NO. 23 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 www.thegamemagazine.co.uk
EXCLUSIVE WITH MATT FORD OWNER OF THE POOLE PIRATES
READ ME I’M FREE
Christchurch
Bournemouth
Poole
HIGHLIGHTS NO. 23
SEPTEMBER 2014
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POOLE PIRATES THE SCRUM DOWN THE PERSONAL TOUCH LOCAL STARS THE SWELL FEMALE FOCUS VILLAGE NEWS BE INSPIRED WANT IT, DO IT, BE IT YOGA ZONE THIS MONTH MEET THE PRO THE JOBS COACH HAVE A GO HERO SPORT TALK MY TEAM RIDGEWAY NEWS UP THE CHERRIES
4 Poole Pirates
Pirates poised for play-offs
12 The Swell
Interview with watersports expert, Andy Gratwick
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Meet the Pro
Exclusive with with Poole Pirates owner, Matt Ford
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Up The Cherries
Fletch is back with a season update
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PIRATES
SPEEDWAY
POOLE PIRATES V KING’S LYNN STARS EARLIER THIS YEAR...COULD BE THE REHEARSAL FOR A MOUTH-WATERING PLAY-OFF
PIRATES POISED FOR PLAY-OFFS
THE month of September brings a climax to the speedway season and the POOLE PIRATES are poised, once again, to take on the sport’s ultimate challenge in the UK, The Elite League Play-Off Finals. A season’s work by the town’s speed stars is not enough to gain any prizes until after the all-important final showdown. The top four teams of 2014 will have to go head-to-head in the sudden death semi-finals, culminating in a Grand Final featuring the top two teams to decide the championship. As reigning champions, Pirates are on course for a place in that coveted contest, having reached second place in the league table at time of going to press. They sent a warning shot across the bows of their rivals in mid-August with a stunning eight point victory at the home of league leaders, King’s Lynn, in what could be regarded as the perfect dress rehearsal for a potential, mouth-watering, final confrontation. Having been the only team to defeat the Norfolk side on their home circuit this year, the bookies responded by making Pirates favourites for the silverware again. Providing they maintain current form, it could spell a remarkable fifth consecutive Play-Off appearance and would put them in the running for a sixth Championship in eleven years. But Promoter Matt Ford is cautious in his optimism. “There are a lot of laps of speedway to be completed before we can make any assumptions about what
is to come. The only certainty is that our own Poole Pirates will be flat out and giving it everything to make sure that our proud tradition of success is carried forward for another year,” says the supremo who has been, by far, the most successful speedway promoter of the current era. “We have assembled a team who are capable of going all the way this term and crucially they have been coming into their best form as we approach the climax to our year. It is the most important part of the season and it’s vital that we now finish strongly. We have experienced the highs and lows of these finals before, by winning and by coming second, despite spending a whole season at the top of the league. Last year we went to the final having finished fourth and still took the top prize; it was particularly sweet having had that same thing happen to us in 2010 and 2012. In league speedway the most important thing is to reach the Play-Offs, then we all start with a clean sheet and the best team wins.” The Play-Offs are designed to manufacture the ultimate crescendo to an action packed season of speed. Since their inception in 2002, they have played to packed stadiums as fans never fail to be inspired by the sight of Britain’s best battling each other in their home and away legs. It’s a chance for fans of both clubs to pay homage to their respective teams for their work over the previous six months and a genuine hope that it will be enough to see them finish on the top step. For three weeks starting at the end of this month
PIRATES FIXTURES SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2014
04
WED 03RD SEPT
PIRATES V WOLVERHAMPTON ELITE LEAGUE 7.30PM
MON 29TH SEPT
RESERVED PLAY-OFFS (HOME OR AWAY CHECK PRESS FOR DETAILS)
MON 06TH OCT
RESERVED PLAY-OFFS (HOME OR AWAY CHECK PRESS FOR DETAILS)
MON 13TH OCT
RESERVED PLAY-OFFS (HOME OR AWAY CHECK PRESS FOR DETAILS)
MON 20TH OCT
RESERVED PLAY-OFFS (HOME OR AWAY CHECK PRESS FOR DETAILS)
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those fans will be on the edge of their seats whilst the riders lay down their best efforts on four consecutive Monday nights for the pride of a potential Championship. Whilst some might argue that the prize should be awarded on merit for the season’s accomplishment, there can be no better spectacle than this final showdown with the silverware on display. It brings out all the drama and excitement of a ‘winner-takes-all’ contest and creates heroes and villains just like any good thriller should. The script for 2014 is yet to be completed but Ford is determined the final pages will feature his beloved Pirates along with the thousands of their fans who will turn out this September and October to cheer them on.
PROMOTER MATT FORD, CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC
RUGBY
Bournemouth Rugby Football club ltd First XV are looking forward to the new season that starts with an away game on Saturday the 6th away to Oxford Harlequins. The team led by Crispin Cormack are hoping to hit the ground running after a lot of hard work in the pre-season. Our first home game will be on Saturday the 13th September v Redingensians and we welcome old and new supporters to come along and support us. The Academy and mini sections will be starting back properly on Sunday 7th September from 10am at Chapel Gate Sports ground. New players in all ages both girls and boys will be very welcome. Any new players that will be 9 years old by the 31st August will need a mouth guard and boots for their first session. Kit is not necessary for the first few sessions, as long as your child is comfortable and able to move freely. Girls are integrated in the normal age groups up to U12, after which they must play separately and we are working hard behind the scenes to build up a girl’s squad for January 2015. Colts will be training on Tuesday evenings from 7pm and Sunday’s from 1pm. New players are always welcome, just turn up and join in. There is an opportunity for local businesses to sponsor individual First XV players, age groups teams, Mini or academy sections or even the whole club, please contact: sponsorship@bournemouth-rugby.co.uk for further details. We look forward to seeing lots of new faces during the next few weeks, either players or supporters. The new season will be a challenge for the whole club as we complete the incorporation process and we will be looking for volunteers for lots of areas so if you would like to help out, please come along and see one of the club officials at a home game.
SEPTEMBER 2014 BOURNEMOUTH RFC FIXTURES SAT 6TH
OXFORD HARLEQUINS
AWAY
3PM
SAT 8TH
REDINGENSIANS
HOME
3PM
SAT 20TH EXMOUTH AWAY 3PM SAT 27TH
BARNSTAPLE
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THE PERSONAL TOUCH
BY SEAN BURGESS (MSC)
AUTUMN FOOD GUIDE So, I hate to be a killjoy and break bad news but it seems the bright sunshine and beaming rays of summer 2014 are sadly about to depart us. As the date ticks over on your calendar from the 31st August to 1st September, thoughts of returning to education, work and warmer foods will shortly be strolling their way into the arrivals lounge of your conscience again. ith the autumn leaves just about to touch down, it soon won’t be long until the beach vests are replaced by knitted jumpers and, not just because of a drop in temperature. Breaking the metaphors somewhat, here’s a random question, how many casseroles, pies, hot chocolates or crumbles have you eaten since May this year? In many cases, I imagine not many, well I hope not anyway! However, despite the reasoning behind why these foods are avoided in hotter temperatures being seemingly straight forward; what is not as logical to understand is why most feel drawn to undoing their many hard previous sacrifices to achieve the ‘ideal physique’ with an over indulgence of unhealthy food in the autumn months. Is the answer as simple as you plan to show less flesh? Or, at a deeper level, is it a socio cultural reason, less external pressure to look good perhaps? One interesting study conducted by UCL University London in 2011, found that rising indoor winter temperatures could be linked to a rise in obesity. The researchers hypothesise that at a physiological level a greater development of brown adipose tissue (brown fat) can be connected with an increased exposure to colder temperatures. Therefore, according to their findings, an increased exposure to warmer conditions may lead to the actual loss of brown fat which in adults is commonly present in the upper chest and neck. With further studies yet to be carried out in this area, the validity of these findings is of course open to debate, however, what cannot be argued with is the fact that participation rates in some sports such as football and tennis, according the latest sport England figures, is on the decline. Couple this with a reported general fall in UK physical activity levels and it’s clearer to see from an exercise standpoint why 64% of adults in this country are now overweight or obese. No doubt the dark, cold and miserable winter nights do nothing to help this lack of physical activity and the resultant poor nutrition of course. So, what can be done then from a nutritional point of view to combat any significant loss in fitness and health throughout the autumn months? In an attempt to answer this quandary, keep reading as I detail a few simple recommendations below. Beware of the winter sweet tooth Some of the most popular warm autumn desserts such as crumbles, turnovers, bread puddings and strudels (forgive me if some are missed out) can all be highly calorific and often contain relatively large quantities of sugar, now strongly seen as a direct link to obesity. For example, an average size crumble (serve 4 people +) can typically contain between 50 to 200 grams of sugar, 2 to 8 times over the recommended allowance for males and females.
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The second issue aside from sugar is the high amount of saturated fat most of these desserts contain; bread and butter pudding with around 20g of sugar typically has 10-15g of saturated fat as well. Don’t be fooled by the dessert size either, for example a standard apple turnover or strudel surprisingly mirrors a similar saturated fat content to its often larger counterpart bread and butter pudding. Remember, the same as processed sugar, males are recommended to take on board no more than 30 grams of saturated fat a day, females 20 grams. Before moving on to the next food discussion, it would be wrong of me to bypass and give no mention to the cold dessert platters as well that will be seen more regularly throughout most homes this autumn. It probably doesn’t need me to say it but the after dinner options such as cakes, tarts, black forest gateau and swiss rolls to name a few are additionally high up the unhealthy food chart. So much so that health lobbyists and the media 2 years ago started a campaign to encourage the then health minister Anna Soubry to reduce portion sizes and change the labelling of cakes and pastries in supermarkets because of fears of their link to obesity. Tips to get around the dessert issue 1. Don’t buy processed desserts, instead make your own with fresh ingredients. 2. When making your own baked desserts replace normal white sugar with alternatives such as stevia and erythritol. 3. Sweeten or moisten your desserts with evaporated milk (organic if possible) instead of adding ice cream, custard, cream or any other sugary milk alternative such as condensed milk. 4. Eat more homemade fruit salads or sundaes, as consuming multiple fruits together gives you a wider intake of nutrients and helps to further boost your body’s antioxidant levels. 5. Instead of eating a standard supermarket or commercial ice cream go for a low fat and organic version or better still eat a fruit sorbet instead. 2. Go easy on the meats
GO FOR HEALTHIER CASSEROLES In addition to the autumn desserts in most households you will most likely see more casseroles cooking and stews brewing over as well. Now we know foods such as casseroles in the main are quite healthy for us depending how much white flour pasta goes into them, however the main issue which resides in the later part of the year amongst the general population is an increased consumption of meat. Did you know that an increased ingestion of protein causes the greatest rise in heat production within the body, for
example an extra 100 calories of protein leads to 30 extra calories of heat above the body’s basal level which is 70. As we know, the health outcomes of eating too much meat are well reported, with heart disease, kidney disease, osteoporosis and even cancer (pancreatic especially) all linked to overconsumption. However, processed meats containing additives, nitrates and preservatives such as hot dogs, most hamburgers and meatloaf, all common in the autumn months, are particularly harmful as the body has to excrete more calcium which long-term can lead to osteoporosis (brittle bone disease). In addition, processed meats similar to ingesting processed breads like pumpkin and caramel can also cause kidney damage and renal failure in some instances.
