected for U18 trials.

Josh in regional triathlon squad JOSH GREAVES from Oakham School has just gained a place on the East Midlands Triathlon Academy regional squad for the 2013 season.

The 15-year old athlete from Whissendine managed this in his first year in triathlon having come third in the 2012 East Midlands series, with one first place, six second and three third places.

He also won the age-group Nottingham Triathlon and came first in the National Relay Championships as part of an U20s team.

Josh also took part in five adult sprint distance triathlons, coming in the top five percent in each event, with two top ten finishes.

5 8 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2 ///

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25/11/2012 12:37

Ryhall kids face up to big challenges at PGL

Uppingham fencing UPPINGHAM SCHOOL’S fencers have enjoyed successful outings in recent fencing competitions.

In the East Midlands Youth Fencing Championships in November the Uppingham fencers performed exceedingly well against some very tough opposition from fencers in the National Cadet Squad at the East Midlands Youth Fencing Championships.

Held in Mansfield, the Under 20 Boys’ Epée final, between Oscar Huxley and Herman Wong, was a real classic between the two Uppinghamians; Oscar snatched victory in the one minute of extra time with an excellently placed final hit.

In the recent Allstar Cup Fencing Championships held in Wolverhampton, a senior open event that attracts fencers of considerable experience, three Uppinghamians took part.

They were the youngest competitors at the Championships and performed well again much older and more experience fencers than themselves. Third place and the bronze medal went to Herman Wong.

EAST MIDLANDS YOUTH FENCING UPPINGHAM RESULTS Under 20 Boys’ Epée 1st and East Midlands Under 20 Champion - Oscar Huxley 2nd - Herman Wong 3rd- Ringo Ng Under 20 Girls’ Epée 2nd - Lizzie Smith Under 17 Boys’ Epée 7th - Charlie Cui 10th - Bede Timpson

Photograph: Andrew Brackenbury

PUPILS FROM RYHALL Primary School faced some of the biggest challenges of their young lives, overcoming fears, learning new skills and bonding as a team, during an action packed week at Lincolnshire’s PGL Caythorpe.

A giant swing, a ladder into the treetops, raft building and fencing were just some of the challenges that year five pupils were faced with.

The five day all-action expedition to PGL Caythorpe, a state-of-the-art outward bound centre designed to challenge and inspire children of all ages with its vast range of outdoor sporting activities, proved highly successful.

“For all of us that went, and that includes the staff, Caythorpe was something of a leap into the unknown,” said Ian Toon, deputy head and year five teacher. “Although we had done similar trips before, we’d never been to Caythorpe and many of the more extreme activities were completely new to us.

“Before going, we were all very excited, but staff and pupils alike felt a certain amount of trepidation. For many of the kids it was the longest they’d been away from home, and much of what we were doing was both new and very challenging.”

With raft building providing all with a watery welcome, from the first day onwards it was literally a case of ‘in at the deep end’.

Quad biking and a giant swing proved to be big hits too. Abbie, aged 9, said: “I was really nervous about the Giant Swing because I don’t like heights. I didn’t want to do it at first but I’m so glad I did. I couldn’t help screaming when I began to swing, but it was amazing fun!”

Ian added: “It was such a good experience, both for the children and for us teachers. As well as taking the children out of their comfort zones and showing them what they can achieve, the week had a great bonding effect on the whole class. The experience of challenging themselves and taking risks is something which the pupils can now use within a classroom setting. Best of all this seems to have had a lasting effect, class five are working so well together now - they should be very proud of themselves.”

Stamford School’s Freddie achieves black belt in karate YEAR 12 Stamford School Student, Freddie Osborn, has been awarded his black belt in karate after 10 years of studying the martial art.

Freddie started Shotokan karate when he was six at Holme School Hall in Ramsey and since then he has trained for at least five hours every week.

After years of dedication to karate, Freddie was assessed on his teaching skills as well as his physical ability in order to achieve his black belt.

