Active Magazine // October 2013

! Get your luGs brazed and tubes butted E E

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Beautiful bespoke bikes are being made in Ufford ISSUE 16 // OCTOBER 2013

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

Scrum time The new rugby season starts in Stamford, Deeping, Uppingham and Oakham

ISSUE 16 // OCTOBER 2013

Plus

School’s in

Our round-up as the new term starts

Over!

How your local cricket teams fared this season

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Editor’s Letter I HAPPENED TO GO TO A WEDDING recently and my old games teacher was there.

He put the fear of God into me then, seeming to enjoy finding ever more brutal ways of putting us through the pain barrier. Insane trampolineonto-high-horse-headsprings, sub-zero tackling training on ice pitches and high intensity circuit training were some of the higlights.

As far as he was concerned, sport built character, and what didn’t kill you made you stronger. He was an ex-Royal Marine after all.

But 20 years later, he seemed a really good bloke who genuinely had the interest of his pupils at heart. He could reel off names of all of them, what they did after school and what sports skills they had (“could bowl a bit, not much of a sprinter, never quite worked out where to play in a rugby team, and was a bit lazy,” was his uncanny recollection of me).

In this issue, we’ve got five pages of school sports news as the new term starts and even though I went to a sports-mad school that produced a few internationals (not me, clearly), it seems like sport has gone to a whole new level. Training camps, regional and national competitions, and even travel overseas – the kids around Stamford and Rutland have had a very busy summer.

And that’s not just the private schools with their amazing facilities and fantastic coaching. We feature the exploits of Uppingham Community College, Bourne and Catmose who are all producing some really talented kids.

Also in this issue, we have a look at the rugby sides in our area and their chances for the season, investigate an incredible local bike maker and start thinking about the skiing season.

Enjoy the issue.

Publisher Chris Meadows chris@theactivemag.com Editor Steve Moody steve@theactivemag.com Deputy Editor Rich Beach rich@theactivemag.com Production Editor Julian Kirk julian@theactivemag.com Art Editor Mark Sommer mark@theactivemag.com Contributors Martin Johnson, William Hetherington, Dean Cornish, Jon Tyrrell, Alexa Cutteridge, Sandie Hurford, Jeremy Beswick, Julia Dungworth, Kyle Fortune Photographers Nico Morgan Harry Measures Production Assistant Abigail Sharpe Advertising Sales Rachel Meadows rachel@theactivemag.com Accounts Amy Roberts accounts@theactivemag.com Active magazine, The Grey House, 3 Broad Street, Stamford, PE9 1PG. Tel: 01780 480789

A member of the Stamford Chamber of

Trade and Commerce

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. VAT number 152717318

Thanks, Steve

Disclaimer

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Copyright (c) Grassroots Publishing Limited (GPL) 2013. 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 GPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of GPL 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, GPL 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 and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws. GPL 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

Issue 16 /// October 2013

NEWS 11 I EX-ENGLAND CRICKETER IN TOWN

Geoff Miller at Burghley Rotary dinner

12-13 I GET HEALTHY AND HAPPY

Region’s health and fitness specialists get together

17 I WIN THE SUFFERING ENTRIES

We have 10 entries to give away to the tough challenge

HEADS UP 19 I MARTIN JOHNSON

The Sunday Times writer on sporting soundbites

22-23 I KITBAG

All the best gear and gadgets for the autumn

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FEATURES 24-27 I RUGBY SEASON PREVIEW

Jeremy Beswick looks ahead to the start of the rugby season and assesss the chances of our local sides

28-29 I CRICKET SEASON REVIEW

A glorious summer saw plenty of cricket played, but who tasted success and who had an early tea?

30-33 I LUXURY SKIING HOLIDAYS

Kyle Fortune offers up some tempting skiing breaks for those with money to burn

34-37 I BESPOKE BICYCLES

Rich Beach meets a man in a shed in Ufford who builds beautiful and personalised bikes from scratch

REGULARS 38-39 I HEALTH AND BEAUTY

The latest advice to help you feel fitter and healthier

42-43 I GREAT WALKS

Will Hetherington and Ella try the Ridlington triangle

45 I SPORTSMAN’S DINNER

This month the boys head to Morello in Stamford

47 I GREAT RUN

Alexa Cutteridge offers up another great local route

48-51 I SCHOOL SPORT

Our focus on the latest achievements from local pupils

52-57 I ROUND-UP

How clubs in the Stamford and Rutland area are getting on

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In Play

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KIT HOUGHTON

Burghley Horse Trials Jock Paget and Cli on Promise won The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in Stamford last month. Not since 1989, when Ginny Leng and Master Cra sman triumphed at both Burghley and Badminton, has a combination claimed both titles in the same calendar year. This feat also sets Jock up for a crack at the Rolex Grand Slam if he can win The Rolex Kentucky next spring.

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In Play

Sun shines on Burghley Beautiful sunshine and perhaps the most perfectly turned-out course ever greeted hundreds of thousands of visitors to Burghley House for last month’s Burghley Horse Trials. Despite being a major global equestrian event some of the fences had a local tone, such as this Daniel Lambert themed obstacle.

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NICO MORGAN

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News

Hip-hop theatres come to area HIP HOP AND THEATRE aren’t words you o en see in the same sentence, but an acclaimed production is coming to the Key Theatre in Peterborough this month, bringing a show that combines breakdance, dialogue and interaction against a backdrop of hip-hop music.

Rationale Productions’ In My Shoes is performed by five breakdancers and was inspired by a quote from funk artist George Clinton, who said: “you can walk a mile in my shoes, but you can’t dance a step in my feet.”

Artistic director Nathan Geering hopes the story

about real life issues will make a connection with the audience, particularly youngsters, while exposing them to an entertaining piece of hip-hop theatre.

Geering told Active: “We want to introduce people to what real hip-hop is, which is not about bling bling and crime but it’s actually about peace, love, unity and having fun.

“We want to change people’s perception of theatre. There is an energy from seeing something at the theatre that you just can’t get from watching a movie. It is a misconception held by young

people that the theatre is for ‘old’ people. We aim to change this perception as we are young, vibrant and full of energy and understand what young people want to see.”

But Geering is keen to stress this is a show for all and not just for those wanting to see ‘gravitydefying breakdance moves and slick streetdance choreography’.  Tickets cost £5 and are available from the Key Theatre box office or by calling 01733 207239 or online at www.vivacitypeterborough.com/event/in-my-shoes

Geoff Miller to speak at Burghley Rotary dinner FORMER ENGLAND CRICKETER and current national selector, Geoff Miller (pictured), will be entertaining guests at Burghley Rotary’s annual sporting dinner this month at Barnsdale Lodge Hotel.

A er the retention of the Ashes this year and a successful summer season, Geoff will share his insight on how to pick a winning team. Miller played in 34 Test matches; 25 one-day internationals; seven overseas tours; scored more than 14,000 runs; was captain of Derbyshire and vice-captain of England; took more than 1,000 wickets and held in excess of 300 catches.

“Geoff Miller’s greatest attribute was the ability to keep his team-mates amused with his hilarious dry Northern humour,” says the club’s PR officer, Jon Whowell, adding: “By virtue of the sport he was in and the life he has led, Geoff Miller now possesses a whole host of hilarious anecdotes and stories about himself and his colleagues. What distinguishes him from most sporting a er dinner speakers is his ability to reach audiences who may have no real interest in sport. So a good evening is certain for all.”

There are a limited number of tickets for the dinner available for £32.50, including raffle. Funds raised will be donated to the Rotary Foundation – Rotary’s own charity providing aid for local and international community projects and the worldwide elimination of Polio.  Tickets are available from Alan Gray by calling 01780 766102 or emialing alangray23@hotmail. com and Geoff Jones on 01572 747715 or gandmjones@btinternet.com.

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News

Be healthy and happy!

Region’s health specialists to gather in Tinwell for free advice and taster sessions to help you get fit AN EVENT COMING TO TINWELL in October aims to make you healthier and happier by bringing together the region’s health specialists to offer free therapy taster sessions, introductions to gym classes and much more.

The Healthy Stamford and Rutland event will take place over two days and is an opportunity for local people to learn about a variety of health treatments, exercises and therapies provided by local businesses.

There will be nutrition advice courtesy of Shaw Nutrition, free massage tasters from sports massage therapist Jonny Hands, and chartered physiotherapist, Ann Clare will use her 38-years of experience to answer your questions on aches and pains.

There will also be giveaways and competitions, taster gym sessions and a chance to learn about the benefits of MBST therapy (aka Magnetic

Resonance Therapy), courtesy of Cell Regeneration, who will be hosting the event at their premises on Casterton Lane, Tinwell.

You’ll also be able to see the impressive MBST machines in action (there are only four other MBST centres in the UK) and talk to existing patients.

Liz Clare from Cell Regeneration said: “Health today is and should be a massive priority. Whether it is from the food we eat, to getting rid of pain through to fitness. Our main aim is to show all of that can be done easily, naturally and in an enjoyable way. The days are to educate, interact but to mostly enjoy.”

Imogen from Shaw Nutrition said: “Hopefully by meeting me in person, you will come to realise that I am not a scary nutritionist who is going to make you live off a diet of only organic vegetable juices! I will have lots of interactive activities set

up to really get you thinking about your current diet and whether you need to look at making any changes.

“I will also have some nutritional products available to try and buy, as well as lots of free resources for you to take away with you.”

Liz Clare added: “I am hoping the event will enable people to find out more about the individual health businesses in the local area and what each service is able to offer them. It will also give them an opportunity to meet us all in person, which will hopefully make them feel more comfortable and confident in using and recommending our services now and in the future.”  The event takes place between 11am and 4pm on Friday, October 4, and 10am and 3pm on Saturday, October 5, at Cell Regeneration, Casterton Lane, Tinwell. For more details, call 01780 238084

A picture says a thousand words PETERBOROUGH MUSEUM is opening its doors to the We Discover, We grow exhibition running until November 3, which is a photographic showcase from the Girlguiding Cambridgeshire West County group.

In association with the Speak Out, Reach Out, Camp Out project, the show explores how Girlguiding volunteers from Peterborough ‘have charted their own inspirational journeys of discovery and growth while facilitating opportunities for girls and young women to do the same’. ‘Inspiration’ was the theme for the works and the selected images show some of the events, scenes and activities that inspire current Girlguiding volunteers to continue giving up their time.

Pippa Gardner is one of the leaders featured in the exhibition. She said: “Volunteering with Girlguiding has really developed my confidence. I was a very shy child and now I feel comfortable leading activities and speaking to large groups.”

Diane Card submitted photos of Brownies enjoying an event she organised at Flag Fen (pictured).

She said: “I enjoyed giving the girls the opportunity to find out about the world around them and the wonders in their own back yard. The girls loved finding the different colours of nature at Flag Fen.” Girlguiding has an on-going campaign to seek out more adult members. The organisation is hugely popular, with more than half a million members and volunteers around the UK, but Girlguiding Cambridgeshire West needs more volunteers to give time to support their local groups.

There are a huge number of opportunities to get involved in addition to working directly with groups such as becoming a treasurer or managing a one-off event for a particular age group.  For further information, call Peterborough Museum on 01733 864663, email museum@vivacity-peterborough. com or visit www.vivacity-peterborough.com

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Relax, unwind and greet 2014 in style at Barnsdale Hall Hotel New Year's Eve Themed Black & White Ball £75.00 per person Champagne and canapé reception from 7pm, followed by dinner at 8pm prompt, a 5 course dinner to follow, table magician and music followed by the chimes of Big Ben and disco music to the small hours. Seating arrangements will be available in tables of 8 upwards. Individual couples and parties of 6 and below will be put onto tables of 8 sharing. This is an adults only event, no children are permitted. Stay the night and enjoy our late New Year’s Day Breakfast from £75.00 per room Canapé reception [k\

Rolled duck leg and chorizo terrine, puy lentil salad, harissa dressing [k\

Sea food Assiette (hot and cold smoked salmon, spiced mackerel pate, dill and lemon potted prawns) [k\

Outer space on your doorstep IF YOU’RE A BIT OF A STAR GAZER or budding astronaut, you won’t want to miss your last chance to see Peterborough Museum’s Space: Fact and Fiction exhibition, which runs until Monday, October 7.

The exhibition, which is supported by the UK Space Agency, highlights the UK’s role in space exploration and what it really takes to become an astronaut.

Visitors can learn about the solar system and find the answers to all their burning questions, such as is time travel really possible? What is the difference between a meteor and an asteroid? And is there actually life on other planets? Sci-fi fans will enjoy the displays of well-known costumes and artifacts from famous movies, as well seeing the real deal, such as genuine space suits.

The exhibition culminates in an exciting film festival – Stellar Screenings – on October, 5-6 where ET, Aliens, Apollo 13 and Star Trek will be screened. Admission to the exhibition is free.

Roast fillet of beef, sticky blade and horseradish croquettes, carrot puree, roast parsnip gratin [k\

Trio of chocolate puddings [k\

English cheese board, biscuits and fruit and nut loaf [k\

Coffee and truffles

Barnsdale Hall Hotel

Barnsdale Hall Hotel | Nr Oakham | Rutland | LE15 8AB Tel: 01572 757 901 | www.barnsdalehotel.co.uk

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News

Skatepark nears opening AS YOU READ THIS, providing the weather has continued to be kind to the contractors, the main concrete work for the long-awaited Stamford Skatepark will have been completed.

In just a couple more weeks, after the landscaping and security is finished, the gates will open and over five years of hard work campaigning and fund-raising will culminate in the one best concrete skate facilities in the region.

Committee chairman Marc Stanier, who alongside local volunteers, parents and those who’ll use the park, has worked tirelessly to make this happen, told Active it’s all been worth it: “I admit, three or four days ago I went down and had a look at the progress and for the first time, after really seeing it take shape and seeing how good it is going to be, I finally allowed myself some self congratulation – myself and all those who have helped along the way.