HIGHLY CALORIFIC AUTUMN DESSERTS: CRUMBLES, BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING, STRUDELS. To ensure you don’t fall into any bad winter traps here are a few simple recommendations to consider. • Eat only 65 to 100 grams of red meat at any one time, this recommended quantity of meat can be eaten 3-4 times a week. • Balance every plate out with at least 2 cups of raw or cooked vegetables (organic ideally), up to 8 cups if making a specific salad. • If putting potatoes alongside your meats, boil or steam them instead of mashing them up, as potatoes when broken down quickly lose their essential nutrients. • If you wish to add bread to an evening meal only buy organic gluten free and wholegrain, in addition, use low fat butter instead of margarine for flavouring. I hope the above information and tips serves you well over the coming autumn months, remember for further more personalised guidance on your exercise training and nutrition please do not hesitate to contact me through the web address www.seanburgesspt.com
BOXING
Dorset is home to A VARIETY OF elite sports stars and we’re speaking to some of the best in our Local Stars feature to find out how it all started, what their motivations are and goals for the future. Denise Castle Boxing
PHOTOGRAPHY WOODY WOODALL
Name Sport
i Denise, tell us how you started out with your sport I first started Thai boxing through my husband Lorne. I used to run and he was training for the London marathon so we exchanged training sessions with me working on his long distance running and him working on my Muay Thai. Where do you train? I train at our club ‘Champions World Gym’ based at Fit Body Bootcamp in Charminster. We have a large matted area for movement and partner work along with all the punchbags needed to work on power and speed. I also practice a lot at home as we have dedicated a great training area so I can work out without having it impose on family life and the fact that our apartment is by the beach, I have managed to take advantage of the Beach for runs and the Zig Zags for sprints. Recently, I have also worked my strength training at Fitness First and found their Metafit and Athletic Fitness classes really awesome for conditioning for Boxing. Which big competitions from your career so far really stand out for you? I have had a number of fights through my career but most memorable would be Portugal in 2011 where I gave 2 standing 8 counts. This was my return fight from an ACL operation so I was really pleased that I came back stronger. Also, the Thai Kings Birthday Cup 2012 where I was awarded best
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technique of the night (the first time a non-Thai and female has ever been awarded that) - both Muay Thai. You’ve moved from Muay Thai to Boxing, what made you change and which is your favourite style? I really had reached the top of where I wanted to be in Muay Thai being WBC and S1 World Champion and really in my weight category, had beaten the world’s best so it was either look at moving up weight categories or look at another ring sport and with the WBC offering me the opportunity to challenge for their Pro Boxing Titles, it was an easy decision for me. Boxing and Muay Thai are both very different in both movement and scoring and I’m learning so much at the moment with every fight but, I enjoy both for different reasons. I don’t favour either; I look at them very separately like my running career. What is it about your sport you love the most? I really enjoy being able to put to reality the pad drills when fighting and I love the challenge of being able to perform under pressure along with the stamina training that you need when fighting. There are so many different aspects that have to be worked on during training for a fight and the variety always keeps you fresh, it’s never dull! What do training sessions involve? I split my training so that my strength and conditioning, cardio and boxing are all separate so that I can concentrate
100% on each one when training. Base cardio is provided by my regular long distance runs but with 10 x 2 mins being the max I compete these days, the longest I run is 10km, as over that, I am training for endurance not power. My Cardio conditioning for this was worked at simulating the 10 x 2 minute rounds that I would be competing in so I varied between 10 x 2 minute sprints on the Rower, 10 x Zig Zag Sprints and Fitness First’s Metafit or Aerobic Fitness Classes which are awesome for sports conditioning. My boxing training consisted of rounds of skipping, shadow boxing, bag work and pad work where we worked on combinations, counters, ring craft and technique. Apart from Muay Thai do you take part in any other sports? I train well with weight lifting and a have done a lot of running various distances. I competed in Miss Fitness UK coming 3rd in the UK and was a fairly successful Semi Pro Distance Runner where I represented Chase Manhattan Bank Corporate Team in both New York and London Marathons – I have also won the Bournemouth Bay Run Half Marathon and 10km special (I think I still hold the course record in the female 10km special). Do you have a sporting role model? The one and only Rocky Balboa! Honestly, everything you go through as a fighter is shown in those films – the highs, lows, family ties and rivalry between other fighters.
What would you say to others wanting to give it a go and where is a good place to get involved? It is such a good feeling to let off steam and it gets you really fit – everyone loves hitting something! A lot of people think they need to be fit to do it but the best thing is to just do it and you will get fit - the beauty is you can take it at your own pace. It’s really enjoyable and the time goes so quick and you come out actually learning a new skill and gaining confidence too. Come along to Champions World Gym in Charminster. Congratulations on your recent signing with local top sportswear brand Viper 10. How did this come about and are you looking forward to working with them? Yes, I was actually thrilled to be approached by Viper 10 because as a female athlete, sponsorship and recognition are often hard to come by. They were very aware of my sporting achievements and had researched my history which I was hugely impressed by. They are a great National Company who started locally and are based in Bournemouth so their remit is to support local athletes who, like their company, are on the path to achieving credible results. The positive feeling I received from their support has been incredibly uplifting and coupled with training in their custom fitted sports gear, I am sure it is a great pairing.
www.viper10.com
WIN DINNER FOR R E S TA U R 4 I N W I N T O N ’ S T A N T, C H I CKEN SH OP NEW ACK! To celebrate their opening, our friends at Chicken Shack, Winton, have a delicious meal for 4 up for grabs in this month’s competition.
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3 Comment and tag three friends you would take with you Closing date for entries is Tuesday 30th September, the winner will be picked randomly for all entries and notified by Wednesday 1st October. Maximum spend amount £50.
GOOD LUCK!
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PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL READ @ THINK PHOTOGRAPHY WWW.THINKPHOTOGRAPHY.CO
WATERSPORTS
THE GAME TALKS TO LOCAL WATERSPORTS EXPERT, ANDY GRATWICK (NATIONAL HEAD COACH FOR BSUPA AND BRITISH KITESPORTS) ABOUT HIS LOVE OF OUR LOCAL WATERS, THE BEST PLACES TO TRY OUT POPULAR BOARD SPORT, STAND UP PADDLEBOARDING AND THE THRIVING SCENE ON THE SOUTH COAST… Name Andy Gratwick Sponsors Easy Riders, North Kiteboarding, ION
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“IN POOLE HARBOUR YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND A SHELTERED SPOT AND EXPLORE PARTS THAT NO OTHER WATERCRAFT CAN REACH.”
Hi Andy, thanks for talking to us. What got you into SUP? Stand Up Paddleboarding is a fun, easy activity and also an exhilarating heart pumping extreme sport all wrapped into one. I got into it from windless days with no kitesurfing and windsurfing happening and wanting to keep fit outside the regular gym. Is it a sport for calm conditions or can you paddle in wind and waves also? Both, you can cruise around serenely on flat water with not a breath of wind with a group of pals, or you can paddle out into big surf or SUP downwind along the coast. Where is the best place to learn in the Dorset area? In Poole Harbour…with Easyriders! Poole Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world with beautiful secluded beaches and bays, not to mention magnificent houses around its coastline. You can always find a sheltered spot and explore parts that no other watercraft can reach. Is it an easy sport for beginners to pick up and what age can you start? Absolutely, anyone from 5 to 95 can have a go. It is easy, safe and really accessible. It should be the first watersport you do if you’re thinking about getting into the sea this year. We do social paddles for complete beginners each evening through summer including ladies only nights, fitness nights, yoga on a sup and much more. What type of kit would a beginner need to start? Just themselves to begin, your best bet is get a taster lesson and try some different kit to see what you like before buying a board. You can get inflatable boards now which will fit in the boot of the car easily so are easy to transport and very light. Are the boards etc expensive to buy / rent? No, rentals start from £10 and boards from a few hundred and once you have one, the water is free! It looks a lovely calm sport when the water is flat, what level of fitness do you need to do it? None, any level of fitness can really enjoy and benefit from it. We have also used it a lot for rehabilitation of injuries and mobilisation of joints etc which it is brilliant for. It is a really good core strengthening activity at all levels. Being on the coast, it’s a perfect sport for local residents to take up, where are the best places to paddle? All around Poole Harbour is fantastic and a great place to explore; there are also some great rivers like the Avon and Stour which are safe and fun to paddle. The Beaches in Poole bay get some great waves at times which can introduce you to the surfing side of the sport.
What other watersports do you take part in and do you have a favourite? Kitesurfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding. They are all great on their given day. I have grown up on the water and am lucky to have lived in Poole which is a real epicentre for UK watersports. Do you compete? Only locally in kitesurfing, racing and waves these days. I am having a family and running a business so that takes more of my time now. Kiteboarding seems to be growing in popularity every year, what is it about our part of the coastline which makes people want to ride here time and time again? Kiteboarding is an addictive sport and is great fun to do and progress in. Dorset boasts a host of great beaches from ideal learning in Poole harbour to spacious beaches in Poole bay, to challenging reef breaks along the Jurassic coast.There’s nothing better than a great day at your home spot. …and where is your favourite spot to kite locally and around the world? I have spent 6 months abroad annually for the last decade and found some sublime places. No where beats my home break of K bay on a good day. Worldwide, we go to Brazil every November to coach for a month and have found this the most consistent place on the planet for wind and waves. Closer to home, the Canary Island of Lanzarote, has become our winter hideout as it is world class for kiting and SUP’ing waves. You work at top watersports company, Easy Riders, what does your role involve there? Toilet cleaning these days! I have three roles: Head Coach at British Kitesports and BSUPA for SUP. This takes me away a lot, so my team at Easyriders do a fantastic job and I help them out all the time when I am around. Thanks for talking to us Andy; we wish you all the best with your sport and career.