Freddie said: “Karate has made me who I am today and I am passionate about imparting my knowledge onto other students.

“I would like to start up my own karate club when I go to university.”

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25/11/2012 12:37

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

Football

Daniels piling pressure on the league leaders

BY DEAN CORNISH

S

tamford AFC are building up the pressure on the top two in the Evo Stik Northern League Southern Section. The Daniels under Graham Drury this season have been in free scoring form and look to be well positioned to really mount a push to get promoted up to the Evo Stik Premier Division.

They’ve scored 13 goals in their last three league games, with thumping wins recently over Mickleover Sports (5-2), Rainworth (4-0), and Sheffield FC (4-0). The latter result saw the Yorkshire outfit being blasted away by four amazing goals, two of which were scored by new re-signing Ricky Miller, whose wonderful scoring has once again lit up Wothorpe Road.

As well as enjoying good progress in the league, Daniels’ fans will also long remember the FA Trophy win over FC United of Manchester.

The Daniels beat the phoenix club 2-1 in front of a 750-strong crowd with the winner coming from 35 yards out in the final minutes.

The Daniels then went out in the next round to Buxton, but that FC United win was a truly great day for Stamford.

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Overall, it’s the league that’s the most important this season, though, and with just a few points separating them from King’s Lynn and Coalville at the top of the league, it’s shaping up to be a real humdinger of a season.

Why not get along and support them over the festive period? King’s Lynn away from home on New Year’s Day has the makings of a real classic.

Stamford’s other side, Blackstones FC, has had a mini-revival of sorts in recent weeks.

The Stones went on a four-match unbeaten run, including an impressive 5-3 win over Shepshed, having trailed 3-1 against Dynamo before the Stones’ sterling comeback.

They’ve moved up to fifteenth in the league, still a long way from the pre-season target, but reassuringly now away from the relegation zone.

In the Peterborough League Premier Division, Oakham United have slipped in recent weeks.

Since conceding a late equaliser to much fancied Netherton in October, Andy Saddington’s men have gone five games

without a win in the Premier League and are now fourth in the division, six points behind the leaders, and having played more games as well.

Uppingham Town have moved up the table to eighth in the Peterborough League Premier League, but lack consistency to mount a real challenge toward the top of the table. It seems too many defeats follow wins for the Rutlanders this season.

In the First Division, it’s been a woeful season for the Stamford Bels so far. They’ve still only won one game this season, and they’re firmly bottom of the table, having lost their last 11 matches.

Ryhall United are doing slightly better in thirteenth place, with some better form in recent weeks, pulling away slightly from the bottom with a three match unbeaten run.

Ketton meanwhile are leading the way for the local sides in this division, currently in tenth place and having recorded back-to-back wins against Sutton and Castor, they’ll be more than confident of pushing on, and finishing in the top half of the table.

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6 0 DE C E M BE R 2 0 1 2 ///

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25/11/2012 11:05

Rugby

Stamford starring, Oakham on the up, OBs becalmed

BY JEREMY BESWICK

A

n early Oakham try by Lunn against league-topping Coalville heralded an open first half, with Coalvilles’s fly half Measures impressing with inch-perfect distribution.

A compelling second period included a lumbering Coalville try by Twigg, yet a quick restart as they trudged woodenly back was a sucker-punch: Oaks’ James Beanland first to the ball for 24-18.

The visitors strove for a converted try that would win the game but Oaks held on – and on – the whistle coming so late I needed another shave.

“Excellent win. Hope it’s the start of something ,” was chairman Sam Harries’ summary. Best game I’ve seen this season was mine.

A note to Coalville’s bench; non-stop ref sledging is not big and it’s not clever.

Oaks next travelled to Nottingham Casuals, winning 29-10 before the annual grudgefest that is the home game against Melton.