“It’s been a long and difficult journey, but now we can all see what we’ve achieved. It shouldn’t take five years to get a sports facility built for young people. But it did, and now, it all feels worth it.”

Currently the committee is putting plans together for the launch party and grand opening,

but no date is set yet until the concrete work is finalised, which is weather dependent. After five years, all that’s left now is to find Marc something else to get his teeth into.

“I think I will be at a loose end in a few weeks’ time. But unlike a lot of the dads and adults on our Facebook page, I’m certainly NOT going to start learning to skateboard!”

Teens give back to the community MORE THAN 500 young people from across Rutland and Lincolnshire will have spent a total of 15,000 hours developing and implementing nearly 50 community projects across the two counties as part of a national voluntary programme by the end of summer.

And there’s only a few weeks left to sign up to the National Citizen Service programme, which begins on October 8, during half term.

The Government programme offers young people aged 16-17 the chance to take up new challenges, make new friends, develop vital skills and experience exciting activities.

The Awesome Autumn programme includes a five-day stay at an outdoor adventure centre where participants will be able to enjoy activities such as wall-climbing and archery, and also work on community projects. Food and accommodation is included.

Hayleigh Bakin, a 16-year-old former student of Walton Girls High School in Grantham, who took part in NCS this summer, said: “I heard about NCS when someone from the programme came in and presented at an assembly in school.

I signed up because it seemed like a great way to spend my summer.

“NCS definitely helped prepare me for the future. I made loads of new friends and built new skills that will definitely be useful when finding a job, like teamwork and how to be professional. The programme will also look great on my UCAS application because it shows I took

the initiative to do something useful and productive with my free time, which I hope makes me stand out.”

Some of the social action projects that have taken place or are being undertaken include: painting fences and planting flowers at Jubilee Park in Woodhall Spa; renovating a church hall at Christ Church in Grantham; creating an ice cream parlour and tea room at Boultham Care Home in Lincoln; making paths, planting new trees and removing dead trees at Westgate Woods in Boston; creating a nature study area and a nature trail, as well as helping to renovate parts of the museum and grounds at Rocks By Rail in Rutland.  For more information or to sign up, please contact Phil Everett on 01522 574152 or phil. everett@eblo.org.uk or visit www.facebook. com/NCSEM1 and www.ncsem1.org.uk

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One in 10 adults can’t cycle Host of riding events on offer around Rutland to get families out and about on two wheels RECENT RESEARCH has found that, despite Britain’s cycling champions achieving success on the road and in the velodrome, 8% of adults have never learnt to ride a bike.

The research by bike insurers Cycleguard also found that even those who can ride a bike, more than one in five (21%) just can’t be bothered.

However, those surveyed who do ride might give good reason why non-cyclists should consider changing their ways, as those who ride a bike on a regular basis said they were significantly happier, with 64% claiming keeping fit was their main reason for cycling.

Meanwhile, cycling also appears to play an important role in bringing people together, with more than half (56%) of regular cyclists enjoying time on their bikes with friends and family.

Adrian Scott, head of Cycleguard, said: “Our research suggests cyclists have a healthier lifestyle than others is perhaps not surprising, but the quality time friends and families are enjoying together by riding their bikes is pleasing to see. In the wake of the Government’s £94m investment in cycling, we hope this encourages adults to learn how to ride a bike and start enjoying the numerous benefits that cycling has to offer.”

To help encourage those you know who don’t cycle and who would benefit from joining an organised group ride, which is much more enjoyable, sociable and motivational than going out on your own, Rutland Cycling has a number of ride-outs for all cyclists, all year round.

WOMEN’S RIDES The Breeze campaign aims to get more women cycling and Rutland Cycling has its own qualified Breeze ride leaders.

The rides will be taking place every Sunday from October 6 (running through to March) with a different ride leader each week. Starting promptly at 9.30am (signing on from 9am) the ride will be a leisurely 5 ½ miles across the dam from Whitwell to Normanton and back. This will take approximately an hour. And there’s cake and coffee afterwards, too.

Free to attend if you have your own bike, the

rides aim to give women the chance to gain confidence and make friends during the winter time while improving your cycling skills. There will be a discounted bike hire rate (£5) if you need to hire a bike.  Details: www.breezebikerides.com MUMS AND TOTS Being a parent isn’t a good enough excuse to not ride either, as there are weekly rides for mums using two-seater bike trailers or bikes with child seats. Each ride leaves Rutland Water or Fineshade Wood every Friday morning, starting at 10am. Dads and other carers are welcome too, and rides are at a leisurely pace, usually around five miles, and are suitable for all abilities.

These rides are free to join with your own bike or you can take advantage of special reduced hire rates.

NIGHT RIDERS And for the more experience rider, the night rides return, where Rutland Cycling again join

forces with top cycling brands to offer six group night rides through the winter where you’ll get the chance to demo various different new products on your ride, such as the latest lighting kit, clothing and even bikes.

The first ride took place on October 1, and started from Rutland Cycling, Whitwell. The group were joined by the folks from Gore Cycle clothing and USE lights, giving riders the chance to trial the latest jackets and high-powered cycle lighting. Below are the dates, brands and locations for each of the rides over the winter months, all starting at 6.30pm.

The other five rides are as follows: November 5, Fineshade Woods December 3, Giant store, Normanton January 7, Fineshade Wood February 4, Whitwell store February 4, Fineshade Woods  Book your place on any of these rides by emailing rides@rutlandcycling.com or by telephoning the Whitwell store on 01780 460705.

SPORTS SHORTS FUND-RAISING EVENT Outdoor experts, Get Lost in Rutland are holding an outdoor event to raise money for the local air ambulance service.

The evening will be held at Greetham Valley Golf Course between 7-9pm on October 29, and will showcase the latest walking, fishing, cycling and golfing kit, and

host talks by industry experts. Tickets are £12 and canapés and drinks will be included.

For more information contact Get Lost on 01572 868712.

GET INTO CROQUET A group of croquet players have set up a club and are inviting anyone interested in playing

to come along and have a go. All equipment and tuition is provided and the atmosphere is very informal.

The group meets at the Oakham Cricket Club (Lime Kilns, Brooke Road, Oakham) on Tuesday a ernoons at 2pm. For more information call John Moore on 01572 756567 or 07708 166224.

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Advertising feature

Raising the bar – Oakwood Property Management Oakwood Insurance Consultant and Financial Services has been operating in Market Deeping for seventeen years and Stewart Jones is pleased to introduce the opening of Oakwood Property Management.

Oakwood Property Management, a family run company offers a friendly and professional service to landlords and tenants. We are raising the bar in property management, through trained staff with ARLA (Association of Residential Letting Agents) qualifications.

We have signed up with The Property Ombudsman for Lettings, this sets out the framework within which we, as registered agents, must operate and the standards of service we must provide for both tenants and landlords.

All our landlords and tenants know that we are voluntarily working to a code of practice, we believe this is important in the letting and property management environment which to date is not regulated in the same robust way that

financial services are through the Financial Conduct Authority.

When managing a property for a landlord we take great pride in the fact that a landlord trusts us with their property. With that in mind, we will look after the property as if it was ours, and will only use tradespeople that we can trust and would allow into our own home.

Oakwood Property Management provides honest and realistic letting prices. We can manage anything from professional portfolios to individual lets and have the flexibility to provide the service that fits your needs.

We believe in getting this right first time to give you the best level of service and confidence in us.

Throughout the whole process of letting, regardless of whether you are a new or existing landlord, we aim to give you the highest standard of service. We offer a full range of services to meet your needs: full property management, let and rent collect or just rent.

Matthew and Stewart Jones Contact Matthew at: Oakwood Property Management Tel: 01778 341658 E: matthew@oakwoodproperties.uk.com

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News

Win: free entry to The Suffering Active has 10 entry tickets to give away to the event at Rockingham Castle... but only enter if you’re tough enough!

The extreme endurance obstacle race with the most descriptive title returns in November and once again Active is dishing out free pain to 10 (un)lucky readers!

If finances are your excuse for not entering the 5k, 10k and 10-mile obstacle races, to once again be held at Rockingham Castle, then sorry, you’ll have to find another excuse.

The Suffering 5k and 10k races, which take place on Saturday, November 2, include around 15 and 25 obstacles respectively, but there is also the notorious 10-mile bigger and tougher brother held on the Sunday – The Pain and Suffering, which consists of more than 35 muscle-terrorising obstacles.  To be in with a chance of winning one of 10 entries, email your name and a contact number to suffering@theactivemag.com, where six emails will be picked at random on October 20.

There will be four more chances to win on Facebook (theactivemag) and Twitter (@ theactivemag).

Spread your wings with flying lessons CONINGTON AIRFIELD, just south of Peterborough near the A1, are welcoming new members and anyone interested in aviation, to come down and consider joining the club.

They’re not only looking to encourage more aviation fans to take up flight training to become a pilot, but also have a number of opportunities for club members to take airfield safety courses, among other disciplines, and become an integral non-flying part of the airfield’s operation.

Club member David Sharp, who joined recently a er retiring, said: “I was surprised how easy it is to get into flying. Most consider it an expensive and difficult thing to do, but it’s not necessarily as involved as you might think. Modern, lighter sports planes, such as the the types we have at the club, are much cheaper to fly, and will o en do the same as their bigger brothers, and in some areas, better them.”  To learn more about how you can get into flying, go to www. flying-club-conington.co.uk or call 01487 834161.

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Architectural Consultants, Listed Buildings Consultants, Building Management & Building Surveyors, Property Services visit our new website:

www.jonathonhartley.com Tel 01780 757550

Mobile 07818 437098

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Guest column

Not all sportsmen and women spout banalities The Sunday Times’ sports writer Martin Johnson recalls some of his more interesting interviews It is rare nowadays to read an article on the sports pages without a large chunk of it being devoted to quotes. And pretty turgid it is most of the time. “We should have had a blatant penalty just before half time, and their winner was a mile offside” says the losing football manager. “You needed a bit of luck against the new ball, but once you got in on that pitch, it was full of runs” says the batsman who’s just scored a century.

There are exceptions, and I consider myself especially fortunate to have covered a lot of golf tournaments involving Colin Montgomerie. Monty could talk entertainingly for hours, on any subject you cared to mention. The state of the economy, global warming, occasionally even golf.

Most golfers are so dull that the questions are often more entertaining than the answers. As when the Argentine golfer Eduardo Romero – known as “El Gato” for his feline gait around the course – was asked by an American: “tell me, Eduardo, why do they call you The Cake?”

But Monty was an interviewer’s dream. It was always the same old story in the media centre when the press officer reached for the microphone.

“Martin Kaymer is now in the interview room.” No-one moves, apart from a bloke from the Hamburg Herald, who reluctantly sets off with his notebook.

“Retief Goosen is now in the interview room.” Once again, no-one moves.

“Colin Montgom……” the rest of it drowned out by chairs being knocked over, and hordes of journalists knocking each other over in the rush. And when he’d had a bad round, it was close to a stampede.

Once, after going round in 76 on a windy day in The Open at Troon, the interviewer opened up with: “Well, Colin. A good finish at least. Three pars on the final three holes.”

Monty opened his mouth, but nothing came out, and he closed it again.

His face went through a series of strange contortions, and when he pulled off his visor he looked for a moment as though he was contemplating eating it. Finally, he spoke. “Thank you. That was delightful,” he said, through teeth more gritted than a Highland trunk road in January. “I am really thrilled with that finish. Fantastic. I can take that forward and really go from strength to strength. Thank you.”

I was once sent to Paris to do an interview with him, and caught up with him playing in the pro-am the day before the start of the tournament. Monty greeted me as though we were lifelong buddies. “Of course” he said. “Love to do an interview. Absolute pleasure. Let’s see now. I’m out early tomorrow, so how about after the round. Say one o’clock? We can have a pot of tea”.

Next day, I went to see him after his round, but it had been a bad day at the

I

office and when he emerged from the recorder’s hut – steam pouring from both ears – he stormed straight past me. I tracked him down to the putting green and he confirmed – charmingly it has to be said – that he wasn’t really in an interview type mood. “Tomorrow perhaps?” I ventured. “Yes, do you mind? ” he said.

Next day, his score wasn’t much better and once again I found him on the practice green, this time with his faithful caddie, Alistair MacLean, sitting on the bag while the boss vented a bit of steam.

“Afternoon, Alistair” I said. “How’s your man? Do you think he’s okay to approach?” “Sure” said Alistair. “Go right ahead.” And then, as I took a couple of steps towards Monty, he added: “But let me tell the St John Ambulance people first.”

But the only other time I’ve been known to break into something other than a trot when heading to an interview room is when one of the tennisplaying Williams sisters is in there. Venus once spent most of an interview after a match at Wimbledon talking about her male hitting partner’s coiffeur.

“He has, like, really great hair, so I told him, your hair is great. I hate it. It’s not fair.” And within seconds she seamlessly moved on to which books she was reading. “It’s called ‘Who Moved My Cheese’” said Venus. “My dad told me to read it. I was, like, praying for some inspiration, so then I read the book, and I was, like, okay, God answered my prayers.”

Serena is equally entertaining, once answering one question about the match she’d just played at the Australian Open, and the next 24 about the size of her bottom. An unflattering photograph appeared in one of the newspapers, along with an uncomplimentary article only just stopping short of suggesting that if she felt like a dip off one of Melbourne’s beaches, she’d need Greenpeace to protect her from Japanese whalers.

However, Serena not only cheerfully answered all posterior related questions, but somehow turned the entire body shape question into how God made all creatures different. And started banging on about Genesis.

The Old Testament version, as opposed to the rock group.

One day, when Monty and the Williams sisters have retired, we will get back to the time when reporters simply reported, and no-one was interested in what a player had to say.

I remember reading an old golf report from The Times’ correspondent, Bernard Darwin, circa 1950, which went something like this... “I am, alas, unable to inform you of the result of the match between Fotheringay and Creighton-Jones. The standard of play was not of a high order, which, combined with the lateness of the hour, prompted your correspondent to return to the clubhouse after 13 holes for afternoon tiffin.”