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RUNNING
WE’RE SPEAKING TO LOCAL WOMEN INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT SPORTS ACROSS THE AREA TO FIND OUT THEIR MOTIVATION, PASSION AND STORY ABOUT THEIR DESIRE TO COMPETE This month, Liz Yelling, locally based long distance runner, Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, and two time Olympic marathon runner, tells us about her love for running, how it benefits fitness and her thoughts ahead of the second Bournemouth Marathon Festival taking place next month. Hi Liz, thank you for talking to us. Can you tell us how you started out running and when it became more than a hobby? Mum ran for health and fitness when I was a kid and I remember one day asking her if I could run with her on one of her training runs. She took me out and then I kept asking to go out over and over again, so she took me along to the local running club at Bedford and County AC where I met my life long coach – Alex Stanton. You have some fantastic accolades from your sport including holding a record for the women’s Bath Half Marathon, competing at two Olympic Games and of course, your bronze medal win in the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Is there a particular competition or event that really stands out for you? For me, it has to be the bronze at the Commonwealth Games. It came after a particularly hard year when in 2005, I had to take a 3 month break from running from “over training”. I’d come off the Athens Olympic Games and just tried too hard in 2005 to get faster. I had to change the way I approached my training to allow for more recovery otherwise, I would keep breaking down. I did change and 2006 marked the start of a real improvement leading to medals, national titles and PB’s. I will never forget entering the MCG in Melbourne to 80,000 people screaming my name, it was amazing. …and you were training partner for Paula Radcliffe, what did that involve? Paula and I trained together at Bedford and County AC as young athletes. She was fast and I remember trying so hard to keep up with her on some of the track reps. She also waited for no one, even on a long runs out in the country she would race to the style and jump over it only to carry on running, she never waited for you to get over the fence too! She was ruthless in her training and was so committed from such a young age. At the same time, we grew up together racing at the highest level. We both won the English Schools, National Championships and went on to compete at World championships, European championships, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games together. Congratulations on the arrival of your twins last year. How do you find juggling home and family commitments with your training and work commitments? Thanks, my husband and I had twin boys in October 2013. I have to say, it is very busy and I made the conscious decision to retire from elite running. I think I would really struggle being a Mum to 3, (daughter Ruby also - 5 years old) and trying to run over 100 miles a week like I used to at my peak. I got my first international running vest aged 15 and was still competing some 25 years later! I still run
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regularly, get out 4-5 times a week and run with my boys pushing them in a Bob Duallie, a twin running buggy. It’s great along the flat promenade but much harder up the hills! Work wise, I’m juggling that too. I manage to keep up with this part time right now. Did you find running played a big part to returning to fitness following your pregnancy? Definitely. Running is what I know and makes me feel normal. I started to run a couple of weeks after giving birth to the twins, just some very short runs but I found it helped me fight the fatigue from the broken nights and also helped with getting my body back into shape. Tell us about your sports consultancy work… I’m a Director of our Sports Consultancy company, Yelling Performance (www.yellingperformance. com) along with my husband Martin. This involves me coaching several athletes from Commonwealth Games representatives, Paralympic Champions and first time runners! We work with brands, organisation and charities (I’m also a Patron of local charity, Julia’s House) helping them understand the world of running. I also contribute to some running magazines and do occasional media work. My husband also helped bring the first Bournemouth Marathon Festival to the town. The second Bournemouth Marathon Festival is coming up next month, are you taking part this year? If so, how is your training going? Hmm. Let me think about that, no! Now I have retired from elite running, I have no desire to run a marathon on the road again. I am looking forward to doing some races on the trails and just doing them to enjoy the scenery rather than race them. I much prefer the challenge of the hills and terrain rather than the roads. That said, if I was going to do another marathon BMF would be amazing. It’s such a great
route along the coast – it goes on both Boscombe and Bournemouth Piers which would be fun. Do you enjoy taking part in any other sports? I do enjoy other sports but I don’t get much time to do them to be honest! I like going for a ride on my mountain bike across on the Purbeck hills, and enjoy keeping generally fit. I think when the boys are older, I’ll pick more. I’m thinking of starting up some beginner friendly running groups for mums and women locally. Any recommendations on footwear for these long distances? You should run in a shoe that is recommended for your running style. I like to run in adidas adios (a fairly light neutral shoe) and I used to wear these when I was racing marathons. The most important thing is to find a shoe that suits you, your running style and surface. Making the decision to run a marathon is obviously a big commitment, what do you recommend for getting motivated on those run days when you just don’t feel like it? Just knowing that banking the training makes race day easier is a real motivator for many. You really grow in confidence when the miles are behind you. Not only that, but the miles really do make you stronger and give you the stamina you need. The training makes race day easier. I also remember the reason I’m running. The personal reason - that might be a performance or a time, or it could be a personal driver for me, like a charity or a memory of someone. Finally, where is your favourite location locally to go running, and why? I love running down Branksome Chine and popping out at the end to see the sea. I never tire of it and of course we have the Isle of Purbeck which is just stunning for off road running and getting away from it all.
WEST HANTS
The Personal Trainer who practiSes what she preaches BY MARK DALEY Cleo Woodall wasn’t satisfied with being a great Personal Trainer, she had to be a great Personal Trainer with a calling card that was her body…the best built body in Britain. Eight years ago, a good friend of mine gave me a voucher for a sports massage at a local physiotherapy centre. He had been singing the praises of a sports therapist called Cleo who apparently had sorted out his ailments and given him the best sports massage he’d ever
Last year, after four solid years of hard training, Cleo decided to really show what she was made of by competing in the BNBF natural Bodybuilding championships. Some folks may think it’s a peculiar sport, having to hit the gym for hours on end, performing endless weights and cardio sessions, eating only lean protein and veg for months on end, then to compete by displaying themselves in skimpy swimwear to be critiqued by 10 judges and one thousand spectators. What this sport actually is (and I speak from experience) is scary, and it takes more mental and physical discipline than most sports. You can’t afford to have an ounce of surplus body fat on your frame unless you want to be open to ridicule. Your muscles must be extremely well defined; the separation obvious between each muscle group. I’m not talking mere six packs; it’s more like Clingfilm skin on muscle, like an anatomy chart. And in a women’s category, they have the added pressure of pulling all this off whilst maintaining the femininity and grace befitting a Prima ballerina.
“YOU HAVE TO HAVE EVERY BODY PART AND MUSCLE BALANCED AS NOT TO OVERPOWER ANOTHER, AND YOUR MUSCLES MUST BE EXTREMELY WELL DEFINED.” had. I went for my appointment and ultimately agreed with his opinion. Cleo knew her stuff, and even highlighted some weaknesses on me suggesting tweaks I could make to strengthen them. Given my 30 years experience in the gym game, she wasn’t at all fazed or intimidated. Within the week, I had offered her a permanent slot covering classes and as a freelance Personal Trainer at the West Hants Club. Cleo quickly built up a client list, and it became apparent that she got great results, fast.
Last year, Cleo sailed through the regional championships and was placed fourth in the UK finals. Not happy being only the fourth best built women in the county, Cleo decided to dig her heels in and diet and train even harder this year. Over the winter months, her programme was geared towards heavy weights and good clean food. As spring approached, she started to increase her training volume and reduce her carbohydrate intake just enough to maintain muscle but to lose body fat and after a solid nine months of training she entered the BNBF
London and South qualifying yet again for the UK finals in Liverpool on 21st September. Cleo is an inspiration to everyone that uses the West Hants Club Gym, her enthusiasm never wains, not even after a 9 hour shift and two of her own workouts each day. She and her husband Adrian, himself a strength and conditioning coach and Crossfit Trainer, live the epitome of a healthy fitness lifestyle and are true role models to our gym members here at the West Hants Club. Keep an eye on our web site to see how Cleo gets on at the British Finals and, maybe, World Championships.
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THE VILLAGE
VICTORY! ictory Pub & Kitchen is a proper pub with proper grub and we pride ourselves on being “famous for burgers!”. The food has a traditional feel to it whilst the setting, style, and service is modern and sophisticated...but we’re still down to earth, just like your favourite local. Open to both residents and non residents it is the perfect place to watch the big match, or meet with friends and colleagues at the start, middle or end of a busy day and even shoot some pool. Our new menu is out now, what’s new...subs, clubs and wraps, better value burgers, sharing platters and light bites. Tired of the same old sandwich... then we have great meal deals for £5.95 to include a soft drink available Monday to Friday until 4pm. We also have a new better priced wine list and great tasting local ales. Plus the old favourite £3 Burger Fridays has returned. With the start of the new football season well underway, Victory pub and kitchen is the place to be. We will be showing all the Premiership, Championship, Champions League and other European games, basically we have ALL THE GAMES and GREAT DEALS to go with it. You can sign up for your Red Card at the Victory bar which then offers you promotional discounts
during selected football matches. This season these include a pint for £2.95, Bottles of Coca Cola for £1.75, Chips and Dips for £2.50 and much more and it also offer the chance for prizes when we run our competitions which has included free tickets to watch AFC Bournemouth. And with Village Bournemouth having signed Velocity Health & Fitness as official Health Club partners with AFC Bournemouth we are very keen to show our support so over the next month you will see areas of the pub transformed with signed merchandise and touches of the mighty Cherries. So if you’re an AFCB fan why not enjoy a pint and a bite to eat before a game, leave your car in our car park free of charge and walk to the ground? It is only 1.5 miles each way. This Christmas we also have some great party nights lined up in Victory every Friday and Saturday night from 5th December from £15.00 per person to include buffet and disco or why not see in the New Year at our 80’s themed party from £19.00 per person to include buffet and disco. We look forward to seeing you in Victory pub + kitchen very soon. www.VillageUrbanResorts.com
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BE INSPIRED
STEVE BERNARD FOUNDATION: THE JOURNEY TO £200,000 THE STEVE BERNARD FOUNDATION WAS SET UP IN MEMORY OF THE AFFECTIONATELY NAMED ‘STEVIE B’ FOLLOWING HIS TRAGIC PASSING IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN NOVEMBER 2005. SINCE THE FOUNDATION WAS FORMED IN FEBRUARY 2006, IT HAS GONE ON TO RAISE £200,000 FOR SPORTING PROJECTS BASED ACROSS BOURNEMOUTH, THE SOUTH COAST AND THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES. TO DATE, THE FOUNDATION HAS SUPPORTED MORE THAN 200 PROJECTS COVERING MORE THAN 20 SPORTS AND 4 CONTINENTS.
Find out more: www.stevebernardfoundation.com
e caught up with Steve’s father and MD of the Foundation, Tony Bernard and Events Director and close friend of Steve and his family, Craig Mathie, to find out more about their incredible journey to raising an impressive £200,000 over the years since the Foundation started. Tony tells us the story of how it all started, “At Stevie’s wake, people were putting money into a pot and some had sent to the undertakers. We decided prior to the funeral that the money collected would go to what he loved best, sport. We divided it between his youth football team, The Grange, help towards buying a long jump pit at St Mark’s School and to buy a new set of goals at Bournemouth School for Boys.
At the funeral, in front of the 1000 people who attended, Stevie’s teacher read out his personal statement that he had written for University. It said that he had wanted to become a professional footballer but that dream was unlikely to happen so he was training to be the best sports teacher that he could ever be to get others to enjoy sport as much as he did. Listening to that statement at the funeral really made it poignant and sowed the seed to keep his wishes alive and that is how it all started.” The following February 2006 on Valentine’s
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Day, Steve’s birthday, the family organised a disco with over 200 people attending and raising money for more local sports related causes. They then marked the first year of his death with a Memorial Dinner. So many people contributed to the event with a charity auction raising over £10,000 including football shirts from Barcelona, Real Madrid and a personally donated shirt from Wayne Rooney. It was at this point following the huge amount raised that the family decided to keep going and look at more ways they could help with local projects. The memorial event also marked the start of Craig Mathie’s, one of Steve’s closest friends, involvement with the official birth of the Foundation with his strong organisational skills
and contacts locally. Still at University, Craig joined the team and worked hard to put on more great events to raise the profile of the Foundation. By now, the Steve Bernard Foundation was made up of a team of eight people, all significant in Steve’s life, all with full time jobs and commitments but all passionate about raising money to help others. In 2009, the Steve Bernard Foundation hosted their first major Fun Run where 350 fancy dress clad locals ran from Alum Chine to Boscombe Pier and back raising £2,000.