This fixture, usually close, surprised as Oakham ran out easy winners 41-12 with ever-combative Carel Fourie awarded man of the match – once he’d regained consciousness.

Stamford Town’s impressive run continues, and they are now in the quarter-finals after a narrow 38-35 cup victory against Handsworth and three

league wins, starting with a seven-try 39-10 away to Queens.

In-form Rugby St Andrews visited the following weekend and in ‘the worst conditions we’ve played in all season,’ according to captain Matt Albinson, Town ground out a 13-10 win - a late try from Joe Allen moving them to second in the table, nicely setting up the away fixture to league leaders Stewarts & Lloyds.

With wind and gradient against them, Town were 13-0 down before a Lindley try and penalty reduced the deficit. Stamford’s fitness told in the second period and tries from Thompson and Taylor (twice) brought them home 20-30.

Town have beaten all the top six, remain undefeated and top the division by two points. Any more of this and I’ll get a nose bleed.

“With mid-table opponents to come, hopefully we’ll consolidate our lead by Christmas” said Albinson.

By contrast, Stamford College Old Boys remain in the doldrums, the first of three defeats against Brackley 14-36.

Courage and a never-say-die attitude were to their immense credit, reprised away to Bourne (10-30) when reduced by injury to 14 men for the second half.

The misery continued with a 12-47 loss to Thorney. College were unfortunate to come across a star making his debut; Aaron Beschizza landed a hat-trick (drop goal,

conversion and penalty). Remember the name – we’ll hear more of this lad.

Deepings’ predicted win – you read it here folks – materialised. After losing narrowly to Long Buckley they led in a cracker against Northampton Men’s Own until an injury delay (get well soon Michael Flanagan) forced abandonment for insufficient daylight.

After 10 minutes of the replay two weeks later, farce set in – a Men’s Own player contriving to thump one of his ‘Own’ in a driving maul.

Alas, the ref awarded a penalty try for stamping, mis-read the resulting laughter and asked captain Nick Coupland to name the guilty party. There being none, Nick took a 10-minute rest himself as the fun continued with an opposing player also binned for punching. The first act concluded 7-7, but two penalties and three tries after the intermission saw Deepings take the curtain 34-17; Lance Charity bowing in with a hat-trick.

Green Machine had won the intervening fixture, away to a gnarly Old Newtonians, 19-12. Nick (now known as ‘Nick Coupland is innocent, OK?’) said: “The table’s very tight up to fifth so hopefully the momentum from these wins will see us move up.”

They still won’t be a patch on the ladies’ side though. Unbeaten after five, since you ask.

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Roundup

Equestrianism

Local rider Richard Jones heads to southern France

BY JULIA DUNGWORTH

L

ocally we have had an exciting end to the eventing season, where Richard Jones from South Luffenham re-routed David and Jane Miles’ 12-year old Highland Ford to Pau in France. After very publicly jumping into the Cottesmore Leap at Burghley, this time Richard steered the 16hh gelding to a very credible ninth place in a very high class field.

The competition in the Pyrenees carries the same four-star classification as Burghley and was once again won by Andrew Nicholson. Richard added a few time penalties on the cross country after a good dressage and is very much looking forward now to Badminton in the spring.

Brogan Cranfield from Edenham will also be joining Richard at Badminton in the Grassroots Championship after winning her BE100 regional final at the Norton Disney Horse Trails near Lincoln, where she rode her own Porterhouse Blue and finished on an amazing score of just 29.5.

Brogan had been quite nervous as there had been heavy rain over the weekend and Bernie (as he is known to his friends) has had most of the year off, due to an unfortunate field injury, but having hunted a lot in the past, Bernie took it all in his stride. Brogan is actually now also going to go and work for Richard as a pupil.

JumpCross at Wittering had to cancel their last competition of the year. Robin Dunlop had tried to put on an extra date as

Express Eventing is aiming to make eventing much easier to watch

they had to cancel one earlier in the season, but the weather yet again put a stop to that.