Much more readable, in my book, than Fotheringay droning on about his missed putt at the ninth.

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Feature /// Wellie boots

2 3

4

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Korum Roving bag for These brilliant bags from Korum are like the Tardis inside, packed with pockets and Korum’s Rig Manager Box to keep everything at hand. Although originally designed for barbel fishing, these are used by anglers for anything from short sessions, carrying pike gear or a spot of floater fishing. They feature four outside poPrice: £45.99 From: Local stockists

Splosh galosh!

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1. Hunter Original Neoprene

The Hunter Original Neoprene black wellington boots are the perfect option for those looking for warm and comfy wellies. These Hunter wellies are lined with neoprene which is insulating and also cushions the inside of the boots for added comfort.

Price: £95 From: Wellieboots.com at Barnack Country Clothes

2. Ilse Jacobsen Rub 1

Not your ordinary rain boot. Ilse Jacobsen’s quality rubber boots have become design icons in Scandinavia. They are designed for hours of serious walking and playing in rain or snow.

Price: £110 From: Cavells, Oakham

3. Ilse Jacobsen Rub 31

Add a bold splash of color to every rainy day with the Ilse Jacobsen Rub 31 rain boot. As playful as it is protective, this knee-high women’s waterproof boot is handmade in Europe using natural rubber from renewable resources.

Price: £110 From: Cavells, Oakham

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4. Aigle Parcours 2 Iso Neoprene

The Parcours range is what the Aigle brand has become known for. With it’s neoprene lining, the Parcours Iso is at ease even in the heart of winter.

Price: £170 From: Wellieboots.com at Barnack Country Clothes

8

5. & 6. Hatley Kids Wellies

Featuring handles to make boots easy to put on, a so jersey lining and a grippy sole for maximum traction, these are the perfect kids wellies for this autumn.

Price: £22 From: Bubble & Squeak, Stamford

7. Dubarry Galway

The classic signature boot from Dubarry. The Galway Country Boot made from durable DryFast-DrySo breathable leather and are GORE-TEX lined, waterproof and breathable.

Price: £299 From: Cavells, Oakham

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8. Le Chameau Vierzonord XL

Lined throughout with 2mm of premium neoprene, the Vierzonord provides first-rate insulation against the cold and superior comfort when walking. The gusset and snap-fastening buckle design, exclusive to Le Chameau, eases entry into the boot and tightens around the calf.

Price: £165 From: Wellieboots.com at Barnack Country Clothes

9. Grubs Frostline 5.0mm Neoprene

A great choice for all-round use. These Grubs Wellies are very practical, versatile and comfortable. They have a surprisingly lightweight design which is very noticeable when wearing the boots for long periods of time. Grubs boots have a 5mm neoprene lining and construction which adds fantastic warmth as well as spongy cushioning too, they also have a moisture wicking lining to help keep your feet comfortable and dry at all times.

Price: £69.99 From: Wellieboots.com at Barnack Country Clothes

Great new stylish, practical wellies to help you skip over autumn’s muddiest tracks and puddles.

10. Aigle Brillantine Ruby Red

With a high gloss finish these wellington boots offer style with comfort and quality. They are made with natural rubber so are flexible and strong. The gloss finish gives them a contemporary look and the cotton insole adds comfort. Brillantine Wellingtons have a molded natural rubber sole which is resistant to abrasion.

Price: £65 From: Cavells, Oakham

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Feature /// Gear

Kitbag

The latest and greatest kit to keep you active in the autumn Fox Portage Hydration Bag

Gear4 Motorcycles has some bargains in the clearance section currently, including these super-tough Fox backpacks, which feature a 3 litre easy-clean Hydrapak reservoir. With its large main compartment for clothes and tools, and a smaller secondary section for your essentials, this is the perfect bag for a weekend of trail riding.

Phones, money and cameras can be stashed in the numerous pockets and pouches, some of which are fleece lined for protecting items like sunglasses. Channelled rear padding keeps your back cool and cinch straps tighten everything down. And there’s nearly £20 off...

Price: £52.49 (was £69.98) From: www.gear4motorcycles.co.uk 01778 380380

Snap remote for iPhones

New gadget alert! And yes, it’s camera-related, as you know we love to record our active lives. This time it’s a handy little remote control for your iPhone’s camera, made possible by a free downloadable app that allows the tiny remote control to operate your phone’s camera. A small clip comes with it to stand your phone in the right position for that perfect ‘selfie’.

Price: £14.95 From: www.prezzybox.com

BKool Turbo Trainer

With Winter closing in on us, some of you may prefer to continue your cycle training indoors, and that’s exactly what you can do with the new BKool Cycle Trainer. The Turbo Trainer comes with a cadence sensor that connects to your computer or laptop (only PC not Mac currently) providing you with detailed data from your session and allowing you to share it online, with friends or the BKool community on their own website. The kit contains a fully assembled trainer to sit your bike in, the cadence sensor, and the connecting USB dongle and 2 month free subscription to BKool.com.

Price: £399 (was £439), From: www.cyclewright.co 01778 560 495

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Forme Longcliffe road bike

Rutland Cycling say the Forme Longcliffe 5.0 2012 road bike offers ‘race performance at a price you can’t ignore’, and that was before they lopped nearly 40% off the price. Fitted with premium components and a lightweight aluminium frame, and rolling on fast Alex Ace 17” and with a well-geared twin-ring chainset, this is the perfect winter trainer, speedy commuter or your foray into road cycling.

Price: £329.99 (was 529.99) From: www.rutlandcycling.com 01572 332 032

Craghoppers Kiwi jacket

Easy Squeezy peanut butter sachets

Two tablespoons of peanut butter pack seven grams of protein, which is why bodybuilders swear by it and endurance athletes scoff it on the run. As it’s protein-rich, you feel full for longer and it has the added benefit of repairing muscles, making it the perfect exercise snack. So it’s a good job these Whole Earth ‘Easy Squeezy’ 32g sachets of the stuff are hitting Waitrose shelves later this month (October). They claim to be the only peanut butter sachets and are aimed at runners and outdoorsy types like us lot.

Price: not available at time of press. From: Available in Waitrose soon

The brand-new Craghoppers Kiwi jacket is just the thing to take the sting out of having to put your heating back on and will segue you into autumn from summer in cosseting luxury. Made from the newly-improved waterproof and breathable AquaDry fabric, it comes in three versions – a long (34”), standard (32”) and the Kiwi 3-in-1, which features an optional fleece for colder days. They all boast hidden hand-warmer pockets, stylish bellowed, patch-on pockets and improved abrasion resistance. The ladies version is called the Madigan, which is available in sizes 8-20, mens S-XXL. Price: £90 (Long £100, 3-in-1 £115).

From: Enquire at local stockists, such as Get Lost in Rutland

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Feature /// Rugby preview

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GROUNDS FOR OPTIMISM Local rugby sides head into the new season with plenty of ambition, as Jeremy Beswick discovers

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s summer fades away and the evenings draw in, one consolation for us sport lovers is the start of the rugby season – and this one looks like being a cracker.

With Oakham narrowly missing out on promotion and Stamford Town successful last time around, there are now 12 mouth-watering local derbies to look forward to in their division, once you throw Melton and Kesteven into the pot. (Amazingly, Oakham and Stamford have never played each other in the league before).

Add in the unpredictable effects of the changes to the scrum engagement rules and there’s much to grab the attention.

Those rule changes have caused some controversy. The key differences are that the packs start to push only once engaged, rather than crashing into each other, and that referees are instructed to penalise put-ins which aren’t straight (an existing rule, but one which has been

more honoured in the breech than in the observance for more years than I can remember).

Opinions are divided, as I found when I asked Stamford College Old Boys captain Carl Walker what he thought. After a couple of expletives I inferred he didn’t much care for them: “It takes all the contest out of the front row play”, adding: “it’ll be like playing schoolboy rugby again”.

Whereas Steve Fowkes, Stamford Town’s chairman, is more relaxed: “It’ll be OK if the refs are all committed to it,” he said, “and the ball gets put in straight without too much delay”. I should point out, though, that Steve was a back....

As befits a tighthead prop, Deepings’ new captain Gareth Silverwood is on the sceptical side of the fence... “It’s all a bit strange.” he said.

“We’ve practised it in training and had preseason games but it’s still difficult to get your head round”.

The aim is laudable – fewer resets and less time wasted due to scrums collapsing. One thing’s for sure – hookers will have to learn to hook again.

This is the latest in a series of changes all designed to achieve the same end, but thus far the law of

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Feature /// Rugby preview

Clockwise from far le

Stamford College Old Boys are hoping for a better season; Stamford Town have won promotion; there will be plenty of local derbies to watch

unintended consequences has applied. We’ll keep you posted throughout the season as front rows and refs alike get to grips with the new procedure.

Based on Stamford Town’s performances last year, I expect them to do well at the higher level, despite losing their opening games to Nottingham Casuals in the Shield and Ashbourne in the League – captain Matt Albinson putting this down to poor pre-season preparation. They play fluid, attractive rugby – much like Oakham – and this is the derby I’m most looking forward to.

Steve Fowkes again: “This is one level away from the highest we have ever been so it will be great to compete and hopefully attain another promotion in the coming seasons”.

Stamford, as you will infer, are nothing if not ambitious, which is good to hear. Officials and supporters can sometimes be surprisingly equivocal about promotion. I can understand that it’s no fun playing at too high a level and losing week after week, but surely all sport is about pushing yourself to the limits, even if you do have to endure a hard season?

Stamford College Old Boys’ last year is instructive in this regard – they did lose week after week but kept on going, avoiding relegation through sheer cussedness as much as anything.

“We’re hoping for a better year – it can’t be worse than last,” said Walker.

Well, a couple of weeks in, with a new coach and three new players, they’re feeling buoyant after victories in a season-opening friendly against Wellingborough (37-0) and the first league fixture away to Bourne (31-7) – both sides

‘WE’RE IN FOR A TREAT THIS SEASON SO GET DOWN TO THE TOUCHLINE. I’LL SEE YOU FOR A PIE AND A PINT’ they lost to last season. “They’ve been good team performances and (new coach) John Duncan’s made a big difference,” said Carl. “Confidence is high and we’re looking to push into the top half of the table”. Fair play to them. Front row Shane Pickerill, centre Grant Brown and winger Aram Jones are the new boys at the Old Boys. Would they have joined if they’d been a division lower I wonder? Hopefully those players who turned out week after week last year to take the knocks, such as Alan Pattison and Haydn Johns, will finally get some well-deserved glory.

It’s all change at Deepings, who say farewell to veteran Nobby Coupland as he’s suffered a career-ending injury, and they’ll also be without Ali Shaw for the season. With Toby Cole taking a break their year will hinge on the replacements.

“We’ve got a lot of young blood coming in,” said skipper Silverwood. “Many of them under-18s.

We need to blood them and make them feel confident and comfortable in the jersey”. They’re aiming for a top-five finish, but as Silverwood

said: “We’ll need consistency in selection, commitment to mid-week training and a game plan that plays to our strength – our back line – to achieve that.” There’ll be no lack of motivation to do well, if only to avoid being ribbed mercilessly by their ladies team, who were all-conquering last season.

To round off a chastening opening weekend, Oakham also lost their first league fixture, 24-38 away to Belgrave – the team that beat them on the last day of last season to deny them a place in the play-offs. However, they stormed back against Dronfield with an outstanding performance, one try in particular causing your author to jump up and down on the touchline like a 10-year-old.

Both Tigers hero David Matthews and Matt Hampson were there to watch which, given that Leicester had a home match, is a terrific compliment. President Keith Crellin said: “It’s great Matt missed the Tigers to be here – he’s a wonderful ambassador.” What are his hopes for this year? “There will be no automatic wins with the teams in this league. You can never predict on the basis of what happened last year, as so much changes, but I’ll be delighted if we do as well this time as last”.

The move to the new clubhouse will probably be next season, as there are drainage problems with the pitch that need sorting but “With the new ground we hope to attract more players and we’ve some excellent colts. That bodes well”.

Whichever your preferred side, we’re in for a treat this season so break out the coats and scarves and get down to the touchline. I’ll see you in the clubhouse for a pie and a pint.

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Feature /// Cricket review

All out

The cricket season has finished, but who were the winners and losers? Jeremy Beswick reports

P

ride of place this season goes to Uppingham Town for a remarkable double. Not only are they winners of Division 4 of the Leicester league at their first attempt, having made the bold decision to switch leagues last year, but they’re also promoted to Division 1 of the Rutland league.

Town clinched the Leicester title in the final fixture of the season against Ratby, and confirmed second place in the Rutland competition by beating Bardon Hill in their penultimate match.

Oakham await them in Division 3 so that’s another two must-see matches for next season’s diary. They also made the final of the John Wilcox Cup, but what would have been an almost tooperfect month was spoiled by party poopers

Peterborough, who beat them by 97 runs.

That last Leicester league match was not without drama, Ratby winning the toss and making the outright victory Uppingham needed trickier by choosing to field. Will Cropper got them off to a flying start as he set about the bowling with gusto, his 50 including a trip to the car park for a Ratby fielder to retrieve a six that cleared the pavilion.

A rapid 40 from Danny Dumford helped Uppingham along to 249, at which point brother and captain Jamie cannily declared three overs early to maximise the chances of bowling the opposition out. It all started well enough, Uppingham having them at 55-5 at one stage and when their star batsman Paul Cockerill then fell to an excellent run out it looked all over. However, a draw was not good enough for Town and the

Ratby batsmen dropped anchor and the wickets dried up. Charlie Hand is only 13 but he lasted 15 overs for his five runs and the feeling that the gods were conspiring against Town intensified as a bail was half dislodged by bowler Colan Bartram but failed to fall.

However, they held their nerve and finally the breakthroughs came, man of the match Danny Dumford having the last batsman caught by Bartram. Vice-chairman Adi Salt said: “It’s been a great season, making all that hard work over the last six years in sorting out the new ground worthwhile. Very rewarding for all concerned”.