Craig comments, “That first Fun Run we did was amazing! It was a great sight to see so many people dressed up and taking part. We try and circulate the events we do so we’re not doing the same things every year to keep it interesting for people taking part. We also never like to put a target on what people raise. We’re more about keeping Steve’s memory alive in the projects we help.” Since its start, many people have shown their support for the Foundation. Retired Premier League footballer, Jody Craddock, current England player and Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana plus many more high profile sports personalities still support the great work and fundraising. Tony comments, “One auction we did which really sticks in my mind was the Captain’s Armband Fundraiser. I had an idea to contact all twenty Premier League teams to get a signed armband. We ran this in partnership with The Willow
Foundation. I contacted each club and managed to get armbands from all of them, even two from Newcastle which was Steve’s favourite club. We got some really good coverage for this one.” More recently, a team of 29 riders raised over £3000 in a French bike ride, ‘Le Tour de Normandie’ which had quite a few dramas along the way! Within 10 minutes of disembarking the ferry at Cherbourg, one bike’s bracket snapped causing a bit of a hold up but it made for an interesting start to the challenge. Other exciting projects that the Foundation is currently involved with include a fantastic new sports day which takes place at Victoria School. Local kids with disabilities but whom attend mainstream schools are invited to enjoy a sports day at Victoria School without the pressure they may feel from their peers. Carl Chambers from In Excess is supporting this project by providing some of the financial input required to facilitate the event along with the Foundation. Craig tells us about the next big challenge… “Our major event for next year is our ‘Rome to Home’ cycling challenge where a team of 18 of us will attempt to cycle from Rome back to Bournemouth. I’m taking part myself and it’s going to be no easy feat! We’ve spoken with professional cyclists who have all commented on how tough it will be. We’re proud to say that everyone taking part is paying their own way so 100% of the money they raise will go straight to the Foundation.” Tony finished with his reflection over the years the Foundation has been going, “We’re just so grateful to so many people. We never thought we’d get to six figures and didn’t have an idea back when it all started. If someone had said back then when we did a few fundraisers that we would still be here now at £200,000 raised helping over 200 projects, I just wouldn’t believe it. It’s kept me going at many times over the years and we’ll keep on going. The figures and numbers are all fantastic but it’s not just about that. We’re touched that people who knew Stevie and those people who don’t, want to give their time and support to keep our son’s memory alive in all the projects we help. Thank you from us all.” With the profile of the Steve Bernard Foundation growing and the total going up and up, look out for more updates about the great work happening locally.
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EXERFORMANCE
Y G R E N E N O O N R E T F A E H T AVOID
CRASH
our overall performance, both sporting and otherwise is helped by good nutrition. Enjoyment of a wide range of foods, eaten in ratios that ensure your body works to its optimum through the day, both in the sporting arena and everyday life is what the Exerformance nutrition ethos is based on.
OR a coffee for breakfast, muffin at 11am with another coffee, then a hurried sandwich, chocolate bar and whatever else you can find to eat because you’re so hungry… followed by slump?
So what is the mid-afternoon crash? Put quite simply it’s a blood sugar dip (which is often preceded by a blood sugar spike). Some of you may think it’s a normal part of getting through the day….however it’s not, and you can fix it. It’s very important to support our blood sugar levels and adrenal glands through food, supplementation, and exercise to achieve sustained and optimal energy.
So, big gaps of time where we’re not eating at all, causing blood sugar dips that, again, can be very hard to recover from in the course of the day. In this scenario when you eat that muffin, you’ll not have eaten for around 15 hours…no wonder you’ll eat anything in sight come lunchtime!
The typical British day starts with a breakfast of (often sugar enriched) cereal and milk, maybe some fruit, or possibly toast and jam. Yes, there are some great vitamins and minerals in fruit, protein in the milk, and fibre in the bread (if wholemeal), but this breakfast is made up mostly of high GI carbohydrates. Out of the 3 macro-nutrients (consisting carbohydrates, fat and protein) carbohydrates are the fastest burning followed by proteins, and fats are the slowest. Within carbohydrates - High GI carbohydrates (sugar enriched, processed, white bread etc) burn far faster than Low GI (oats, wholegrains, brown rice). We’re getting a rapid blood sugar spike from eating lots of high GI carbs (particularly when we don’t eat them alongside fat and protein), and this is then followed by a big dip which is experienced as shakiness, irritability, headaches and yes, low energy! The roller-coaster part comes in when, after we’ve set this unfortunate pattern for the day - we continue to overeat carbs in order to recover our energy (sugar/carb cravings, anyone?), and the cycle repeats. Does this sound familiar? You start the day with a quick bowl of muesli with dried fruit and milk, a coffee mid morning with biscuit or muffin, sandwich at lunch…then…slump?
EXERFORMANCE: Who are we? 100% committed to improving your health and fitness? Look no further than Exerformance. Owned by James Davies, Exerformance is founded on the ethos of providing excellent education, a passion for fitness and a love of good food.
There is a big connection between our primary adrenal stress hormone, cortisol, and insulin. Cortisol inhibits insulin production in an attempt to use glucose immediately instead of storing it. So, when our blood sugar levels are spiking high due to the reasons mentioned above, our adrenal glands have to work extra hard to meet the cortisol demand. This can lead to adrenal fatigue and a wide range of illnesses. Easily avoided….
And through the working day? Follow the principle of a good balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat at each meal and snack. At lunch – Opt for a salad with a good portion of protein. If you have no choice but sandwiches – buy two and remove some of the bread so that the percentage of protein that you’re eating is higher. Mid-afternoon – ensure you have a high protein snack – a handful of nuts with an apple or berries is the perfect solution. Keep a trail mix (recipe below) to hand!
So what’s the solution? Maintaining stable blood sugar throughout the day. So.... Wake up and Eat! If you change nothing else, incorporating a good breakfast within one hour of waking that includes good quality protein, fat, and (ideally) some veggies, will make a huge difference for the rest of the day.
Following these guidelines will avoid the slump – so it’s unlikely you’ll need that pep up PM coffee. But it’s worth noting that caffeine can actually cause a blood sugar drop and trigger cravings/energy dips. So, try switching to good quality decaf or (better) green tea, which has a lot less caffeine and boosts your metabolism too!
Suggestions? Scrambled eggs (the whole egg and aim for free range/organic) cooked in coconut oil or butter, plenty of broccoli and/or spinach/mushrooms. If you’ve got time add some good quality bacon or sausage too. (Try the venison ones from M&S – high in lean protein) This breakfast is surprisingly quick to cook!
Exerformance Trail Mix Equal quantities of: • Pomegranate seeds • Cranberries (no sugar added) • Raw brazil nuts • Goji berries • Raw almonds • Pumpkin seeds • Raw hazelnuts • Raw sesame seeds • Shredded coconut
Or porridge – either oat or quinoa made with water or almond milk, but with lots of raw nuts and some blueberries and cinnamon and maybe a dollop of full fat natural yoghurt too. It is protein that is
· Greatly improve the performance of your team with our excellent strength & conditioning programmes · Learn WHY eating WELL brings good health If you Want It, together we can Do It, so that you can Be It.
Contact Us:
Email: info@exerformance.com Working with us you’ll www.facebook.com/TeamExerformance · Improve your sports performance and achieve fitness goals · Recover from injury with structured rehabilitation programmes Twitter@exerformance www.instagram.com/exerformance
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key to maintaining your blood sugar levels. Pushed for time in the morning? Make a batch of ‘overnight oats’. Put a portion of this into a jar, layer with some berries, Greek yoghurt and then nuts, seal and it’s ready to go – just don’t forget the spoon! Boil up some eggs the night before and have a couple cold with some smoked salmon and toasted pumpernickel in a sandwich.
JAMES DAVIES
Why not set yourself the goal to eat well in the morning for a few weeks and see the difference it makes? Take a look at our Facebook and Instagram pages for recent breakfast inspiration too.
WELCOME TO THE YOGA ZONE, A WELLBEING FEATURE IN ASSOCIATION WITH BIKRAM YOGA, BOURNEMOUTH. FIND OUT ABOUT THIS POPULAR FORM OF HOLISTIC EXERCISE, LEARN ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND FOLLOW THE POSTURE OF THE MONTH. What is Bikram Yoga? 40 degree heat, 26 postures, 2 breathing exercises, 90 minutes. Bikram Yoga is suitable for any shape and size, any age and any fitness level.
Why practise Bikram Yoga? PHOTOGRAPHY: SEAN GARDINER
Bikram Yoga systemically works every part of the body, giving your organs, veins, ligaments and muscles all they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function. The heat allows you to stretch safely. When you sweat, impurities are flushed out of the body through the skin and toxins and wastes are eliminated. Muscles are contracted and stretched allowing for better circulation and joint mobility and blood and calcium are brought to the bones. The immune system is strengthened through extension, compression and increased circulation.
Benefits Include • Regulates weight and metabolism • Trims, tones and sculpts the body • Reduces varicose veins and cellulite • Improved overall body strength and flexibility • Regulate blood pressure
BIKRAM YOGA INVITED THE GAME’S EDITOR, JO AND DESIGNER, JULIE ALONG TO TRY IT OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME… We were kindly offered to come and try Bikram Yoga and jumped at the chance having heard and read lots about it. I was quite nervous when I arrived but from the moment I walked in, I felt relaxed and listened to the information and directions of what to do and where to change. The spacious changing rooms and toilets were perfect to leave bags and shoes and any valuables were safely looked after behind the desk. So, the heat…wow, is all I could manage to start with! When you first walk into the studio, it really does hit you. For a while, I felt like I wanted to walk back out to the coolness of the reception area but, remembering the advice to try and stay in the room to let your body acclimatise to the heat, I sat on the floor calm and collected and breathed slowly whilst we waited for the session to begin. Having a desk job and being relatively unfit at present made some of the poses quite hard but I never felt out of place with the mix of people in the class
BIKRAM YOGA IS INTENSE, IT’S ADDICTIVE AND THE REJUVENATING FEELING IN YOUR BODY AND MIND STAYS WITH YOU LONG AFTER THE SESSION. JOANNA WHITTAKER, EDITOR.
all of different ages and abilities. The heat certainly loosens up your limbs and positions you may have thought were impossible, were actually achievable. Sweat was literally dripping from me and I quickly understood why it is recommended to drink a litre and a half of water before doing Bikram! The instructor’s voice was calming and she kept with you all the way through guiding and reassuring. 90 minutes went very quickly and after the final relaxation and breathing exercise, it was time to leave the serenity in the heated room and step back out into reality. Cleansed is a word that described how I felt following a cool shower and that feeling continued all day and well into the next few days. Bikram Yoga is intense, it’s addictive and the rejuvenating feeling in your body and mind stays with you long after the session. After just one session, I felt really good. Bikram is definitely an activity to be worked into my schedule which benefits your whole body, inside and out, from the tips of your fingers right down to your toes. Give it a go! Find out more about Bikram Yoga and visit: www.bikramyogabournemouth.com or call: 01202 390090 for more information.