It did see an eagerly awaited end to their league table, with one of the main winners being a very consistent Sally Wagstaff, who won both the Group 3 and 2 senior leagues.

I also had a very exciting end to the season and was lucky enough to be invited to ride at the first competition in the Express Eventing series, which was held at HorseWorldLive at the ExCel in London.

Competing in the middle of a city is an amazing experience and even though my

horse was not quite feeling on form and so I didn’t finish with quite the result I had hoped for. Express Eventing is bringing an exciting new concept to the horse world and making eventing/competition much easier to watch and get involved in: essentially eventing, but the cross country is in an arena.

If you missed this one, there are another three in the series, the next one being held at Lincolnshire Agricultural Show next June and then after that at The Game Fair in Warwickshire.

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25/11/2012 15:17

Hockey

A mixed month for Rutland

BY SIMON COOPER

T

he cool winds of winter have blown through Rutland Hockey Club this month, as defeats for all of the club’s adult sides slightly burst the bubble of early season optimism.

After being given the big write-up last month, it was a disappointment to hear that the U18s boys had fallen at the next hurdle in the national knock-out competition, as an under-strength side was comprehensively beaten away at Olton & West Warwicks.

It has been a similar tale for the Mens 1st XI, whose young side had shocked visiting Alford & District to reach the last 32 of the National Vase. Their cup run for this year was ended away at Holt Harlequins, in a curious old game which most onlookers agreed was pretty even, but finished 8-2.

Their league campaign has also faltered of late, with three draws bisected by two defeats to Newmarket and Cambridge South. They remain fourth in the table, but with a significant gap now between them and the league leaders.

Across in the Leicestershire mixed leagues, the Rutland Oaks’ promotion charge has also tailed off with a couple of defeats in early November. They returned to form in their most recent fixture though with a 5-1 win at home against the Aardvarks XI, with new recruit Alexandra MacDonald scoring on her debut, and presently sit mid-table in Division 3.

The Rutland Horseshoes, the mixed 1st XI, have also had their ups and downs and sit fifth in Division 1, with a game in hand over the teams just above them.

The Ladies 1st XI travelled to Cambridge University this month to face a side they

had scraped past 1-0 in the league cup. An improved performance resulted in a 4-0 victory, with Anne Pollock and Kate Stubbs amongst the goals.

The next week brought the annual trip to the wilds of Wisbech for the graveyard shift of a late pushback, that was further delayed (as always) by preceding matches.

Wisbech were sitting second in the table, and a win for the Rutlanders would have established some real clear water between the sides. Sadly, it wasn’t to be, as the Rutland girls never really got out of second gear and the Wisbech team took full advantage to run out 3-0 winners.

The disappointment of that result was soon banished though by a thumping 10-1 victory at home against struggling Huntingdon. The visitors in fact took the lead, but Rutland were able to move the ball around with increasing confidence as the game wore on, going in 2-1 up at the break and racking up an impressive eight further goals in the second period.

A thrilling 5-5 draw with Spalding followed in the league cup, and with two games left for them to play before the winter hiatus the Rutland side remain two points clear at the summit of the Cambridge Premier Division.

The Ladies 2nd XI made the long trek to a windswept Ely, only to register a 4-1 defeat, but they bounced back the following weekend to beat table-toppers Newmarket 3-1 at Uppingham, a performance apparently built on the twin pillars of Jess Hayward and Ellie Hemmings in the Rutland defence.

Saving the best until last, the standout performers this month have been the girls

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of Rutland’s U16 side. The National Championships at this age-group begin with a local league stage, and Rutland’s first action was to host a Spalding team that contained several useful players.

As they felt their way into the competition, the Rutland side were punished with a heavy defeat, but after Spalding had just edged past Peterborough 1-0, Rutland then cut loose against the tiring Peterborough girls, running away 6-1 winners. After Market Harborough withdrew from the competition, the Rutland girls knew they had to pick up some points on the road at Leicester.