Many congratulations to all the fine folk of Castle Hill.

Plaudits also to Market Overton, runaway winners of Rutland Division 2 ahead of Uppingham with Corbett and Makwana topping

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Members of Uffington Cricket Club a er their epic fund-raising cycle tour of the major Test venues in Britain

their the batting averages, and to Bourne, Rutland Division 1 title winners, who could therefore lay claim to be the best club in Rutland – if they weren’t in Lincolnshire. It’s one of the charming eccentricities of local cricket that this season’s Rutland Division 1 had five sides from Cambridgeshire, three from Northants, two from Lincolnshire... and none from Rutland. So, by this way of reckoning, Marko are the best team in the county! Bragging rights to them.

Bourne will look back to a fine victory over last year’s winners Peterborough as key to their success. Colin Cheer returned figures of 7-14 as Town could only reach 45 in reply to 267. Bourne’s last home match in the Lincs Premier division was a bit of a collector’s piece, ending in a tie as the batsmen completed one run but were run out on the second.

Empingham have had an outstanding campaign, finishing second in Division 1 of the Grantham League. Much momentum here as they’ve gained consecutive promotions in the last two seasons.

Oakham’s somewhat trying time in the Leicester league ended happily enough, avoiding the relegation that seemed possible before some much-improved performances in the run-in saw them home with four wins, a winning draw and only one defeat for a mid-table finish.

Quite fittingly, the winning draw was a revised result as opponents Lutterworth 2nds had fielded an illegible player, a fate that had befallen Oakham earlier in the season. There seems to be some strength in depth too, as the 2nds had an opening stand of 208 against Shepshed 2nds, finishing on 324-3 and reducing the opponents to

a spectacular one run for five wickets. However, it was a bad – almost farcical – last day in the Rutland League.

With some of the team appearing to have had a refreshing Saturday evening, perhaps because they needed only seven points from the last fixture against Uppingham, they contrived to bag only four, and are thus relegated to Division 3.

Club stalwart Malcolm Rawlings (debut vs Kettering Town, 1957) was as close to apoplectic as I’ve ever seen him. ”I’m very disappointed in our performance” is the only quote which is printable, as a combination of dropped catches, questionable tactics and “expansive” batting saw them lose by 100 runs.

Oh dear. I’m sure the players that put them down into the third tier will have the good grace to stay to get them back out of it, won’t you lads?

Stamford’s Saturday X1 can count themselves unlucky to miss out on second spot in the South Lincs Premier League, failing by a tiny margin of two points. To compound matters, the Sunday side were relegated after struggling all season.

So now for those all-important golden envelopes. Young player of the season goes to Stamford’s 16-year old Zak Chappell, who totalled 1,754 runs at an average in the mid-50s and, almost as an afterthought, tossed in 28 wickets at less than 20. A real talent. An honourable mention, too, for Oakham’s Cameron Down, who weighed in with some outstanding bowling.

Groundsman of the year? Pop Cox for his “mower moment”. See Stalwart at the back of this issue for the delicious details.

The “There’s something you don’t see every day” neologism trophy has to be for Ben Slack’s four wickets in four balls for Burghley, thereby creating the new cricketing term of “Slack Trick”.

The Brothers in Arms award is won by Uppingham’s Jamie and Danny Dumford, over a thousand runs between them plus Danny’s 32 wickets and Jamie’s sometimes inspired captaincy.

Best Fund-raising Event was a close-run thing, Burghley Park’s Sixes Cricket Week with its beer tent, barbecue and music just losing out to Uffington’s “Five-Day Test”. Seven of their side cycled to all six traditional Test grounds in five days, opener John Burton astonished (having asked only for a photo) to be invited into the Test Match Special commentary box, plonked down next to Michael Vaughan and interviewed live on air by Aggers. All proceeds to the £20,000 they need for a new clubhouse.

Most Quintessentially English moment?

Burghley Park’s Sponsors’ Day. A lovely ground and antique clubhouse that, on a beautiful summer’s afternoon, was visited by a Second World War Hurricane not once but twice. And that was before I started on the claret.

And finally, the Outstanding Contribution Award goes to... the weather. Thank heavens it was so much better than last season.

See you next...

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Feature /// Skiing

THE ULTIMATE SKIING HOLIDAY

Kyle Fortune chooses the best kit and the best places to go for this winter’s ultimate ski break

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kiing is a sport which makes people obsessive in the pursuit of perfection. Simon Jacomet, founder, designer and CEO of Zai skis, is such a person.

“I’m quite a lazy skier, I want to go to the limits without any effort,” he admits. That depends entirely how you define effort, as Jacomet set up his own ski company to achieve his goal. Zai’s headquarters and workshop is in Disentis, Switzerland, the town more famous for its Benedictine monastery than its ski area.

Jacomet was educated by the monks, which

perhaps explains his calmness and his fastidious determination to create the ‘perfect ski’. To do so he’s not afraid to experiment, with Zai offering a ski with a stone core for stability and damping, featuring materials more common to F1 and aerospace than conventional ski materials.

Even the cheapest pair will add a zero to the back of the price of a typical high performance ski. Even so, Zai sells around a 1,000 pairs a year, to those who value their performance and can afford it.

For all its accessibility and popularity, skiing is still perhaps perceived as an elitist pursuit. Skiing isn’t technically correct either, as snowboarding has become an accepted alternative rather than a curious sub-culture.

The classic, wealthy resorts remain though, where five-star luxury, haute couture skiwear and Michelin-starred dining are still available.

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Feature /// Skiing

‘OPPORTUNITIES ARE ONLY LIMITED

BY YOUR IMAGINATION AND THE DEPTH OF YOUR POCKETS’

Clockwise, from above

The ultra-luxurious Cheval Blanc in Courcheval; the hotel’s ski service; Zai for Bentley skis; stunning scenery, great conditions and excellent apres-ski in St Moritz; snow monkeys chilling in Japan

Klosters attracts British monarchy, with the Casa Antica a favourite après-ski haunt in the Swiss resort where your bottle’s got your name on it for your next visit. No bad thing, given the eyewatering prices.

If the traditional high luxury ski experience without royal-chasing paparazzi is your thing then St Moritz will be full of appeal. The classic resort remains a must-visit in the wealthy Alpinist’s season, not least for the Cartier Polo Tournament and the stunning Kemplinski residence which offers a home-from-home for billionaires.

Naturally there’s a 365 day-a-year concierge service where everyone’s wish can be fulfilled, prices are in the need to know category, but there’s no shortage of takers. Badrutt’s Palace offers an equally expensive alternative, with peak season rates in costing anywhere from £500£12,000 and more a night, but they’ll throw in a ski pass if you stay more than two consecutive nights.

Switzerland doesn’t have the monopoly on exclusive and expensive resorts. France’s Courchevel 1850 can boast the greatest concentration of five-star luxury hotels of any other ski resort in the world. Throw a pair of fivestar palace status hotels, Cheval Blanc – with its stunning contemporary Alpine penthouses, Yannick Alleno’s two Michelin starred Le 1947 restaurant, Dior and Louis Vuitton boutiques, spa and cigar bar – or the quirkier, traditional Hotel de Charme Les Airelles and Courchevel 1850 attracts celebrities from the worlds of sport and music, as well as being popular with wealthy Russians.

If real exclusivity and less fur is your goal then it’s worth searching further afield than Europe’s slopes. The USA and Canada offer vast ski areas, and the Americans place high priority on service, and value. Aspen, Beaver Creek and Whistler Blackcomb remain old favourites among America and Canada’s wealthy skiers, though Telluride is increasingly the place to be seen; Tom Cruise and Oprah Winfrey having boltholes there.

Yellowstone Club in Montana offers a unique proposition for those wanting the slopes to themselves. A private member’s club and community, 2,200 skiable acres and 2,700 of

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vertical feet offer members quiet slopes, guided

by Yellowstone Club’s ski ambassador Scot Schmidt, a pro skier who features in countless Warren Miller ski films. Warming huts, private powder on the hill and a golf course for when the snow’s not there, the price of entry is around $3.5m for a condo, to ranches starting at around $12m for 360-acres.

Quiet slopes aren’t limited to those with the deepest pockets. Backcountry skiing allows fresh track skiing almost anywhere in the world.

America’s northernmost state, Alaska, offers some of the best in the world, with heli- or catskiing growing in popularity. Numerous companies offer packages, from the down-anddirty to more luxurious options for those who like some pampering.

Doing so needs expert help and tuition, and ski camps from the likes of Gordy Peifer’s Straightline Adventures gives access to some of the best free skiers in the world. Prices vary depending on location and time of year, but it’s the best money you’ll spend if you’re looking to push your ability to new levels.

Alternative powder seekers could look east, with Japan increasingly popular among those

looking for a new experience. None more unusual perhaps than experiencing the hot springs with Japan’s snow monkeys of Jigokudani. Adding a unique twist to the traditional après ski hot tub experience, Shiga Kogen Resort, Japan’s largest resort, is a short trip from the unique wild monkeys.

You don’t have to travel as far as Japan for unique experiences. Bentley offers its Grand Alpine Tours which mix heliskiing in Val d’Isere, the Cresta run in St Moritz, ice driving in Gstaad (where staying at the Gstaad Palace is a must) with some driving through the beautiful alpine scenery. If driving Bentleys isn’t your thing there’s limitless possibilities in, or above in the case of the new craze of speed flying, the mountains for thrill seekers wanting to have fun.

The opportunities are only limited by your imagination, and in many cases the depth of your pockets, but it’s easy to see why people become completely hooked, the snow arguably as addictive as any of the expensive cocktails or gaming tables offered in the mountain’s most celebrated resorts.

Just ask Jacomet, he set up a company to so he could have the perfect day’s skiing.

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Feature /// Bespoke bikes

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M A DE BY H A N D

Pushbikes for petrolheads In an unassuming shed at the bottom of his garden in Ufford, Ped Baker lovingly creates bespoke bicycles from scratch. Rich Beach meets him Photography: Rich Beach

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hey sit nestled amongst unkempt flora and rusting, derelict contraptions at the end of the garden, leaking warm light through a hundred cracks and crevices out into the evening gloom. From inside comes the prolific sounds of well-worn tools shaping and cutting and fixing and forging.

These are manspaces, and inside amazing things happen.

For many, sheds and garages aren’t a place to store the lawnmower and keep the chest freezer; they are a place where dreams come true and wonderful creations are born into the world. And for some, what happens in their shed or workshop ends up being much more than an escape from the banality of the 9 to 5 but instead becomes a whole new career doing something they’ve always wanted to do.

One such local workshop-dweller has combined his creative skills with his passion for bikes to build the finest handmade, bespoke bicycles you’ll find in the region. And now he can’t make them for his ever-growing customer base quick enough.

We dropped in on Ped Baker’s Ufford-based workshop to see what all the fuss is about: What is it exactly you create in your workshop?

I make bicycle frames. Each one completely built by hand and every detail is absolutely bespoke.

Each frame is millimetre matched to the customer’s body shape and size and even the smallest detail on the frame is given painstaking care and consideration. I build frames from the

latest technologically advanced, low weight super steels with either lugged or fillet brazed construction depending on the customer or intended use. Lugs are the junction bits where the tubes slide into and fillet brazing is where the tubes are bronze welded without lugs.

What’s so special about these bikes over one anyone could buy in a bike shop?

Having a bespoke frame built is like buying a tailor-made suit. Yes, off the peg suits are fine but if you want a suit that’s made exactly for your size and shape and perhaps wish to swap out the polyester lining for Paisley-patterned silk it has to be bespoke. When your bike fits you, you are more comfortable. You can ride more and ache less, which dramatically improves the quality of your cycling. Combine this with high-quality materials, carefully-sourced tubing, traditional, established techniques and you have a frame for life. I build frames for race bikes to commuters to cyclocross bikes, but also bikes for people with special needs.

Only high quality materials, such as this low weight tubing, are used in the construction of Ped’s beautiful bicycles

So who are you customers?

The people who buy my frames do so because they want something that not only fits them but is beautiful, handcrafted and personalised. They also want a frame that will last them for the rest of their life. If you damage one of my frames it can always be repaired.

By using the most advanced steels in production the weight penalty over other materials such as aluminium or carbon fibre is very minimal. In fact, not many people realise that carbon fibre has a limited life, is easily damaged and difficult to repair. Carbon fibre also fails in a ‘catastrophic’ manner, meaning there’s no warning it’s about to break. The Madison Genesis team in the Tour Of Britain use Genesis bikes made with steel frames, the same Reynolds 953 steel tubing I use, so this is far from old-tech.

Does their manufacture differ from a production-made bike?

I use state-of-the-art CAD software to design each frame, as major brands would do, but my measurements are not for a generic rider but direct from the end-customer. Or I work with dimensions for a third party such as Cyclefit, where the customer has been and had a bikefitting done. The type of tubes, construction technique, details and components to be fitted to the finished frame all have huge influence on the finished bike and nothing is left to chance.

I also work with the best frame painters in the UK to provide a world class finish. Literally anything is possible from a plain single colour to polished lugs, chroming and one-off finishes.

My bikes are all about fit, personalisation and generating a life-long relationship with the bike.

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Congratulations to Jock Paget for another impressive victory at Burghley. Good luck with the Grand Slam!

Weddings— PR—Parties Commercial —Equestrian Web Design

Feature /// Bespoke bikes

Clockwise from above

Ped’s tribute to motorcycling legend Barry Sheene, complete with his 7 race number. Ped built the bike to combine his love of framebuilding with his interest in motorcycle Grand Prix racing; Ped in action on the construction of another bicycle for a client and some of the specialist tools involved in the build

My bikes HAVE to be better than you can buy in a shop otherwise what’s the point? Unfortunately, like so many industries where Britain once led the world, the craft of framebuilding is now left to just a handful of small builders like myself trying to keep the British flame alive. In the USA the frame-building scene, and the desire for owning a handmade product, is booming as more people turn away from mass-produced goods produced thousands of miles away by disinterested factory workers and are beginning to appreciate the skills on their doorstep.