Posture of the month Camel Pose / Ustrasana Benefits: • Compresses spine, relieving back problems and stimulating the nervous system. • Opens rib cage, lungs and digestive system. • Great for lungs and many bronchial problems. • Strengthens back and shoulder muscles. • Improves flexion of neck. • Stretches throat. • Flushes fresh blood through kidneys. • Helps eliminate toxins. • Stretches the throat and thyroid and parathyroid glands. • Good for postural alignment Fact of the month - Why is a “back bending” important? Did you know that around 80% of back problems and injuries are caused by forward bending? Think of all the time you spend bending forward in a day, from enjoying a coffee with a newspaper, to driving, sat typing at a computer, cleaning or lounging on the sofa. The reality is that we spend most of our day in an unsupported forward bend. Simple tasks can force your spine out of shape if your body is not ready. The movement does not even have to be exaggerated or involve a heavy object. You
can hurt your back grabbing a paperclip off the floor or loading the dishwasher. Internally, forward bending causes the front of vertebrae to move closer together, forcing the inter-vertebral disks and spinal nerves back. Orthopedic experts tell us that the only preventive solution for back pain is to exercise choosing an activity that works on stretching and strengthening your core muscles. In Bikram Yoga we work on back bends to strengthen and stretch the spine, prevent slipped discs, hunch backs and shrinking with age. Those concerned and intimidated by backbending should rest assured that the heat, alongside the controlled breathing and environment allows for backbends to be performed safely. Chill out venue of the month Monty’s Lounge is located near Pokesdown train station and is a hidden gem offer a unique and relaxed place to enjoy real home cooked food and delicious drinks from their well stocked bar. Well worth a visit and highly recommended. Chill out track of the month Sade - No Ordinary Love An old classic but great to kick back and relax to.
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Goodwood Revival Meeting
12th – 14th September Goodwood Estate, West Sussex
The Revival is the world’s most popular historic motor race meeting and the only event of its kind to be staged entirely in the nostalgic time capsule of the 1940s, 50s and 60s that relives the glory days of Goodwood Motor Circuit. It is the biggest and best historic motor racing party of the year.
Lewis-Manning’s Fundraising Manager, Maria Tidy, will be walking a mile.
Lewis Manning Hospice Fundraiser
21st September Bournemouth Gardens
Ever tried walking a mile in someone else’s shoes? Lewis-Manning Hospice is inviting people to join them on Sunday 21st September for a one walk a mile through Bournemouth Gardens. Sounds easy? Well, actually, there is a slight twist! The Poole hospice, which offer free palliative care and support to over 650 local people year living with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, is asking participants to think of others and put themselves in someone else’s shoes by wearing something on their feet that they wouldn’t normally wear. The event, sponsored by Yellow Buses, will begin at 2pm, leaving from the war memorial in Bournemouth Gardens and going to the pier and back. It is suggested that people wear anything from cloggs, stilettos (for the men!) and skis to skates, football boots, clown shoes or any other crazy footwear and are urging people to post their shoe photos on its dedicated Facebook page facebook.com/LMH.WalkAMile using the hashtag #WalkAMileShoes, while also nominating their friends to get involved. Anyone interested in taking part can register by visiting the Facebook Page or the website lewis-manning.co.uk/events and can also set-up a fundraising page at justgiving.com or alternatively donate by text: Text WAMI14 followed by amount (i.e. WAMI14 5 for £5) to 70070. For further information call the Fundraising Team at the hospice on 01202 708470.
The Ryder Cup
26th – 28th September Gleneagles, Scotland With a history stretching back nearly a century, the tournament is the most highly-anticipated team match in the golfing calendar. This year, The Ryder Cup is returning to its roots in Scotland and the very place it started 93 years ago at Gleneagles. Can the European team make it 8 wins from the last 10 competitions?
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EVENTS SEPT 14
Keep up to date with the main events happening each month from the sporting and leisure calendar. We’ve picked the highlights of what’s not to be missed in September.
Poole Swim
27th September Sandbanks With a swim course that tracks the coast down the Sandbanks peninsula and back, this really is sea swimming at its best. The Poole Swim includes swims of 750 metres, 1500 metres and 3 kilometres, making it perfect for beginners and experienced sea swimmers alike. Find out more - http://humanrace.co.uk/events/ open-water-swimming/poole-swim
The Dorset Destroyers Wheelchair Rugby Taster Session
28th September (13:00-15:00) The Junction Sports and Leisure Centre
Dorset’s 1st Wheelchair Rugby Club have an open invite for any potential players with a physical impairment aged 16 or over. Beginners or pros, male or female, get along if you fancy a try! Find out more – www.thedorsetdestroyers.weebly.com
HOWSC triathlon
28th September New Forest Water Park This is the 2nd year for this event at NFWP and is back after a resounding success and with a few ‘tweaks’ to the course. The novice, sprint and standard categories cater for all whether you are trying your first triathlon or a seasoned pro. Find out more - http://trytri.co.uk/
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MEET THE PRO
THE PIRATES’ TREASURE This month’s professional interview is with Poole pirates lifelong fan turned promoter/owner, Matt Ford. We talk to Matt about the current team, the role of a British Speedway promoter, his gratitude to the loyal fans and an exclusive insight into his personal journey from a local lad following his home team, through to being in the 16th year of owning his beloved club.
here else can we begin other than the amazing finish to last season?! Could you have asked for any more? I guess last year was our turn to get lucky. We finished 4th in the league but ended up as eventual Champions having won the play offs. But, against that whilst it worked in our favour last year, in 2010 and 2012 we came top of the league by a mile yet failed to achieve our goal in winning the play offs so all in all, I think that justice prevailed last year and it was good to see the Pirates’ flag flying at the top of the league. …and thoughts on the current season so far? This season has been a pretty good campaign as well. Last Thursday (at time of interview) saw a fantastic victory for the team away at Kings Lynn who are top of the league. At one stage, they were 20 points clear of us and now I think they’re just 6 points clear and still looking like the favourites to come in, if I’m honest but, we’ve certainly pushed them hard now and pretty much secured our place in the play offs. Then, it’s a case of hitting form at the right time and making sure you’re ready for top line action. There were some pretty big rule changes to rider selections this year too. How did that affect things? I can’t say I was happy with them. Whilst I see it does make sense with fast track system, there are three tiers for British Speedway; the Elite League, which we are in ourselves, the Premier League, which is effectively the second division and then the National league, which is more of a training league for people who are non professional to learn the trade before they step up into the professional ranks. But, there was a decision made to fast track some of those riders into the Elite League to gain more experience and to hopefully move those riders on quicker on to take on international riders. In my opinion, it should really have been moved up one league. So, they go up to the Premier League rather than jumping straight into Elite League teams. But, I think some of our colleagues in the Premier League were not too keen for that to happen so it’s come straight into ours. I don’t think that was the right move and I still don’t. I’m not saying it hasn’t worked for many of us. We’ve got Kyle Newman in our team who has done an exceptional job for the club. I would also point to 24
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POOLE PIRATES OWNER, MATT FORD WITH THE IMPRESSIVE HAUL OF NINETEEN TROPHIES WON BY THE CLUB
PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL READ@ THINK PHOTOGRAPHY WWW.THINKPHOTOGRAPHY.CO
his Premier League average which actually hasn’t increased on last year. Likewise, some other riders who are at a similar ability; Lewis Kerr, Lewis Blackbird, Jason Garrity, Adam Ellis whose Premier League averages haven’t increased. That tells me that it hasn’t necessarily worked as people are going to say it has. We’ve been lucky enough to have a rider in Kyle Newman who was one of the better ones. How that stands for next year, I really don’t know. I’m sure there will be a lot of people who won’t be happy to come out against the likes of Kyle Newman and those other riders who clearly are a little bit better than some of the others. I would understand that some of our Elite League colleagues would turn around and say, we need a level playing field and I would be supportive of that. Once again, you managed to assemble a team full of incredible riders that are pushing for the Elite League title again, could back to back titles happen? It happened in ‘03 and ‘04. In actual fact in ‘03, there were two cups to be won and we won them both. In ‘04 one of them went to the away side and there was one more trophy to be won, the Knockout Cup and we won that along with the League in ‘04.