It was the home side’s first appearance in the competition (they play Spalding and Peterborough very shortly to determine the qualification spots), and as they were also eager for the win this was a right old ding dong of a game. Penny Skipper gave Rutland a deserved lead, with Ella Brahmachari and Izzy Chedd giving good accounts of themselves in a congested midfield, but Leicester looked mighty dangerous on the break and equalised shortly before half time.

As time ticked away, a draw looked like it might be on the cards, but Charlie Gregg drove into the Leicester circle once more to win her team a penalty corner, which was eventually swept in by Charlie Crombie.

There were several alarms before the final whistle, but Rutland managed to hang on to give themselves a real chance of reaching the next phase of the Championships (essentially Leicester need to win their two remaining games to beat them to the second spot in the league which guarantees them qualification).

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25/11/2012 11:08

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21/11/2012 19:49

Roundup

Fishing

Des lands 8lb 12oz rainbow Des Welch landed the biggest rainbow of the season at 8lb 12oz at Rutland Water recently Des, a season ticket holder from Chaddeston, Derbyshire, caught this superb specimen whilst boat fishing with Rick Broome of Whissendine, Oakham.

The pair fished the South Arm with sinking lines and a black booby humungus, while season ticket holder Steve Crowder took a boat out and had a good day with five rainbows from the North Arm up to 5lb.

Bank anglers have caught from the Peninsula, Whitwell and Normanton.

John Richards of Gonerby Hill Foot near Grantham was bank fishing off the end of the Peninsula and was rewarded with a rainbow of 6lb 13oz – the best fish from the bank taken that week.

Prospects look good with plenty of fish being caught from a variety of places around the reservoir.

Fish are feeding predominately on daphnia, shrimp, the odd fry/stickleback and snail.

Golf Week four of the Winter Order of Merit at Greetham Valley saw yet another first time winner.

Dave Copley, who was in second place overall after two good fourth placed finishes had the game of his life to take the win on the day and storm into first place on the leader board.

Playing on the Lakes course, Dave, who had three birdies and 14 pars, would have

been very happy with that but an eagle on the par five fifteenth was just the icing on the cake, coming in with an unbelievable 48 points, six better that his closest competitor. on the day.

Dave said that he had been playing well recently but nothing could have prepared him for a round like that. As a result, he was docked two shots off his handicap.

Peter De Kremer and Steff Dutton must have thought that they were in with a good chance after scoring 42 points but on the day that was only good enough for the second and third places.

Round five was played on the Valley course in quite exceptional weather; warm, no rain and no wind, perfect golfing weather.

Forty players had entered and this time 42 points was good enough to win.

Bob Beverley had a great round to take the win and to shoot up the leader board, he moved from twenty eighth position to joint sixth and was docked two shots.

Dave Copley still leads the Order of Merit table with 107 points, Steve Anderson is 30 points behind him in second.

Steff Dutton is only three points behind him on 74 and Alan Bennett is within touching distance of him on 72. Michael Fish rounds out the top five.

Cricket Burghley Park Cricket Club held its annual end of season dinner on November 16 at Burghley Park Golf Club.

Club stalwart Russ Hibbert welcomed

guests and reminded them of the club’s achievements over the past season.

Guest speaker Charlie Dagnall held court in amusing fashion, telling the assembled melee of 100 guests various funny stories and anecdotes as well as answering some posing and not so posing questions!

Senior vice-president Bob Feetham thanked Charlie for his amusing speech and wished the teams well for next season.

Awards for the evening saw the Sunday XI Batsman of the Year going to soon-to-be-dad Matt Roberts, the Sunday XI bowler of the year was Tom Stephenson, Saturday XI Batsman of the Year was Gareth Hook, Saturday XI Bowler of the Year Matt Simpson and the Saturday XI Fielding Cup went to Chris Meadows.