Being able to meet, discuss and get to know the person who’s actually making your bike – rather than just assembling it – and the love, craft and care that’s invested into the frame is making a comeback. Fingers crossed, British consumers are beginning to feel the same way...

What got you into frame building? Have you always had a passion for push bikes, or is it the building them that inspires you?

I’ve always been good with my hands and have been riding, building, breaking and repairing bikes and motorcycles since I was 12 years-old.

I trained as a graphic designer so that helps when it comes to the aesthetics, but in 2008 I was searching the web for a new pair of forks for a old mountain bike and stumbled across the Dave Yates framebuilding school in Lincolnshire. After completing the course I was hooked and booked straight on to another course, this time with Dave Bohm in Arizona. This gave me a good grounding of the framebuilding craft from both sides of the Atlantic. I’ve been developing my own take on those techniques ever since.

Tell me about the Barry Sheene bike hanging on your wall.

The Barry Sheene tribute bike is my show bike

JARGON BUSTER LUGS Lugs are the sockets that the frame tubes slide into on a traditionally styled lugged frame. Lugs are usually cast and can be le as they come from the foundry or sculptured into intricate shapes.

BRAZING To fix the tubes in the lugs the lug is heated and then a filler metal, melted by the heat of the lug and tube, is drawn into the small gap between tube and lug by capillary action. The filler metal is either bronze or an alloy with a high silver content.

FILLET BRAZING When a steel frame is built without lugs the tubes are joined by fillet brazing or welding. Fillet brazing is where a ‘fillet’ of molton bronze is built up around the joint to give it strength. The advantage of a fillet brazed frame over lugged is that the frame builder doesn’t have to stick to the fixed angles of lugs.

BUTTED TUBES A butted tube is one where the outside of the tube is a constant diameter and the wall thickness varies.

Combined with high strength steels, butted tubes produce a very strong but light steel frame.

FLUX Flux is a chemical that is applied to the joint before brazing. As flux is heated it becomes active, cleaning the joint, preventing oxides and allowing the filler metal to flow across and into the joint.

MITERING Mitering is where a tube is shaped to ensure that edge of it is in complete contact with the tube it is connecting to.

The tighter the mitre is, the stronger the joint. This applies to both lugged and lugless construction.

I’ve taken to various events this year. I wanted to build something that was different and stood out from the other bikes on display. Taking my interest in motorcycle Grand Prix racing and mixing it with frame building gave me the opportunity to create something truly unique.

While the design of the forks looks different, the bikes geometry is fairly standard for a cyclocross bike. The segmented fork construction technique is adapted from designs on early mountain bikes so it’s super strong. The number 7 (Barry’s race number) under the bottom bracket is created by hours of hand filing. The main triangle is Reynolds 853 tubing with Columbus S bend seat and chainstays.

The most recent project was a bike for a friend of mine, Guy, who had an accident and now doesn’t have the use of his left arm so he wanted a bike with all the controls on the right bar. This also affected the geometry of the frame, which I designed so less of his bodyweight is supported on the bars. The Paul Components brake lever pulls both cables at the same time. It’s originally designed by bicycle polo players who need to hold a mallet in their left hand. A Shimano Alfine 7 speed internally geared hub provides the gears – because it hides the messy gearing and creates a clean look. The aim was to build a bike that not only catered for Guy’s physical needs but was also, in Guy’s own words “an awesome ride”. I think we achieved that. // See more of Ped’s designs at eracycles.com

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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

FEBRUARY WORST MONTH FOR SLEEP A survey of over 21,000 UK adults predicts that February is the worst for sleep. Key findings suggest that: ■ We will spend an average of eight minutes longer trying to get to sleep, alongside a further 10 minutes awake during the night than we will in March.

■ Almost one-third more people suffer from low energy in February than March.

■ Women are particularly affected, experiencing sleep quality 7% worse in February than their average for the rest of the year (versus a 5% dip for men).

It’s not all bad news, however. The survey, commissioned by sleep improvement programme Sleepio.com, suggests that we should see a boost in our sleep in March, with a 14% increase in the nation’s average Sleep Score, an overall measure of sleep quality, and a 26% fall in those who felt frustrated due to their sleep.

Sleep expert and Sleepio co-founder Professor Colin Espie said: “These results demonstrate the difficulty many people experience with sleep during the shorter, darker days typical of this time of the year.

“It is unsurprising that women are affected slightly more than men – this reflects the general higher prevalence of sleep problems amongst the female population. With poor quality of sleep affecting all aspects of our lives – from relationships to energy and productivity at work – the potential impact of this shouldn’t be underestimated.

Sleepio’s sleep improvement programme features personalised CBT techniques, with 12 weeks’ access available for £49.99.

Goodnight, sleep tight?

In today’s fast-paced and stressful world, more and more people are finding it hard to get a good night’s sleep

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ips for getting a good night’s sleep have been published by a duvet and mattress retailer, based on feedback from their customers.

A spokesperson for The Duvet and Pillow Warehouse (DAPW) explains: “We decided to start collecting tips to help improving sleep after hearing from a lot of our customers that they were struggling to get to sleep at the end of the day. We know that caffeine is the number one culprit for sleep problems. Caffeine is a very powerful stimulant, and it can stay in some people’s systems for up to 12 hours. We advise anyone who is having trouble sleeping to look at their caffeine intake, and make sure they don’t have any after 6pm.”

After caffeine, DAPW found that excess light, such as that from a bedside lamp or an open window, can also disrupt sleep. Other factors

included the bedroom being too warm or too cold and the room being too noisy for proper sleep.

DAPW recommends that people create optimum sleeping conditions by making sure their bedroom is cool enough and any needless noise, such as white noise from electronics or noises from outside, are dealt with.

Short and long-term sleep deprivation can result in a weakened immune system, loss of concentration, lethargy, clumsiness and weight fluctuations. In turn, this can affect people’s work and social lives.

Research carried out by US company Anna’s Linens revealed that nearly two-thirds, or 65%, of its 3,700 respondents, enjoyed “a restful night’s sleep” only three nights or less per week.

“Aim to develop a regular sleeping pattern by going to bed at a similar time every day and cutting down on late-night snacks and caffeine-

Is this you in the morning? If so, you’re not alone – the majority of people sometimes suffer from insomnia

REFLEXOLOGY RELIEF Estelle Allen, of Rutland and Stamford Reflexology, believes sleep disorders or problems are caused by mental stress, breathing difficulties, circulatory problems and digestive disorders.

A reflexology treatment is a ‘whole body’ workout during which different areas of the feet, which reflexologists believe relate to different organs and parts of the body, and reflexes to these organs, are worked upon by pressure and massage techniques.

Working upon and stimulating the various reflex points may help calm the mind, alleviate breathing difficulties (eg narrowing of the airway in sleep apnoea), improve circulation (eg restless leg syndrome) and relieve abdominal gas and pain, all of which may also help reduce sleeping difficulties.

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Follow our tips to increase the likelihood of waking refreshed

fuelled beverages,” said a spokesman.

“Avoid keeping televisions and computers in the bedroom, air your bedroom regularly and think about updating your bedding. If you don’t have a lot to spend, even small items like a memory foam pillow can make a big difference in the long run, contributing to a more comfortable sleeping area.”

A cheeky nightcap or two may help you drift off quicker, but is likely to negatively affect the quality of your sleep later in the night and aggravate snoring. Alcohol influences people’s sleeping patterns by increasing the length of the non-REM or “deep sleep” phase but decreasing the amount of time spent in REM sleep.

The normal sleep cycle takes 90 minutes, starting with the non-REM phase. REM sleep is particularly important for concentration, memory and motor skills, while “deep sleep” is necessary for the body to repair itself and for boosting the immune system. Drinking can upset this balance, resulting in people sleeping heavily during the first half of the night but waking during the second half.

DAPW’s Jonathan Attwood comments: “People often suggest drinking some alcohol before bedtime as a sleep aid. In light of these findings, we recommend considering the potential causes of your insomnia and trying to eliminate these rather than superficially treating the symptoms.”

The studies indicate that longer periods of non-REM sleep could also increase symptoms for sleep apnoea sufferers and sleep walkers.

Attwood continues: “The problems might lie in your sleep environment. Think about the temperature of the room, the quality of your mattress and bedding, and external factors like noise. If possible, ban technology and pets from your bedroom. Lifestyle choices can also make a huge difference. For example, it’s really worth trying to set a regular bedtime.”

“If this doesn’t help, there are alternatives to alcohol that can ensure a better night’s sleep, such as relaxation techniques and herbal remedies.”

Research was carried out on more than 500 people who drank varied amounts of alcohol before being tucked into bed for a series of tests.

HEALTHY SLEEP TIPS from the National Sleep Foundation ■ Exercise regularly. Vigorous exercise is best, but even light exercise is better than no activity. Exercise at any time of day, but not at the expense of your sleep.

■ Go to sleep and wake at the same time every day, and avoid spending more time in bed than needed.

■ Use your bedroom only for sleep to strengthen the association between bed and sleep. It may help to remove work materials, computers and televisions from your bedroom.

■ Save your worries for the daytime. If concerns come to mind, write them in a “worry book” so you can address those issues the next day.

■ If you cannot sleep, go into another room and do something relaxing until you feel tired.

■ If you are experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness, snoring, or “stop breathing” episodes in your sleep, contact your health care professional for a sleep apnoea screening.

© Bociek666 | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

SLEEP DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NATIONS The National Sleep Foundation’s 2013 International Bedroom Poll, compared sleep times, attitudes, habits and bedtime routines of those in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan.

Japan and the US report the least amount of sleep – about 30 to 40 minutes less on workdays than those in the other countries surveyed, averaging 6 hours and 22 minutes and 6 hours and 31 minutes of sleep, respectively. Two-thirds of Japanese (66%) say they sleep less than 7 hours on work nights, compared to 53% of Americans, 39% in the United Kingdom, 36% of Germans, 30% of Canadians and 29% of Mexicans. One in five from the US (21%), Japan (19%) and the UK (18%) report sleeping less than six hours a night during the work week, about twice the rate of the other countries (11% Mexico, 10% Germany, 7% Canada,) Every country reported sleeping in on weekends, with an average of an extra 45 minutes of sleep on days they do not work.

Less than half of people in the UK (42%) say they get a good night’s sleep every night or almost every night on work nights or week nights. A quarter say they rarely or never get a good night’s sleep during the work week and one in ten (11%) say they never get a good night’s sleep on work nights, twice the percentage of the other countries surveyed.

“What makes a great bedroom?

Roughly nine out of ten in the UK (86%) agree they feel more relaxed if their bedroom has a fresh, pleasant scent.

“Studies have shown that scent plays a powerful role in relaxation and memorybuilding,” says David Cloud, National Sleep Foundation CEO. “Having a pleasant scent and a relaxing bedroom routine can contribute to a good night’s sleep. No matter what your nationality, you will spend about a third of your life in bed.

Fresh air and a pleasant scent are great ways to improve your sleep experience.”

Four in ten (43%) in the UK drink a soothing beverage such as tea before bed and almost one-third (30%) of the country reported sleeping naked.

Perhaps the most common bedtime experience is television. At least two-thirds (66%-80%) of people in all countries surveyed watch TV in the hour before bed.

“This groundbreaking poll suggests that chronic sleep deprivation is a significant global health problem,” says Russell Rosenberg, PhD, director of research and investigator at NeuroTrials Research.

“The poll compels us to conduct more research and devise unique solutions to get everyone to take sleep seriously.

Relax, turn off the mobile phone and TV, and create a more pleasant bed time routine. Setting the stage for good sleep can change your life.”

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Feature /// Weddings

Wedding help Need some expertise? Try these companies out SONARA STUDIOS Christmas is just a few weeks away! Not sure what to buy parents, close family members or friends? A professional portrait, from Sonara, of the children or a family group can make the perfect present.

Or why not give them one of Sonara’s beautifully produced, personalised gift vouchers. A portrait gift voucher will often be the prompt for someone who has always wanted a family portrait to book a date in their diary.

A portrait from Sonara Studios will enhance your home, with a touch of art, individual to you. And it means so much more - something that triggers memories of the good times whilst providing you with a statement piece for your feature wall or a special room.

Sonara Studios have been creating natural, simple, award-winning portraits for over 20 years. Sonara are now also offering a one-to-one designer service to help you create exactly what you want for your wall.

Rita is one of the principle Master Photographers at Sonara. “We aim to provide you with not only timeless creative pieces, but more than that… we will try to understand who you are and put a bit of what is special about you in those special portraits” said Rita.

Now is the perfect time to book in for Christmas presents or organise your gift vouchers to avoid the last minute rush in December.

The wedding books produced this year by Sonara have provided couples with stunning images (some examples pictured right and below). As one of Rutland’s leading Professional Wedding Studios, Sonara invite you to come and view their work in the relaxed atmosphere of their Mill Street Studio in Oakham.”  SONARA STUDIOS 20 MILL STREET, OAKHAM, RUTLAND TEL.01572 756 498 11 CRAVEN CLOSE, LOUGHBOROUGH LEICS. TEL. 07737 220276 WWW.SONARASTUDIOS.COM

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Need a sharp suit for your wedding? Aaron Day at Red on Trend can help.

He said: “Red on Trend prides itself on quality clothing. It has a wide range of superb suits and shoes to help your day be that little more perfect. Our main suit range are Guide London who cut no corners in manufacturing excellent suits that are up to date and a cut above the rest.

“These suits are made in England with the gentleman in mind yet give you a relaxed feel while wearing them.

“Predominantly they are a three-piece suit with beautiful added

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touches to make you stand out from the crowd, you won’t quite out shine the bride. But we guarantee you’ll look completely superb.

“We also stock a wide range of shirts that are both elegant and cool, paired with any of our footwear range that we will give for half price when purchased with any suit.