There are a few trophies that haven’t been ridden for in the last few years…cups like the Craven Shield, the Knockout Cup, the British League Cup and in actual fact, the club currently hold them all. As well as being League Champions, and the Elite Shield Champions, we also hold the trophies that are not currently being ridden for. We’re custodians of those trophies and it’s quite a feat that the club holds every trophy that has been ridden for in British Speedway. We have seen some of the world’s best riders race for the Pirates over the years, what is it that attracts them to come here to race? With the greatest respect to other areas, everyone loves where they live and I’ve got to say, I wouldn’t swap Poole with anywhere else. I think with the Australians; Darcy Ward, Chris Holder in particular, plus perhaps the Californians with Greg Hancock here last year, for these guys, it’s very similar to being at home. They like the beach; they like to go wakeboarding which they do regularly. They like going jet skiing and perhaps being out of the inner cities is better for these guys and their way of life. The area itself is a huge plus and I like to think the club has a great name. I
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PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL READ@ THINK PHOTOGRAPHY WWW.THINKPHOTOGRAPHY.CO
don’t think there’s anybody in the sport that pays quicker than we do. That’s not to say we pay more because we definitely don’t, but we do pay on time every week and no one waits for their money. That built on the clubs success, the league record we have – 5 wins since 03… it’s a big club. I can tell you categorically that we are the best supported club in Australia. We have more support than any other club and there are good reasons to why that is. Wimborne Road is a tough place for any away team to come to. What is it that makes it so tough to outsiders coming here? I sat and spoke to the team last week and made it very clear that riders aren’t picked to fit an average. They’re picked because I believe they can do a job. Our track record with that is certainly second to none. There’s not a question that this club has been the most successful club in the last 15 years. I think the closest to us is Coventry. We’ve won 19 trophies and they’ve won around 11 then the next after that is Wolverhampton with 6. Clearly that shows there’s a huge gap between the levels of success. All of those things taken into account make the club what it is…a special club. I remember coming as a kid myself and we really didn’t win anything. We won in the league in ‘69 then didn’t win it again until 1994, 25 years later! In recent times we have been far more successful, we won in ‘03, ‘04 ‘08, ‘11, ‘13. Also, in that time, we also finished as runners up on several occasions. It’s something I am very proud of. It means a lot to me because I am a Poole boy! You have been a big part of Pirates history but what got you into speedway originally? I was first brought along to Poole when I was 5 years old by some family friends. I became a regular at that stage and I remember being held and carried in because I was very small, so they didn’t 26
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have to pay for me. Now, I see similar things happen and it makes me smile when I see it! Unfortunately, when they get to 10 or 11, they’re a bit too big! I think I had a couple of years off around the mid 80’s when I found nightclubbing and girls, but other than that, I’ve been coming as a fan for many years. I had the chance to purchase the club along with a colleague, Mike Golding, at the end of ‘98 and we officially took over at the beginning of ’99. Our manager, Neil Middleditch was the first signing I made when I took the club on. He is by far the best club manager in world club Speedway. The very last meeting I ever promote, will be in his honour. It truly is an honour to have him at Poole. In 2007 I became the sole owner at that point. To make money in any sport, it’s incredibly difficult. Whilst I’m not going to scream about the money the club makes, it’s quite an enviable position to be in, making money in a professional sport. I hasten to add that the reason the club is successful in that way, is because we are fairly successful in bringing in local and national sponsors and without those guys, there’s no way the club would survive. It’s important that a lot of that work is done in October, November and December to secure the season ahead and so we know what contracts we can offer and who we can bring on board. As long as we can, we bring in the very best riders and stay competitive in the transfer market. We always try and be a step ahead of anyone else when it comes to new riders but, the only way I can do that is maintaining the level of sponsorship that we currently have. Tell us what the role of a speedway promoter involves… It’s very different to other professional sports. We’re a small team. It’s myself and Giles Hartwell who are full time then after that, there are many part time staff the majority of which are volunteers. I take care of riders contracts and pick the team. Neil Middleditch
MEET THE PRO is given the team from there. But as part of that process, I know his thoughts and he knows mine about what we’re looking for. In terms of the sponsorship, 90% of that I will do myself from the main sponsors through to many of the programme advertisers. It’s very hands on. My busiest period is out of season. When we start in season, it’s a case of it pretty much running itself, other than little problems where riders might have an issue! We’re actually now looking for a main headline sponsor. Along with Coastal, we’ve had some fantastic large companies over the years. The opportunity has arisen for a new main sponsor who will benefit from up to 100 hours a year of TV time that we get. We’ve signed another 5 year deal with Sky Sports and have regular coverage on the BBC plus all the media coverage in local papers and magazines. In such a fast paced sport with so many changes happening all the time, do you get much of a chance to relax?! Definitely, I am very lucky. I do enjoy my time away and love visiting countries. I’m a big fan of Thailand and America and with the internet being the way it is now, I pretty much only need a phone and a laptop and I can do anything I need do. The time differences can be a restraint at some points but all in all, I wouldn’t want to swap my job with anyone. Do you follow any sports other than speedway? Football, mainly. I’m still a big fan. I perhaps don’t watch it as much as used to but a lot of my friends are professional players so that has kept my interest in the sport as well. My short time at AFC Bournemouth was interesting and it was a club in a very different position at that time. It’s just great to see what an incredible and remarkable job Eddie Howe has done. He is someone I knew before personally and classed as a friend and from a club perspective; I hope they can hang onto him. But, on the other hand as a football and Eddie Howe fan, I hope one day he moves on to represent one of the biggest clubs in Britain or the World, perhaps even England.
#ASK MATT We asked the Pirates fans via social media what question they would ask you if they had the chance; we picked 3 of the best ones... From @chriskirby4 via Twitter: Do you think the Elite league needs to move to one race night to retain the best riders? I would have to say on a personal basis, no, I don’t think that is possible. Whilst there might be a certain amount of riders that are shouting for it because it satisfies their own diary and commitments, I have to say that many of us are in totally different positions. We run in stadiums that are normally owned by dog racing companies. Mine, for example, means that the stadium isn’t available on a Tuesday, Friday and Saturday but then in the next stadium, they’ll run on different days. There is a case that Monday is potentially a day where most clubs are available but I fail to see how that helps things when the riders who have been speaking about this aren’t happy because of how many days they are riding. Poland is a Sunday and Sweden is a Tuesday so I don’t think sandwiching between the two is going to make people any happier because you’re going to have to fly back and forth and there are also their Grand Prix commitments. We, as clubs, also have a commitment to our landlords who have been very fair to our sport for many years. How would they feel about having fewer meetings? It would mean less revenue for them and potentially that has an effect on their own businesses. If it’s not right for a few people to ride in British Speedway because they can’t commitment to it, then rather than the product changing, perhaps we just need one or two personnel to change.
being the best of the best! Winning is the still biggest drive in any sport. There is absolutely no fun at all in losing. Even in a league match, going home at the weekend for myself and Neil after getting beat is probably a lot more hurtful than for the riders, but that is natural. The most important thing we can to win is the 20th trophy. Then, when we’ve won that it’s the 21st. There’s always the next one to win. The next one we’re riding for, all being well will be the World Speedway League in Poland on the 31st August. It’s the champions of Poland, Sweden, Denmark and England all in the same meeting, live on Eurosport to a worldwide audience. We’re representing the Elite League, Britain, ourselves and the town on that day with the chance of becoming World Champions. That is probably the one trophy that everyone connected to the club would love to hold as would the riders because you can become World Champions in one day! If we fail to win that one then it’s the league at the end of the season. But winning both would be the most special double I could ever think of. From @JamesDavies4 via Twitter: How likely is it that the World Speedway League (formerly European Club Championship) will happen on a more regular basis? The success of this year’s event is crucial. If any team is trailing behind due to unavailability of riders, I think it would be very detrimental to the whole event. From our perspective, what’s the point of going there and just making up numbers? It costs the club money and I’d prefer not to be in it. But it is something that clearly enhances the sport if done properly. It’s similar to the European League in football. Except because America and Australia don’t have strong domestic leagues or any at all, they class this as the World League. I’m hopeful that it will be a success and grow to hopefully become a qualifying event where people can see riders from other countries at a regular basis. Finally, do you have any message to say to the loyal Pirates fans? I say it regularly in the programme and at any chance we can…I thank everybody for their commitment to the club. They come out on cold, wet, damp and awful nights to support their team. The people who come and support us are incredibly loyal and I thank all of them. At times it’s tough… I might do something they’re not pleased with. I may pick a rider they’re not happy with. I might drop a rider they don’t want me to drop. But, any decision will be made by how I believe it will enhance the club at that point in time. There’s no saying I won’t get things wrong but I have to stand by the decisions I make. The majority of people understand what I do and are respectful of it and likewise, I am also respectful of their views too. It’s really a big thank you to everyone working together.
From James Tresadern via Facebook: What drives you on with Poole Pirates and what’s your motivation? You’ve won the Elite League and after last year’s epic comeback, there can’t be much more to achieve? There definitely is. When I came into the sport, I did say it would be just for 5 years. This is now my 16th year and still the passion is there to win it. In fact, someone was telling me that Alex Ferguson’s win record was 59.67 in his time at Manchester United and ours is 58.83, so we’re pretty much identical to what I would deem as
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THE JOBS COACH
With The Game’s resident jobs coach, Julie Cook-Hughes
WHY CHOOSE SOS RECRUITMENT AS YOUR CHOSEN AGENCY? WE HAVE OVER 100 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE THAT’S WHY! are very proud of their business which will result in ‘YOU’ knowing you chose SOS RECRUITMENT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. Whether you are a candidate seeking employment or a client recruiting- look no further SOS Recruitment will exceed your expectations!
Julie Cook-Hughes, Managing Director & Founder of SOS recruitment
Julie Cook-Hughes has over 20 years’ experience in recruitment, she is a spirited, energetic and forward thinking Managing Director who is hugely appreciative of her dedicated Management Team and their team members. Her extremely successful business has been built over 14 years and she has every right to feel extremely proud of the successful business she has created. Julie recognises her staff always and continually shows her appreciation, recognising their efforts on a daily basis – a mean ‘feat’ in itself for such a busy person. Julie is an approachable person, who will always listen to new ideas and initiatives and drive her business forward to ultimately make the business even more successful. As far as SOS Recruitment are concerned we truly know there is ‘no better Recruitment Agency’ – do not take our word for it, contact us NOW!
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Julie Cook-Hughes, ‘The Games’ dedicated Recruitment Coach is delighted to announce some exciting changes to her already highly successful recruitment business! Julie would like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Management Team across the two offices based in central Bournemouth. SOS has been trading now for over 14 years successfully placing 1000’s of candidates across Dorset and Hampshire, in addition to growing a
database of clients who year on year are loyal to the fantastic service SOS Recruitment provides – in fact many of these clients have been using SOS for over 14 years and continue to do so. The SOS Management Team has over 100 year’s recruitment experience between them! These dedicated and passionate individuals have varied strengths and talents which add an amazing combination of superb dynamics to this already successful business. It is essential when choosing an agency that you feel valued and confident in your choice – Julie and her team
SOS Recruitment Commercial Division and the Workforce Division work extremely closely together to ensure candidates are given a broad spectrum of choice, we know that matching a candidate’s personality to a company is as important as ensuring they have the required skills. Client crossover over both divisions ensures all our clients feel assured that all their recruitment needs are covered, whether for example this is a Customer Service Person or Warehouse Operative – just one of the many roles we can assist with. Julie’s talented team need MORE TALENTED CONSULTANTS to join! If you are tenacious, driven, love a challenge and can communicate well at all levels recruitment is one of the most REWARDING CAREERS you can have. Recruitment is fast paced and hard work and can change lives, buying your dream car or first house will no longer just be a dream! If you are interested, please send your CV to either: amandahouse@sosrecruitment.co.uk or karenclinton@sosrecruitment.co.uk NOW!