The David Cross Memorial Trophy was presented to David Jackson for his innings of 110 against Alconbury and finally Clubman of the Year went to recently-retired groundsman Oliver Hall.

Netball The Rutland County Netball League tables are taking shape three matches in to the winter season.

Don Paddy’s have stormed to the top of the first division and have already posted a 50-point goal difference after only playing two games.

My Gray’s Girls were sitting pretty at the top of division 2, although Rutland Jewells have taken over at the top by virtue of playing two more games.

Show your support for local sport and advertise in our classifieds Email advertise@theactivemag.com or call 01780 480789 /// D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2 6 5

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Feature /// Stalwart

Malcolm Rawlings H EA D GROU N DSM A N A N D HONOR A RY M EM BER, OA K H A M C R IC K ET C LU B Words /// Jeremy Beswick

I GAVE MY FRIEND DENNIS OUT LBW AND I COULD TELL HE WASN’T BEST PLEASED. HE MENTIONED IT WHEN I BUMPED INTO HIM IN THE HIGH STREET LAST WEEK... FAIR ENOUGH, YOU MIGHT THINK, EXCEPT THE MATCH WAS PLAYED IN 1980

M

alcolm, and his grandfather Josiah before him, have been groundsmen at Oakham Cricket Club for nearly 100 years – two-thirds of the club’s history. He remembers helping at the age of 10 when the Lime Kilns was surrounded by grazing cattle (“There was no need to spend money on fertilizer in those days”), and playing his first match at 14 years old against Kettering Town in 1953. He claims not to recall if he took wickets or scored runs that day so, knowing Malcolm, we can assume neither.

Before formal league cricket came to Oakham in the early ’80s, many opponents were local villages.

Malcolm is adamant though: “Don’t call them friendlies...some were anything but.”

They played on Thursday afternoons (early closing day so the tradesmen could play) and the format was 20 overs. It seems Twenty20 isn’t quite the modern innovation some would have us believe.

Malcolm played until 1988, a stint spanning 35 years.

He retired because “I was giving away more runs in the field than I scored with the bat” and sat his umpiring exams. Highlights of his second cricketing career were standing at a match at Althorp in which Allan Lamb played and lunch was served by a butler in full regalia – and standing in the inaugural under-16s World Cup, including Australia versus Pakistan.

Yet umpiring did have its drawbacks.

He recalls: “I gave my friend Dennis out LBW and, although he’s too much of a gentleman to say anything on the field, I could tell he wasn’t best pleased. He mentioned it again in the High Street last week – as he does every time I bump into him.”

Fair enough you might think, except the match was played in 1980.

These days he’s a regular scorer for both Oakham Town and the school in addition to the ground keeping.

He’s never had any formal training.

“I just follow what my grandfather did. You get to know your soil,” he says, yet the pitch is of a consistently high standard. Freddie Flintoff and Liam Botham have played here as have Leicestershire seconds. In a vote by opposing captains last season, Oakham’s pitch came second out of more than a hundred grounds.

The position is purely voluntary although his grandfather used to have an annual benefit match, a tradition that’s sadly ceased (are you listening Mr chairman?).

The club has a thriving youth section and is always ready to consider new players.

“Any bowlers in their prime would be particularly welcome at the moment” says Malcolm. Perhaps they are short of a few, due to the road-like nature of Malcom’s wickets! But should you want to give this burgeoning club a go, contact names and numbers can be found at www.oakhamcricketclub.co.uk.

There’s a match every Saturday and Sunday so when the season starts again why not go along and watch? The bar will be open and it’s the ideal spot for a picnic on a sunny afternoon.

Does he have any other memories of the old days?

“Well, for many years our heavy roller was pulled by a cart horse which wore leather boots, so as not to damage the square.”

Sadly the roller and horse went in 1956 but Malcolm remains. Rolling on.

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