“We offer a very friendly and helpful service that you’ll find more than satisfactory.”  RED ON TREND, 3 STAR LANE, STAMFORD, PE9 1PH JUST AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE O2 SHOP

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Feature /// Great walks

TOP STAT

r runs for a The River Chate from its rising mere 12 miles icestershire point in East Le ce with to its convergen between the Welland in well.

Ketton and Tin

Clockwise from above

Stunning scenery from Ridlington over the Chater valley; the Chater is one of the shortest rivers in Britain, rising in east Leicestershire and converging with the Welland in between Ketton and Tinwell; picture postcard villages en route include traditional sights such as this old phone box; gorgeous ironstone buidings prevail in the area

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The Ridlington triangle Stunning views and splendid isolation mark this walk out as a Rutland classic for Will Hetherington Photography: Will Hetherington THE ROUTE

Ridlington is between Uppingham and Oakham and is one of Rutland’s smaller villages, offering stunning views northwards from its vantage point on the southern edge of the Chater valley.

When you get to the village, park anywhere you can off the road near the church and head west down Main Street. At the end of the road turn right down the bridleway and start your descent into the valley bottom.

The path takes you through a mixture of grazing and arable fields as it bears north-west towards Leigh Lodge, which is a mile from Ridlington. Here there is an opportunity for the dog to cool down in the Chater or one of the lakes fed by the waterway.

You will need your OS map to keep on the right track here as it’s not entirely clear due to a new gate and a lack of signage. From Leigh Lodge you can either carry on west to complete the full walk or turn south for the abbreviated version.

We did the full six miles and it’s well worth it.

So for this longer version walk up past the lodge and keep heading west on the track. But not before you have stopped to enjoy the views back towards Ridlington. In fact you can see the village almost all the way round this walk, which does reduce the chances of getting lost!

The undulating bridleway keeps heading west for another mile, taking you through an attractive spinney on the way, before meeting another established track running north south.

Turn left here and head into the valley again, before beginning a very long climb which will get your heart pumping and give your legs a good work out, but it becomes immediately worth it as the countryside all around comes into sight.

At the top of the climb you come to a four-way footpath junction. It’s obvious that left is the way back to Ridlington but just carry on for a few yards to enjoy one of the finest views in the area, over Belton-in-Rutland and far, far beyond. This really is a splendid sight, and a good picnic spot too if you’ve planned ahead.

Once you’ve enjoyed the view it’s a two-mile walk along the track and then the road on the ridgeline back to Ridlington. But there are lots of stunning views to punctuate this walk. It’s pretty easy underfoot all the way round and we didn’t see another person until we were nearly back.

Sadly there is no pub in the village but, as detailed in the notes below, there are plenty of good options within three or four miles.

THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE

You should have a very tired dog by the end of this walk, as there are plenty of opportunities for it to run free. After the Chater there is a bit of a water shortage, so take some water with you on a hot day.

Difficulty rating (out of five)

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Where to park Near the church on Main Street.

Just make sure the car is clear of the narrow road.

walk and the excellent views on the rest of the walk. This is a surprisingly quiet part of the county so it’s a peaceful walk.

Distance and time Six miles, two hours.

Lowlights The last two-mile stretch home lacks variety, but the views are stunning and make up for it.

Highlights The stunning views of Belton-inRutland on the second half of the

Refreshments There is no pub in Ridlington or neighbouring Preston or Brooke.

However, don’t panic! The King’s Arms at Wing is superb if you are heading east. Otherwise the Blue Ball at Braunston-in-Rutland is a cracking pub, and there are three good options in Uppingham; the Vaults, Don Paddy’s and the refurbished Falcon Hotel.

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Feature /// Sportsman’s Dinner

Morello Ristorante Italiano JT and Dean sample some authentic Italian cooking in a stunning setting in Stamford Dean I’ve been in this room quite a few times when it has been a different restaurant in the past. I have to say that it’s never had the same atmosphere as it has now. Beautifully decorated and lit, and not a spare seat in the house.

JT Yep, Morello’s is a family-run restaurant that’s been getting a fantastic reputation for the food, but just as impressive is the location. I always walk down here and admire the building when going to the Meadows, but hadn’t ever ventured in. This is surely one of the grandest rooms in town? This would do a treat for my bedroom.

Dean Well you do need to impress them somehow I guess Jon. JT Have to say that Italian is my perfect food; tasty and healthy as well. I leaves me fully carb-loaded ready for my run the next morning.

Dean Mine too, although eating too much pasta does tend to remind me of marathon running, something which I’m trying to forget…

JT As well as the restaurant upstairs, they’ve also opened a deli downstairs which is something that I’ve been saying Stamford has needed for years. In fact, I treated myself to a panini and latte for breakfast in the morning.

The bread is homemade by their Italian chef.

Dean I thought you were going for a run in the morning?

JT Well, having been to the deli, I put it off. Back to the restaurant... Artulio’s service is impeccable. He’s the owner and you can tell he’s passionate about what he does. Katrina, our waitress for the evening, is Artulio’s wife, so it has a real family feel. There’s a great atmosphere in the room. The traditional ceiling really helps create a fun vibe, with lots of laughter and noise, just like in a dining room in a regal Italian house!

Dean Have you been in many regal Italian dining rooms then JT? I had you down as more of a bedroom man?

JT Yes, but dining rooms will do for now. I opted for the calamari fritti starter, followed by the spaghetti ai frutti di mare, a full-on seafood meal.

Dean I was tempted by the prosciutto e mozzarella for starter, and it wouldn’t be right not to have a pizza, so I had the diavola – spicy sausage, mozzarella, tomato and topped with ‘nduja.

JT What’s ‘nduja then, Dean?

Dean Not sure, but it comes from Calabria, so it’s nice. That’s the Italian region the chef is from.

A lot of the ingredients are sourced there..

JT My calamari was spot on. Light, crispy and really tasty, with the option of some garlic mayonnaise. It set me up perfectly for the spaghetti with lots of seafood, and tomato with a

hint of garlic and parsley. The portion size left me feeling full but not uncomfortable. The onus here is definitely on quality food.

Dean I was very pleased with my prosciutto.

The mozzarella was really fresh and the taste of the prosciutto was just right. I was really looking forward to the pizza diavola though. I’m a massive pizza fan so it takes a bit to impress me, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The thin homemade base was crispy and the spicy sausage had a big enough kick to satisfy my need for heat. This was a definite step up from some of the chain restaurants you can visit.

JT That will be down to the Neapolitan chef.

He’s a genuine Italian chef, and the food tastes more like you’d expect if actually in Italy, rather than a standardised restaurant.

Dean I highly recommend Morello. The atmosphere, food and service are great, but above all, the feeling of being in a genuine Italian location is what will make me come back again really soon. Artulio and Katrina have got everything right, and it’s a real addition to the Stamford experience. It’s also a nice touch too that they’re obviously proud to be in Stamford, with the Stamford town crests printed on the menus. I’m sure that the deli will be a huge hit.

Morello Ristorante Italiano

Old Barn Passage, Stamford, 01780 489169 www.morellorestaurant.co.uk

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Active USSC Quarter page Oct 2013:Layout 1 16/09/2013 18:56 Page 1

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Photography: Will Hetherington

Feature /// Great runs

Exton and Fort Henry Alexa Cutteridge takes in historic Fort Henry on this Exton-based run We’ve covered a similar route as a dog walk previously but it doubles up perfectly as a run, away from the busy streets of our towns it offers a variety of terrains and scenery en route.

Start in Exton, on The Green, with the Fox and Hounds behind you and head at 11 o’clock along High Street, bearing left on to Top Street and then right on to West End. You can park your car here alongside the verge if you prefer.

Head up alongside the farm buildings and pass through the gate on your left after about 100 metres.

Once through the gate take the right fork, signposted Viking Way bridleway towards Fort Henry. Continue on the path keeping the wood on your right and take the right fork keeping on the bridle path into a long straight run, made slightly easier by being mostly downhill.

As you pass Fort Henry lake on your left and Lower lake on your right head up the hill and take a left onto the grass track, following the footpath signs.

As you run along the track you get fantastic views of Fort Henry, take a breather here if you need to and

enjoy the scenery. Carrying on, follow the edge of the field, keeping the row of trees on your left and continue along the footpath, being careful not to slip if it’s been raining.

Head up the steps and take a left at the top to rejoin the footpath, with views of Greetham Valley Golf Club on your right.

Head uphill, saving some energy if you can, as there’s a mile long straight so you don’t want to burn out as you’re only two thirds in! Keep straight as you head up the hill, rather than following the road round to the left.

Follow the track all the way down to the wood at the end, ignoring the footpath signposted to the right three quarters of the way along.

As you reach the wood head left downhill on the track, over the stile and diagonally left across the field. Make sure you stick to the footpath rather than using the private road.

Pick up the track again after going over the next stile and take a right at the T-junction and retrace your steps back to the car (or the pub!) on Viking Way.

STATS EXTON & FORT HENRY DISTANCE 5.5 miles TERRAIN Road, track and footpath DIFFICULTY 3/5

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Feature /// School sports

Bourne Grammar pupils excel BOURNE GRAMMAR STUDENTS have been excelling in sport, with a number featuring strongly in national and regional competitions.

Jenna Mohan (16) represented Great Britain in the 65th European Catholic Student Games in Kecskemét, Hungary in July where she won the silver medal.

Bethany Denial, who is currently county Pentathlon Champion, achieved second place at the Regional Combined Events Championship at Boston at the end of June, with a new personal best score of 2,556 points. She qualified for her second English Schools Championships this year which took place in Birmingham in September.

With several strong athletes among the student body, a record five from Bourne Grammar were selected to be part of the Lincolnshire Team competing in the English Schools Track and Field Championships held at

the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.

Meanwhile a group of Year 7 and 8 girls qualified for the English Schools’ Track and Field Cup National Final in Gateshead, having come second in the Regional A Final.

Other notable sports achievers are fencer Theo Edwards (Year 12) who finished off the 2012/13 season on a high, taking third place in the U16 Elite Épée grand final. Theo enters the 2013/14 season ranked as GB number 14 – a remarkable achievement having only been fencing for two years, and just 18 months at épée.

Francesca Gardner (Year 9) and her sister Amelia (Year 8) were among more than 1,900 competitors who took part in the Tae Kwon-Do World Championships at Coventry on July 13.

The tournament was the largest Tae Kwon-Do event to ever be held in this country.

The girls were placed together in the same

sparring category, progressing through to the semi-finals where they had to fight each other.

Whatever the outcome, the loser was at least guaranteed a bronze medal. In this case Amelia won by just one point, taking her through to the final to win silver.

Their international success continued in August when they competed in the UTIF World Championships at Hertfordshire University. This competition usually takes place in Korea, but was moved due to the political uncertainty in the region.

More than 600 competitors from 28 countries took part and Amelia won a gold medal in the U12 green belt, under 45kg and became World Sparring Champion for her grade. Francesca won a silver medal in the U17 green belt, up to 55kg, losing out to a 17 year old Russian in the sparring final.

MADDY TAKES GOLD STAMFORD HIGH School student, Maddy Young, took gold on all four peices in the Cambridgeshire Gymnastics Championship.

Maddy also became county champion at FIG level (top level) in the junior category and won the overall championship by achieving the highest score all round.

Lynette Harte, SES gymnastics coach, said: “In addition to her extensive club gymnastics training programme, Maddy is part of the strong SES gymnastics squad and has represented the school in regional and national competitions in the past season. It is always pleasing to hear about individual achievement of our pupils and I wish Maddy well in her gymnastics training and the advancing competition season.”

Success on the water OAKHAM STUDENTS excelled at the Feva World Sailing Championships held in Italy, as well as taking the top prizes at the inaugural Rutland Youth & Junior Championships.

At Rutland Water, members of Oakham’s sailing squad took first, second and third place in the Youth Championships, and first (under 15) in the Junior Championship.

There were a total of 50 entries at the Championship, all split into ‘fast’ and ‘regatta’ fleets. Sailors from Oakham not only took the top prizes in ‘fast’ fleets, but also fared well in the ‘regatta’ fleet (targeted at younger sailors and smaller boats). 13 year-old Charles Robinson was the first (under 15) in this fleet.

Will Robinson (pictured) won the fast fleet in his Laser to become Rutland Youth Champion.

Justin Busuttil & Rupert Molyneux placed

second in their Firefly and Sam Barson and Lottie Garton took third, also in their Firefly.

Oakham’s captain of sailing, Mary Henderson, and her team mate Megan Nagel were forced to retire from this category with a hole in the bow after being ‘T-boned’ on the start line.

Harry Martin and Matt Peckham won the Rutland Junior Championships (under 15) and Lily Streatfeild and Lottie Neve placed as first Feva.

At the World Championships, Sam Barson and Alex Frost sailed exceptionally well to win one of their 14 races and finished 28th overall.

Gregory Sale and Lottie Neve finished an impressive 3rd overall in the Bronze fleet, after an initial qualification series where the 180 boats were divided into three fleets (bronze, silver and gold).

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27/09/2013 14:21

Ben takes gold at Derby

Angus qualifies for GB trialthlon team RECENT STAMFORD SCHOOL leaver, Angus Smith, has qualified to represent Great Britain at the 2014 ETU European triathlon championships in Austria.

After travelling up to Newcastle last weekend for the Newbiggin Sprint Triathlon, Angus showed that hard work and dedication pays off. In order to qualify, Angus needed to rank in the top four of the under 20s category and to do so within 120% of the winners time.

He managed to achieve this against strong competition and he is now focused on his training ahead of the European championships in Austria next June.

Speaking of his success, Angus said: “I would not have achieved this without the SES triathlon club and the support of Mrs Cliff. Thank you to everyone who helped to make the triathlon club such a success at Stamford School.”

BEN HIGGINS, Catmose college and Charnwood AC athlete, won the u13 boys 75m hurdles at the inter counties track and field champs on at Moorways stadium, Derby recently, beating six other county champions.