Amanda House – Commercial Permanent Team Manager Amanda House drives the Commercial Permanent Division in SOS Recruitment, Bournemouth, heading up a talented team with huge success. A 1st Class quality service and supplying excellent applicants to local businesses is key to the success of Amanda and her colleagues. Amanda has 20 years plus experience and has a superb reputation in the local marketplace with her established client base and excellent recruitment experience. When placing business with Amanda’s team, whether you are a client or a candidate the care and professionalism they demonstrate will highly impress you. All commercial roles are covered by Amanda’s team covering a broad logistic area and all her team members are thoroughly trained to a high level. Kate Crawford –Workforce Manager Kate’s experience in recruitment is outstanding! She has over 14 years experience in both commercial and engineering recruitment supplying some of the largest organisations not only based in Dorset but much further afield. Her dedicated ‘Workforce Team’ working alongside her are privileged to work with such a dedicated and talented Manager. Kate is renowned for her superb service levels and consistency in supplying good quality and reliable temps to her clients ensuring they are highly satisfied and hence never hesitate to use her year on year. Kate is passionate about her role heading up the ‘Workforce Division’ and can be relied upon by many. Emma Brown – Temps Divisional Manager Emma runs an extremely busy Temps Division supplying numerous local businesses with all their commercial temporary needs. Emma has over 18 years experience in recruitment and is extremely dedicated and hardworking and known within the recruitment industry for her driven, tenacious and pro-active personality which ultimately results in her continued success year on year. SOS are delighted Emma has taken the ‘steering wheel’ of this already successful desk to make it even more successful – Emma’s ‘motto’ is nothing is too much trouble. Emma’s passion is hugely evident and client and candidate satisfaction are extremely important – her reputation in recruitment ‘speaks for itself’. Emma supplies two large companies locally supplying over 200 temps – growing day by day alongside a broad database of ad-hoc clients – the business grows daily. Karen Clinton – Training and Coaching Manager Karen has recently joined SOS Recruitment as the dedicated Training and Coaching Manager for both the Commercial and Workforce Divisions. Karen has over 17 years experience in recruitment, working her way up the career ladder from Consultant to Area Manager in her career history to date. Karen loves to impart her knowledge and expertise with colleagues and is highly approachable and focused on training staff to a high level to ensure their ultimate success within their roles. Over the years Karen has managed staff who have become Award Winners - her belief in people and their talents will be maximised by Karen. Karen knows the success of a business is based on the people who work within it – therefore her passion about this industry will be contagious with new and existing staff. Anna Elford (nee Makin) – Office Manager Admin Team Anna’s talents are so numerous, where do we begin? Anna manages an extremely busy workload of her own along with managing a team of dedicated administration and reception staff. Anna has worked in the recruitment industry for over 10 years and is able to multi-task superbly and meets stringent deadlines – remaining calm and focused. Anna joined SOS Recruitment and to date has implemented more time-saving functions which have resulted in even further improvements within SOS. Nothing is too much trouble for Anna, she is certainly very hardworking and extremely reliable resulting in a smooth running office.
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THE TIME IS NOW TO INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE… TALK TO SOS RECRUITMENT ABOUT YOUR NEXT STEPS
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RUNNING
THIS MONTH, OUR VERY OWN HARRY LUND, SALES EXECUTIVE FOR THE GAME CONTINUES HIS DIARY ABOUT HIS THOUGHTS, TRAINING AND PROGRESS AHEAD OF A MAJOR COMMITMENT AND NO EASY FEAT, THE BOURNEMOUTH MARATHON.
PROFILE Name: Harry Lund Age: 23 Job: Sales Executive at The Game Magazine and Level Two Coach at Christchurch Tennis Facility
MARATHON RUNNERS’ BLOG Harder, longer, further. Whilst sounding like a Daft Punk hit, these are the three things that I’m aiming for over the next few weeks in the lead up to the big day. Work harder, keep going for longer, run further; easily said, but not so simple to carry out. Since my first update last month, my training has stepped up and I am genuinely feeling better within myself. I feel quite positive about where I am with my running and whilst there is still a long way to go, I’m starting to really believe that I can complete the marathon in my target time of 4 hours and 30 minutes. There has been a regular setback to my training however; time. Fitting in three runs a week has been more challenging than anticipated. After managing it
for the first two weeks, I’ve slipped down to two per week, one long run and a shorter, but more intense session. From my understanding, time-management problems are a fairly common thing when it comes to training for events like a marathon. Work and personal life often clashes with training time and unless you are extremely disciplined; training is the first thing to go when it’s a choice between a social outing and going for a run, especially if it’s less than favourable weather out, there’s only going to be one winner. After getting my first taste of marathon training when I attended the official Bournemouth Marathon workshop in July, I’ve been working hard and going out running more than ever. On my long runs, I’m up to around 10 miles now and not feeling like I’m going to collapse at the end of them, always a plus. Obviously when it gets to two or three weeks before the event I’ll need to be doing around double the distance I’m currently completing, so there is still a long way to go and I’m sure there’ll be a lot more than just tired legs along the way. When I first signed up to do the Bournemouth Marathon, I set about planning the next year and scheduling around events that I can treat as practice/warm up races in the lead up to October. After having completed the Bournemouth Bay Run Half Marathon back in March, my next event is a Spartan Race in South London on 31st August. The event is similar to the Tough Mudder obstacle course races that are happening all over the world now. Spartan Races come in several different forms; covering different distances and with different obstacles along the way. Along with 3 former colleagues from a previous job, I will be taking on a the Spartan Super; a 13km off-road course which will include 21 obstacles, ranging from high walls and monkey bars to rope climbs and crawling underneath wire grids. Whilst the distance isn’t close
to even a half marathon, the mental challenge will be biggest part of it for me. It’ll be a good experience to be part of another big event with lots of different levels of ability competing alongside me. Also, the inevitable destruction of my current pair of trainers in the courses wet and muddy conditions has forced my hand to get a new pair in advance, but I found the perfect place to get them from. With minimal time left until race day, I’ve been procuring as much help as I can to support my training and running experience and with choosing my next pair of running trainers; after a few visits to Up & Running Bournemouth, found on Winton high street, I feel even better about my chances of making my target time at the marathon. The staff are exceptionally helpful and the stores in-house video and gait analysis is a godsend for any inexperienced runner. I recently hopped on their treadmill and experienced their video analysis first hand and I have to say, I was impressed. After not really being sure what to expect, from the first minute I loved the experience of it all. The first thing was a trainer and feet check, where your current pair of trainers are checked for wear and use patterns on the soles and your feet are looked at by the staff member to give them an idea of what step style you have. I was then given an introduction to the treadmill and process before getting onto the treadmill, with video camera focussing on your feet, and going from a steady walk up to running pace of around 12kph, after a couple of minutes of this the pace is slowed down and gradually stopped and then comes to review stage. The analysis is clearly described and the video of your feet shown in front of you. On-screen aids are used to help show the way your feet move and how your steps cause your legs to move in turn, all very interesting to an analysis nerd like me. You are then given the option of having a look at some specific types
of trainers that would suit your feet. For me, I was given three options which offer some extra arch support due to a hint of pronation – the inward, rolling movement of your foot during a step – in my running style. After trying on each pair of trainers and giving them a quick test up and down the pavement outside the store – you’re encouraged to do this – I settled on a pair of Asics Gel trainers, as well as some Ground Hog Super Cushion socks.
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Now that I’m all kitted out, I’m feeling a lot more comfortable with how things are going to go over the next few weeks. Who knows? I may even be in one piece after the Marathon. The last thing from me this month is of a charitable nature. I’ve decided to raise money for the British Heart Foundation through running the marathon. There is a long and, unfortunately, frequent history of heart problems in my family and I know how is can affect people and the family and friends around them, so I want to raise as much money as I can for the charity to help people in need of support. If anyone would like to donate towards my target total of £500 I would be extremely grateful. Get out there and cover some distance, you’ll surprise yourself how much you can do. Thanks for reading and get running.
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TENNIS
MISSION NO. 23 CARDIO TENNIS Last month, we hit the beach to try out longboarding along the prom at Branksome Chine. It was a perfect summer’s evening to enjoy this great outdoor activity. With the weather on the turn, we decided to get suitably warmed up on the tennis courts at Christchurch Tennis Facility and challenge Jo to ‘have a go’ at their new Cardio Tennis class. Under the guidance of coaches, Harry Lund and Rachel Lambon, Jo joined a packed class to report back on this fast-paced fitness class. Find out more > www.christchurchtennis.net
HARRY HAS A NEAR MISS WITH A TENNIS BALL HIT BY JO!
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Hi Jo, you seemed to really enjoy the longboarding last month. Any plans to get back on the board? Absolutely. I loved it and been looking at boards in the local skate shop and online. I managed to keep upright for almost all the session and loved rolling along with that amazing view as a backdrop! We’ve booked you in to a new workout class called Cardio Tennis. Have you played tennis before? I used to love it when I was younger and was quite obsessed with Wimbledon in the Becker and Agassi days! I’m really looking forward to it. Harry has told me lots about it and it sounds right up my street. AFTER… How was it? That was fast - really good workout, my heart is racing! I really enjoyed it and the buzz in the class was great. What was the best and hardest parts of the session and why? BEST: The best part was the satisfaction when you smashed a good shot over the net (and not missed!) HARDEST: The circuits were fast paced and knackering but felt really good when you completed each one. You’re continually moving and concentrating on not missing a hit. I did miss a few which was annoying but it has been about 15 years since I last played! Tell us about the class itself and what you did… We started off with a warm up which involved some running around the courts and some exercises to start getting your heart rate up. Then, it was different circuit style sessions where you ran up to the net to smash the ball over, run round the next court, through some obstacles and back to the net again. It was a continuous line where
you followed the person in front. This was good to spur you on and keep up with the rest of the class but you still had the option to go at your own pace if it was too much. After each circuit, we stopped to count our heart rate to make sure it was in the right range for cardio fitness, plus, it was a good chance for a quick rest between each round! It was an hour long class and for the last 10 minutes, we cooled down, stretched and gently brought our heart rates back to normal. You made a couple of good shots… although we did we spot one slightly close to the top of the fence surrounding the courts! Um, yes…but sssh! I got a bit excited and wacked one a bit too hard! Next door’s dog has a new ball to play with! What was your instructor like? Harry is a great instructor and he made the class really good fun. I found the time went so quickly because you’re doing different exercises and circuits all the time. Not sure he was happy with another dodgy shot of mine though when it whizzed past his head just missing by a few millimetres…I actually saw his hair move... sorry Harry! Would you recommend Cardio Tennis at Christchurch? Definitely. It was really good fun and I felt like I had a good workout. There was a good mix of all ages, gender and ability so whatever you level, it’s a class where you can feel comfortable and not out of place. It’s also a very friendly club at Christchurch and the coaches really love their sport. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to get fitter whilst having a lot of fun. It is on a Tuesday 6.30pm to 7.30pm, get down there and give it a go! Look out next month for another ‘Have a go hero’ challenge.
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The Game magazine is Dorset’s only free, high quality, monthly sports and leisure publication. Our magazine has a great mix of inspirational editorial, interviews with professional sports people from across the area, news and previews of events and a wider variety of local sports at all levels. . 22
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CYCLE SPEEDWAY
POOLE CYCLE SPEEDWAY his month, we speak to Ben Donohue from Poole Cycle Speedway. We chat about this fast paced sport and how the current season is going for the Poole Comets. With cycle sport enjoying a boom right across the racing spectrum, lets head for their track overlooking Poole Harbour to find out more.
Hi Ben, thanks for talking to us. Tell our readers about cycle speedway… What started as the latest youth craze on the bombsites of post-war London quickly spread to towns and cities throughout Britain as literally hundreds of teams raced on primitive tracks using any old bike parts they could salvage. Today’s well manicured tracks operate in Parks and Recreation areas and as visitors to Harbourside Park in Poole will testify, they resemble mini-stadia with full facilities similar to those at motorcycle speedway. Many of the racing features are similar to speedway with four riders in each heat and four laps per race although the scoring system of 4.3.2.1 differs from the 3.2.1 in the motor cycle version.