Ben, who lives in Langham, was selected to compete in u13 boys long jump and u13 boys 75m hurdles, helping team Leicestershire and Rutland to win the overall trophy for the third year running.

Tabitha Woolhouse who also goes to Catmose college and is a member of Charnwood AC and lives in Oakham was also selected to represent the county at the same event in u13 girls long jump.

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Feature /// School sports

UCC sees results from academy INVESTMENT IN SPORT at Uppingham Community College has produced some early results for the College’s sports teams.

In September last year the College started its push towards Sports Academy status by employing two new positions within the college.

Tom Bourne took on the role as the College’s Director of Academy Sport and Rob Lewin became the College’s full time Sports Academy Development Officer.

This investment helped the College win the Melton and Rutland Schools Varsity Cup for the first time in its history. The Varsity Cup sees the three Rutland secondary schools and the three Melton secondary schools take part in 57 competitions across all five year groups throughout the year. Each team gains points for their school based on the league position for each sport with the overall winners being the school with the most cumulative points.

Tom Bourne commented: “We’ve committed a lot of energy towards our fixtures this year and the Varsity success has been a just reward for the effort put in by our students and staff. School matches are a vital part of the education process of our students. The skills and values they are learning in their PE lessons are more relevant if students are able to apply them into competitive matches. Our aim is to provide all students with the chance to enjoy sport on a recreational basis but also to have the opportunity to compete in leagues and competition at local, regional and national level.”

The College is keen to build on this success and is now aiming to produce school sports teams that can compete for County and Regional honours on a regular basis.

The aim of the new Sports Academy is also to help develop community sport and community clubs as explained by Rob Lewin. ‘It’s vital that our students are linked into local sports clubs as early as possible as ultimately their continuation in sport post 16 is heavily linked to them being involved in local sport at a young age. We have made a conscious effort to bring the local clubs

into the college to provide these links.

“In the past year Oakham Rugby Club, Rutland Rockets Netball Club, Rutland Handball Club, Oakham Tennis Club, Rutland Sailing Club, Uppingham Cricket Club and Frisby Fencers have all run sessions and we are keen to bring more clubs into the programme.”

The College is also working with Sport’s National Governing Bodies to develop Sports Leaders programmes and develop the volunteer legacy of last year’s Olympic Games.

Last year we ran a selection of Volunteer courses including Football Leaders, Tennis Leaders, Cricket Leaders and Cycling Leaders qualifications. This gives our students the chance

to develop key skills in terms of sports organisation, administration and officiating which again allows them to fulfil valuable roles within their teams and clubs both within the College and also locally. It also allows us to help run the Rutland Primary Schools Sports programme as our leaders can play a vital role in delivering some of these key festivals and competitions.

The College now regularly runs programmes with Badminton England, British Basketball, British Cycling, The Rugby Football Union, Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket, as well as with the professional clubs locally.

Last year they ran trips to the all England Badminton Championships, Leicester City Football Club, Leicester Tigers, Leicester Riders, Leicestershire CCC and Peterborough United allowing students to experience sport at a professional level and to hopefully inspire them with their own sporting interests.

The Sports Academy has also started to benefit from visits from inspirational athletes with Olympic Badminton player Anthony Clark and Olympic Hockey player Nicola White visiting last year.

Visits from GB Olympic Basketball Captain Drew Sullivan and Olympic Cycling Medalist Bryan Steel are already arranged for the coming year to help promote new clubs at the College.

The College is looking to develop its Sports Academy. A newly formed student Sports Council will give students greater input into the activities offered and two new female PE teachers have been appointed to help further develop girl’s sport within the College.

This further builds on a strong sporting tradition at the College highlighted by this year’s annual sports exchange programme with Don Bosco School in Belgium, which incredibly reached its 40th year anniversary in 2013.

Rob Lewin added: “The programme is growing by the week, as we have more clubs, coaches and governing bodies joining so its exciting times for sport here at the college.”

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Oakham students play for England at U18 EuroHockey OAKHAM SCHOOL STUDENTS Kathryn Lane and Amelia Milton have represented the England U18 girl’s hockey team in the EuroHockey Youth Championships over the summer.

Kathryn captained the side as they went on to win bronze in Dublin.

After a disappointing 6-1 loss to the Netherlands in their semi-final match, they went on to face France in the bronze play off. It was a tightly fought match, but England took the victory with a 3-1 win on penalties.

Another Old Oakhamiam, Caitlin Jefferies, also represented England over the summer in the U21 World Cup held in Germany. The team narrowly missed out on a medal.

Current boys hockey captain, Monty Jefferson, was selected to represent England U18 in a test series over the summer in Belgium.

Ashley Denham, director of hockey, is ‘delighted that Oakham continues to be a great training ground for national teams’.

Training from an Olympian

WIN A FAMILY TICKET TO THE BIG RED BATH RUBBA-DUBBA-GIGGLE, Rubba-Dubba-Laugh, there’s magic to be found in The Big Red Bath.

It’s the end of a busy day and it is almost time for bed, and Ben and Bella are in the bath. Splish! Splosh!

Splash! Bubbles burst and bubbles rise and a frothy feast of animals jump right in to join in the fun. Come with us on a bubbly, barmy bath time adventure around the world and home again celebrating all things bath time.

Stamford Arts Centre will be hosting a quirky, vibrant and humorous adaptation of Julia Jarman’s popular children’s picture book for the very young on October 19. It features stunning characters and music

by We Were Evergreen. Big Red Bath is an exciting collaboration with Half Moon.

There is also the chance to meet author Julia Jarman before the show from 1.30pm in the foyer of the arts centre.

The event is aimed at children aged between two and six and costs £7.50 each (£6.50 for concessions).

A family ticket for four people is available for £26. To win a family ticket, email your name and phone number to bigredbath@theactivemag.com. A winner will be chosen at random.

Open Days

October 2013

Saturday 5th October Stamford School Boys 11-18 10am-2pm at Stamford School, St Paul’s Street, Stamford PE9 2BQ

Saturday 5th October Stamford High School Girls 11-18 10am-2pm at Stamford High School, St Martin’s, Stamford PE9 2LL

Saturday 12th October Stamford Junior School and Stamford Nursery School Girls & Boys 2-11 10am-2pm at Stamford Junior School, Kettering Road, Stamford, PE9 2LR

Wednesday 16th October Sixth Form Girls & Boys 16-18 6pm-9pm at Stamford High School St Martin’s, Stamford PE9 2LL

A PARTY OF 60 STAMFORD High School staff and students travelled to Wellington College for the annual pre-season hockey camp.

The main aim of the camp is to prepare the U14, U15 and senior squads for an increasingly challenging hockey season ahead. Olympic bronze medallist, Crista Cullen, was the camp mentor heading up the training; she was supported by a team of five international coaches and players from dominant hockey nations, GB, Wales and South Africa who put the girls through their paces.

For more information, please call 01780 750310 or visit www.ses.lincs.sch.uk

Foundations for Success

For boys and girls, day and boarding w. ses.lincs.sch.uk Registered Charity No: 527618

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

Football

Daniels get their season off to a tough start

BY DEAN CORNISH

F

ollowing promotion, many predicted that Stamford AFC would struggle in the the Evo Stik Premier Division, and that’s been the case with just two wins from their opening 10 matches at ‘Step 3’ of the non-league football pyramid.

The Daniels started the season well with a 6-4 win over perennial strugglers Frickley, but were then brought back down to earth with a 3-0 loss at Ilkeston and a 6-0 reverse away at FC United of Manchester.

After an unlucky loss at home against Grantham, the Daniels then picked up a cracking away win at Trafford FC before two heart-breaking results with Rushall snatching a 4-3 win in injury time, and Worksop equalising also in time added on.

The Daniels have since also lost at Barwell, Ashton and Matlock Town to leave David Staff’s men firmly in the bottom four, in spite of a healthy up-front partnership between Ryan Robbins and Jordan Smith.

The brightest point for Daniels fans so far this season was the 3-2 away win at local

rivals Grantham Town in an FA Cup reply, with the equaliser and then winning goal both coming in injury time.

The Daniels now have a great chance of one of their most successful recent runs in the old competition.

Could this be their year to reach the First Round Proper?

It’s been an even worse start to the season for Blackstones meanwhile, who started the season losing seven matches on the spin.

After the first four of those losses, manager Dave Stratton was sacked, a decision which he described as ‘harsh’ in spite of their having conceded 14 goals in those opening four games.

Former under 18 manager Gary Peace took on the reins, and the club have since continued to struggle, losing five games and drawing just once, with the solitary point coming virtue of a 95th minute equaliser from Andy Hattersley in a five-all cracker of a game away at local rivals Bourne Town.

The new manager has brought in various

new players, and there have been some recent signs of improvement, namely a narrow loss in the FA Vase to UCL Premier Division side Boston Town, but they’ll need to improve soon if they’re not to get dragged towards a second consecutive relegation.

In the Peterborough League Premier Division, it’s Uppingham Town who so far this year hold the Rutland bragging rights after a superb start to their season.

Richard Kendrick’s men won their opening six games of the season, including a resounding 8-0 win over Whittlesey Blue Star and a 3-2 victory over local rivals Deeping Rangers Reserves. The club then drew their seventh league game of the season 3-3 at home against last year’s champions, Moulton Horrox, a very creditable result which confirms their status as potential title challengers.

If the club win their two games in hand, they’ll be five points clear at the top, so there’s no doubting their credentials.

Oakham United, meanwhile, are looking to get their season back on track after their

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Quirky designer menswear and barber shop 5 2 O C T OBE R 2013 ///

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Photography /// Chris Meadows turbulent start to the campaign. Wayne Oldaker has now taken charge of the team after the resignations of Andy Saddington and then Pat Johnson, which had followed various players leaving the club in the close season.

The club were forced to take a month long break in order to find new players, but have since retaken the field with Oldaker’s first game ending in a heavy loss to high flying King’s Lynn Reserves.

That defeat though was followed by an encouraging 3-0 win over Whittlesey Blue Star, a result which saw the Rutlander’s climb off the bottom of the table.

In Division 1, Ryhall United are the current pick of our local sides after three wins, two draws and three losses from their opening eight league fixtures, with one of those defeats a narrow reverse against league leaders AFC Stanground and the other two also against high flying sides.

Ketton United, meanwhile, are just behind Ryhall in the league, having

Top and above

Action from the Daniels’ 4-1 home victory over AFC Wulfrunians in the FA Cup thanks to a hat-trick from Ryan Robbins (2 pens)

improved their fortunes of recent weeks with good results over Farcet and Netherton United. Martin Rodgers has set his sights on a top-six finish, which is achievable for the boys from Pit Lane.

The Stamford Bels have had a poor start to their Division 1 season having lost seven of their opening eight games, including a

14-2 aggregate loss in their consecutive league games against AFC Stanground.

The only brightspot for Martin Conneely’s men this season so far has been their 2-1 away win at Peterborough ICA Sports Reserves, with victory thanks to a brace from Sean O’Donnell.

In the Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division, Cottesmore Amateurs have made a promising start, winning three of their four opening league games.

The Rutlanders started their campaign with a 4-2 victory against Caterpillar.

They were then defeated 5-1 away at the hands of Desford, before getting back on track with a 3-1 victory over Earl Shilton Albion, and then a 1-0 victory over Ashby Ivanoe. Neil Miller (first team manager) has managed to keep the nucleus of players from last season and added a few more in, giving more balance to the side.

Jake Culverwell, Robbie Preira and Harry Stannard have all made good, goal-scoring starts to the season.

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Roundup

Equestrianism

Equifest makes its mark – and is here to stay

BY JULIA DUNGWORTH

A

ugust and September are traditionally quieter months in the horse world, being the calm before the storm of Burghley. But not anymore: the Equifest Extravaganza is here and it’s here to stay. Equifest ran over four days – with the loss of the East of England show, Equifest is fast becoming one of the biggest shows in the country with many people travelling from Scotland and Wales for some of the showing classes.

The Gemini Stud based at Somerby brought home a plethora of trophies and rosettes. Thursday saw the start of their haul, with Classic Opera by Gemini’s own stallion Classic Primitive taking both the In Hand Hunter Yearling class and the In Hand Competition Horse class under different judges.

Then later that day also taking Reserve Champion in the In Hand Competition class. Classic Opera is a stunning dark bay colt whom is nicknamed Colin – and is unbeaten this season in hunter classes with Bruce McKim who produces and shows him. Bruce and Georgie went back to Equifest with three horses on the Saturday.

This time, it was to tackle the ID Classes.

Gemini had a stunning morning and with Carrigfada Grey Mist won the In Hand ID 2

and 3 year old Classes with Georgie and Carrigfada Diamond was second in the same classes with Bruce.

The black stallion Cos Me Is Black won the part bred ID and the Mixed ID Sport Horse Class with Bruce and ultimately went on to take the ID Championship In Hand and Carrigfada Grey Mist went Reserve Champion with Georgie. Equifest also ran a Showjumping Grand Prix on the Saturday which was free to spectators as was the entry into the showground.

Many locals have been doing amazing things this month, Richard Jones started the trend by re-routing after an early run out at Burghley to Blenheim Horse Trials, where he finished fifth in the big CCI3* on Jane and David Miles’ Highland Ford.

Etti Dale, our very own local horse physiotherapist from Corby Glen, won the Open Novice section at the Shelford Horse Trails autumn event on her own Culteeb.

This was one of Etti’s first events back having just given birth to her first son.

Charlotte Oldham from Stamford also won the BE100 Regional Final there, qualifying her for Badminton Grassroots on Wheres Wally II. Burnham Market in Norfolk was also lucky for me where I too carried on the local victories and won the Open

Intermediate section on my father Ivor Crowson’s old campaigner Sonic Boom.

Pippie Polson also joined me there with her second win of the season on her own mare Waipuna Rose in the BE100.

Charlotte Hollis from Cottesmore has been out winning dressage galore. She has won three classes out of three at Vale View and Brooksby, on her own mare Suitably Gracious, getting over 70% in each of her elementary tests and qualifying for the winter championships.

Autumn hunting has just begun, but the action got going early for the Belvoir. They met at the kennels by the castle at 7.30am on a Saturday, August 10 for mounted hound exercise.

The hunt staff were overwhelmed when more than 80 riders came to support them.

That is a lot more than your normal hunting day.

Many local hunts will be meeting four to five times a week, but don’t be surprised if you haven’t seen them out though, they all meet about 6.30am and are normally finished by 9-10am.

Opening meets will begin at the end of October, so please keep an eye on the relevant websites for more up to date information and go and support your local hunts at the meets.

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Tennis

Finals day sees plenty of thrillers at Stamford

S

tamford Tennis Club finals day, despite the rather challenging playing conditions, saw the finalists really step up to the mark, with four of the six finals going all the way to a deciding third set.

The men’s singles saw last year’s runner up, youngster Felix Beech (15), take on the more experienced Nick Crowson. This was a classic match of two contrasting styles, Felix going on the offence, taking an attacking approach, against the classic defensive grinding rally style of Nick.

Strong winds are generally seen to favour the defensive, rallying player who tends to have greater margins for error and indeed Nick took the first set 6-4.

The second set was fairly even at first before Felix settled into his game to produce a good array of winners off both wings, taking the set 6-4 to even up the match.

The third set was a little more one-sided as the youngster seemed to outlast the veteran in the long rallies. Felix closed out the match 6-2 to take the title.

The ladies singles between regular first team players Lucy Watts and Emily John-Davis was perhaps not up to the usual high standard both players are capable of, with spells of excellence interspersed with

occasional bouts of unforced errors from both players, the weather undoubtedly a factor.

The ladies, however, were nothing if not determined and both dug their heels in to take the match all the way to a third set tie-break. In the end it was Lucy who claimed the title, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, even the tie break going long, 16-14.

The men’s plate was very evenly balanced, team regulars Charlie (Karol) Sulej playing Kevin Tassell. Both players settled into a high percentage style of shot making, making few errors as they both played well inside the lines in an attempt to wear the other out in long rallies while making few errors themselves.

Honours were even after two sets, Charlie taking the first set 7-5, Kevin battling back to take the second, 6-4. The final set, however, was just a set too far for Kevin, who tried to switch to a more aggressive style in an attempt to shorten the points. Charlie proved more than a match however, taking the final set 6-2.

The men’s doubles final saw singles finalists Nick and Felix on opposite sides of the net again, Nick partnered with Alex Smith and Felix paired with Jurgen Wurfel. Alex and Nick always looked in control in this match, Felix and Jurgen

battling in vain. Final score: a win for Alex and Nick, 6-3, 6-2.

The ladies doubles final always looked like it could be close, all four finalists playing in the B team and knowing each others’ game inside and out. This was another match that went the full distance.

Penny Waite and Stefania Beech having taken the first set but then seen their fortunes reversed in the second, put in a strong finish against Susie Archer and Helen Warner to take the title, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

The mixed doubles finalists were Shay Ginat and Emily John-Davis against Richard Hernaman and Susie Archer in the last match of the day. A very close first set was eventually won by Shay and Emily 7-5 and this signalled the beginning of the end for Richard and Susie, Shay and Emily closing out the match relatively easily, taking a one-sided second set 6-1.

While the weather was a little unkind (downright chilly in fact) on the day, the tennis was excellent and working hard behind the scenes, Felix’s dad, James Beech proved to be a dab hand at fuelling the spectators (and some of the players) with some truly superb bacon baps cooked to order, along with tea and cakes provided by some of the club members who came along to watch.

Duke of Edinburgh stockist Tel: 01572 868 712 Email: info@getlostinrutland.co.uk Get Lost in Rutland, Rutland Village, Ashwell Road, Oakham, Rutland LE15 7QN.

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Roundup

Golf

Jordan nearly breaks Greetham record – again GREETHAM Jordan Burdall celebrated being cut to plus two by winning the September midweek medal in style.

With five birdies and six pars after the first 11 holes Jordan could be forgiven for thinking that he had a chance to break the course record of 65 that he set just a few weeks ago.

However, this was spoiled by a rare error on the par three twelfth hole, Jordan lost his ball and ended up with a double bogie and no score for the hole, tough for mere mortals but for a two handicapper this could have been disastrous.

He bounced back immediately with three pars and two more birdies to close with 39 points and a gross score of 68. Jordan said that he was annoyed with himself for the silly mistake on the twelfth but was overall very pleased with his course management.

Andy Hardy (off 11) was second with 38 points. Third and fourth were settled on countback – Tim Brown was third and Jordan’s father Kevin was pushed back into fourth, both came in with 37 points.

Jordan and every other contestant will be trying to win the last big trophy of the year

this weekend – the Sturgess Volvo which was cancelled due to heavy rain, thunder and lightning earlier in the year.

Liz Haughton got off to a bad start in the ladies September midweek medal with a double bogie on the first hole of the Lakes course. Liz (off 10), bounced back by parring the next two holes.

Like Jordan, Liz was also attacked by the tough twelfth hole as she also registered a no score but kept grinding to win the competition.

Liz said that it was an up and down round but enjoyable because she kept concentrating and didn’t let the small errors knock her off course. Sue Findlay was second and 17-handicapper Eve Mills was third.

Greetham Valley seniors “entertained” Scraptoft seniors on the Lakes course in a match that had been postponed because of heavy rain earlier in the year. Eighty-fiveyear old George Cooper playing with stand-in captain David Wallace amazed everybody by shooting a gross 84.

David , who is no slouch as a golfer himself, said that considering his age, George’s round was one of the best he has ever witnessed. He went on to say that it

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was not only a pleasure to witness it, but it made their game a lot easier to win.

Several other players were on form on the day as Greetham went on to win by seven games to one. Just a few days earlier, captain Neil Sellars and his C team beat the Scraptoft Rabbits team five and a half to two and half on the Lakes course.

NORTH LUFFENHAM In early September North Luffenham held its annual senior captain’s open invitation day. It was decided this year that the proceeds would go towards club funds and, in particular, ground maintenace. Just over £300 was raised on the day. The golf event comprised of groups of three played as a Stapleford competition.

The gents winner, with a magnificent 43 points, was John Hastings earning him a one-stroke cut in his handicap to 23, with runner-up, seniors captain Malcolm Hird scoring 37.

In the ladies competition, Rutland Water member Sharon Baxter came out in front with 34 points, followed by home member Anna Clyde on 32 points.

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In the team competition, John Hastings, Bob Matthew and their ghost player (Geoff Clyde) romped home with 83 points. In the nearest the pin contest, John Everitt was the gents winner, with Alan Swindley winning the longest drive and Anna Clyde winning the longest drive for the ladies. The best Stapleford score on the four par-3 holes, Carolyn Hipwell (8 points) won the ladies and Alan Smith the gents with 12 points.

In the September Sunday medal, the division 1 winner was Gordon Knox with an excellent nett 67 (off 12) earning him a one shot handicap reduction. He was followed by Dave Baxter scoring a nett 70 (off 17), and Dom Freckingham in third on countback also with a nett 70 (off 11). In division 2, David Crooks took the honours with a nett 71 (off 19), beating Ian Duncan (off 20) on countback. Bob Matthews, with 73 (off 21) took third place.

The September mid-week medal saw Liam Doyle going out in the last group when the weather turned very wet and windy – he came home first with a brilliant nett 66 and saw his handicap cut to 21.

Graham Dexter was second with an equally impressive 67 (off 20) but played in much brighter weather, with Alan Swindley third with an excellent gross score of 77, playing off 8.

In the recently held Foxes and Rabbits Cup, Dan Freckingham was the leading ‘fox’ scoring 38 points (off 12), closely followed by John Fursdon scoring 37 points (off 15) with Gordon Knox in third on 36 points (off 11). In the Rabbits section (for players with a handicap of 19 and over), Mick Dring was the winner with 37 points (off 23), beating Peter Christmas (off 27) on countback, and Chris Durrant third scoring 34 points (off 20).

In the last match of the season, the seniors had an impressive 5 1/2 to 1/2 victory against Priors Hall from Corby, reversing an earlier defeat at Corby. Scores were Malcolm Hird/Alan Barwell won 5 & 4, Geoff Clyde/John Murphy won 5 & 4, Don Lambert/David Scotchmer won 5 & 4, John Everitt/Dave Purvis won 3 & 2, Bob Matthew/Alan Smith halved, Stan Smith/ John Nicholls won 2 & 1.

BURGHLEY PARK The ladies’ invitation day took place recently, with all 88 starters experiencing heavy rain to varying degrees. Thankfully the skies cleared by lunchtime and most groups finished in bright sunshine. Scoring in the AM-AM format was challenging, with the wet ground making the course play rather longer than of late.

The winners, with 76 points, were Burghley’s Judy Cade, with her guests Mandy Lees (Toft), Doreen Bilsdon (North Luffenham) and Jill Canning (Greetham).

Second and third places were separated by countback, both teams coming in with 74.

Pat Harris and Doris Sissins’ team of Val Jacobs (Nene Park) and Chris Albon (St Neots) had the better back nine, pushing Karen Stroud’s team of Wendy Cooke (Luffenham Heath), Fiona Wigglesworth (The Berkshire) and Kate Kennedy (Northampton) into third. Lynn Collen, playing with her Spalding guests Elaine Mcleman, Bev Harpham and Debbie Ellis, were fourth on 70 points.

Both nearest the pin prizes went to Burghley members, with Gill Milnes claiming the honour on the third and Jenny Walsh on the thirteenth. Kate Kennedy took the longest drive prize on the tenth.

A full field of 88 players from 30 clubs turned out in glorious golfing weather for the 36-hole Burghley Autumn Open. The morning event was a better ball bogie competition and with the greens running fast and true there was some outstanding scoring. Nigel Cooper and Grant Cullen from Glen Gorse came in with a score of seven up to take first prize, ahead of Dave Stewart and Richard Primrose from Birstall on six up, who pushed Jan Reading and Adam Jacques from the Leicestershire into third place on countback. Ian Symonds from Peterborough Milton won nearest the pin on the third, and Jason Clarke from Burghley was nearest the pin on the thirteenth.

The afternoon format was better ball stableford, and high scores continued to be the order of the day. Top scorers were John Rowley from Brampton Heath and Steve Reynolds from the Northamptonshire, whose 44 points put them two clear of second placed Roy and John Dexter from Worksop.

Dave Steward and Richard Primrose from Birstall repeated their good performance of the morning to claim third place (on countback) with 41 points. Sam Oldman from The Leicestershire won nearest the pin on the ninth, and Steve Binks from Bedford & County was nearest the pin on the sixteenth.

The Ladies’ Trophy attracted 29 entries, but only Anne Fensom managed to get under par for the stableford competition.

She took the division one prize with 37 points, ahead of Pat Harris on 32 and Barbara Allen on 31. Pippa Le Sage claimed the division two prize with 34 points, ahead of Gail Hunt on 31 and Janet Roberts on 30.

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Feature /// Stalwart

Peter ‘Pop’ Cox W I NG CC, SOU T H LU FFEN H A M CC, U PPI NGH A M CC

P

op Cox is groundsman and scorer at Uppingham CC’s splendid ground at Castle Hill. One of eight children, his father somehow also found time to play cricket for Wing, where Pop made his debut as a 12-year old “Hanging about and hoping they’d be a man short”. He still lives there to this day.

They played on a concrete wicket.

“The field wasn’t flat enough” he remembers, although there were some advantages over a grass one, including being able to play on Boxing Day. “It was damn cold mind you”.

An all-rounder, bowling medium pace and batting at four or five, Pop has been involved in the local cricket scene all his life. He played for South Luffenham before ending up at Uppingham. Club vice-chairman Adi Salt remembers him as a strong left handed batsman and calls him “Mr Perfectionist”.

By all accounts he was a rapid scorer, not one to hang around – more Pietersen than Boycott.

He played on until he was 50 but eventually said: “Fielding in bi-focals became too much of a struggle”. Maybe the eyesight was in part responsible for the broken jaw he suffered from a throw from the deep, although I’d like to think he was getting in the way deliberately to stop the run out.

How’s the local cricket scene changed since he was a youngster?

“On the plus side the facilities are so much

Words /// Jeremy Beswick

better, particularly for the kids, but I wish there was more friendly cricket. Even the little lads are sledging now.”

Having left Wing when the club folded, he also laments the loss of so many sides. “Every village seemed to have a club back then, there must have been about 30 teams in Rutland.”

We do a quick count and reckon there are only

six left now, although it’s the consolidation into fewer, larger clubs that largely led to the improved facilities.

His proudest moment as a player was winning the Nevison Cup for Wing – against Uppingham! And the low point of his cricketing life? “I’ve just had it” he says. Leicestershire were playing Hertfordshire in an under 17s match, and it was lunch. “I just thought the wicket looked a bit of a mess.”

What could be more natural than to mow it?

“I remember the umpire running out of the clubhouse – he might even have still had his napkin on – frantically waving his arms. Well, I’ve not been a groundsman that long and nobody told me you weren’t allowed to mow between innings.”

Although the match continued, sadly the losers objected and it’s going to have to be replayed.

His wife Claire is on the club committee, son Mark plays for the first team and Pop has great hopes for grandsons Charlie, Harry and Toby.

Charlie’s the eldest at six but he’s ready for the juniors, Pop reckons.

From a concrete pitch in a farmer’s field to a clubhouse with underfloor heating and wi-fi, Pop has seen some changes, yet it’s good to know the name Cox will be on the Uppingham team sheet for a few more decades – at least. Just keep that mower under lock and key while there’s a match on.

‘THE FACILITIES ARE SO MUCH BETTER, PARTICULARLY FOR THE KIDS, BUT I WISH THERE WAS MORE FRIENDLY CRICKET’

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