How long has the club been going? This area had a great tradition of cycle speedway going back to the late 1940’s with many tracks carved out on spare land and marked out with bricks. Poole CSC was formed in 1974 and started racing on a temporary site near Fleetsbridge. Then in the early 1980’ s, a purpose built circuit was constructed to full national centre specifications at Harbourside Park, Baiter with funding support from the national Sports Council. During the current season, the club has been celebrating its 40th centenary year.
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Is there a lot of contact in the races? Cycle speedway is a physical contact sport especially in senior team events which creates quite a spectacle with plenty of controversy and excitement. Elite League matches at Harbourside Park regularly attract hundreds of people drawn by the fiercely competitive nature of the racing.
“CYCLE SPEEDWAY IS A PHYSICAL CONTACT SPORT ESPECIALLY IN SENIOR TEAM EVENTS WHICH CREATES QUITE A SPECTACLE WITH PLENTY OF CONTROVERSY AND EXCITEMENT.” Are the bikes different to road bikes? The bikes are exclusive to the sport with no brakes and no gears or fittings. They have a short wheelbase and special handlebars which maximise speed from the starting gate. Top riders use the best lightweight materials and whilst not on the same technical scale as velodrome racers, a £1,000+ price tag is not uncommon.
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Where do you train and when do you race? During the racing season (March – October), we train on the track where there is activity on most evenings. We stage our popular Clubnight every Tuesday to cater for boys and girls of all ages and this is where beginners can come and try the sport for free with club bikes available for use. Competitions run mainly at weekends and are mainly team or club based with some individual events for good measure. Fixtures are listed on the club website www.poolecsc.com and regularly previewed on twitter @ PooleCSC
…and many crashes/injuries? Plenty of crashes but thankfully few serious injuries mostly cuts and bruises! How are the Comets getting on in this current season? Currently, the senior team is challenging at the top of the South-West table and has two home wins to its credit in the Elite League. Also, they have qualified for the semi-finals of the KO cup after wins against Exeter and Bury. The junior squad is currently leading the South West Grand Prix table and two of our girls Macie Schmidt and Chloe Albin were 1st and 2nd in the British U13 championships in Edinburgh. What age groups take part and where can people find out more? We cater for all ages – indeed we even have 2 and 3 year olds riding strider bikes on Clubnight evenings. Check out the website for more information or just come along to the track at Harbourside Park Baiter and see the action for yourselves. We are a strongly family orientated club and a warm welcome always awaits newcomers.
FOOTBALL
‘MY TEAM’ IS OUR MONTHLY FEATURE WHERE WE LIKE TO SHOUT ABOUT LOCAL TEAMS FROM ACROSS THE AREA. ANY SPORT, ANY AGE, ANYWHERE... GET INVOLVED AND #SUPPORTLOCAL TEAM NAME: Bournemouth Poppies U11’s EST: 2012 MANAGER: Bryan Baxter ASSISTANT MANAGER: James Dearman
This month’s special My Team, features a local youth team who have a host of young talent in their U11’s team playing for a well established and long serving local club. The Bournemouth Poppies was founded at a meeting held in Abbotts Auction Mart in Old Christchurch Road by eight enthusiastic gentlemen presided over by Alderman J Nethercoate (later to become Mayor of Bournemouth) on 11 September 1875. It was decided to call the club Bournemouth Rovers and is one of the oldest clubs in the country being founder Members of the Football Association, the Hampshire F.A. and the Bournemouth F.A. A brief spell at Bournemouth Dean Park (where an all white kit was chosen) Bournemouth FC was adopted in 1889 having amalgamated with another local side - Bournemouth Arabs. Today, as well as a strong first team and good set up, the club’s future players are progressing up through the ranks to follow in the footsteps of many players over the decades. The Bournemouth Poppies U11’s are celebrating an incredible achievement at the recent invitation only Sholing Tournament in Southampton. Classed
as the Champions League of the south’s youth teams, the poppies team played 9 aside against some of the best youth teams across the south winning all eight games. Manager, Bryan Baxter commented, “I’m so proud of the team. They’ve played together since we formed the team as under 7s and it showed at the tournament with some great passing football being played. They deserved to win this tournament, well done boys!” This victory followed earlier successes in the year with the team winning both the Romsey 6 aside and Burton 6 aside tournaments. With their season starting again this month, the proud parents and management have high hopes for the Bournemouth Poppies U11’s for 2014/15.
Find out more: www.bournemouthyouthpoppies.co.uk
LetDirect
Proud sponsors of Bournemouth Poppies U11s T: 01202 559660 A: 201 Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth BH1 1JU W: www.letdirectbournemouth.co.uk
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BMW
THE SPORTS CAR RE-DEFINED: BMW i8
The BMW i8 is ready to revolutionise its vehicle class as the first sports car with the consumption and emission values of a compact car and is accelerating its generation.
With its ultra-dynamic proportions, elegantly sporty lines, lowslung silhouette and innovative design features, the BMW i8 represents a new generation of sports car. Bringing together hallmark features of the BMW brand with the design language developed specially for BMW i cars creates a progressive aesthetic which faithfully communicates the performance attributes, efficiency and innovative premium character of the plug-in hybrid sports car. An entirely new concept of sports car, the BMW i8 is more efficient due to its intelligent lightweight construction with carbon and aerodynamic design. It’s more sustainable, with highly efficient BMW eDrive technology and recyclable materials in the interior. Yet with no compromise on dynamics and its sporting appearance, it creates the optimum combination of driving pleasure and efficiency. The BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid that brings together the advantages of innovate electric motor and combustion engine technologies. The result is an extraordinary driving experience – with extremely low consumption and low emissions. Through its overall concept, the BMW i8 embodies the innovative vision of a modern and sustainable sports car. The highly dynamic design instantly shows the qualities the BMW i8 has to offer, without relying entirely on its sports car character. Its aesthetics also pursue a functional aim; a more aerodynamic silhouette to make it inherently efficient. The BMW i8 offers far more than pure aesthetics. With its unique eDrive concept, it essentially reinvents the idea of sporting mobility. This is down to the powerful plug-in hybrid system, a combination of BMW eDrive technology and a BMW TwinPower Turbo 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine. It brings together the benefits of an electric motor and a petrol engine, creating an outstanding driving experience. 36
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SIX WINS THANKS TO EFFICIENT DYNAMICS: WITH ITS CURRENT RANGE OF MODELS AND ENGINES, BMW HAS ACHIEVED OUTSTANDING SUCCESS IN THE 2014 “GREEN MOBILITY TROPHY” AWARDS PRESENTED BY THE AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE “AUTO ZEITUNG” In addition to various assistance services and options for flexible mobility, the comprehensive portfolio of 360° ELECTRIC products and services also offers an innovative charging concept. The BMW i8 can be charged at home very conveniently with the BMW i Wallbox or the standard charging cable supplied with the vehicle. Additionally the energy used can also be sourced from sustainably generated electricity with solutions from BMW Green Energy. A growing number of public charging stations are available on the roads, with access being obtained easily and conveniently using the ChargeNow card. The BMW i8 can easily find the nearest charging station thanks to innovations such as the fully connected BMW i ConnectedDrive services for navigation. The launch of the BMW i8 sees the world’s first sports car to be purpose-built with sustainability in mind complete its journey from vision to reality. If you would like to find out more or book a test drive, call Ridgeway Bournemouth 01202 902185 www.ridgewaybournemouthbmw.co.uk
i AM THE REVOLUTiON.
BMW i
THE NEW BMW i8.
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For more information or to request a BMW i test drive*, please call us on 01202 902185 or visit www.ridgewaybournemouthbmw.co.uk
Ridgeway Bournemouth
361-371 Wallisdown Road Bournemouth Dorset BH12 5WB 01202 902185 www.ridgewaybournemouthbmw.co.uk Official fuel economy figures for the BMW i8: Weighted combined cycle: mpg 134.5 (2.1 l/100 km), CO2 emissions 49 g/km, power output (engine) 170/231 kW/hp, power output (electric motor) 96/131 kW/hp, total average energy consumption per 62 miles/100 km (weighted combined cycle) 11.5 kWh, customer-orientated total range up to 373 miles. Maximum electric range value 23 miles, common average electric range value (e-Drive only) up to 23 miles. Figures may vary depending on different factors, including but not limited to individual driving style, climatic conditions, route characteristics and preconditioning. The BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that requires mains electricity for charging. *Test drive subject to applicant status and availability.
31640_bs197352 Ridgeway i8 Launch A4.indd 1
13/08/2014 11:11
AFC BOURNEMOUTH
UP THE
CHERRIES FOLLOW DORSET’S NUMBER ONE TEAM, AFC BOURNEMOUTH TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE HIGHS, THE LOWS AND LATEST NEWS FROM THE CLUB
Let’s start with last season, which was undoubtedly one of the best. Do you think the club exceeded expectations of how you thought it would go? It was how I hoped it would pan out and deep down in my heart, I believe we were capable of achieving what we achieved. But, we were not seasoned campaigners in the Championship. It was new to the majority of the team. Bar a couple of players, none of them had really played any amount of games in the Championship. So for the first season, it was a very successful one finishing just a couple of points from getting into the play offs. I always believed we were good enough to go and challenge the way we did. It’s alright to believe it, but to actually go and do it under the circumstances we had was quite remarkable and it’s a credit to everyone at the football club. It’s been a great start for AFC Bournemouth. How do you think we’ll fair for the rest of the season? We’re a year older and a year wiser. We know the league a little bit more now. We’re still as competitive as ever, if not more competitive with the teams that have come down from the Premiership - Norwich, Fulham, Cardiff. There are big clubs in this division with big wage structures who can demand the top players. So, we’re always fighting against that battle. We’ve got a strong team spirit with players that are very good footballers and of course, a fantastic manager in Eddie Howe. I do believe he is one of the best coaches around so that coupled with a squad of players who are willing to knuckle down and work hard makes for a strong campaign. What does your role at the club involve this year? I’ve been in training a couple of times recently. It doesn’t always happen like that, but the gaffer was short of a couple of numbers so I joined in, it was great to get out on the field. But, my main port of call is scouting. It was a great honour when I was asked to
be Head of Recruitment in January. It has a lot of responsibility and I love it. I also do the Ambassador role at the club and last year, I attended over 200 different events to represent the club. Any little bit of spare time I get from Recruitment, I’m out at schools, charities, businesses, representing and being a voice and spokesman for the football club. There have been some really useful additions to the squad recently, who do you think will make the biggest difference? People always ask me, who is the best player in the squad? I always say, the best player in the squad is the squad. Supporters and fans will have their favourite player, of course, like every football team. But, for me, every player, whether they’re playing or on the bench, has a massive part to the club. Like any club, you lose players and gain players so we are out to find players to replace the ones you lose and make sure we keep going and moving forward, we don’t want to stand still. We couldn’t have asked for a better first game than the performance at Huddersfield, how important is it to get off to a flyer? Yes, it is important in any division. For us personally, being away from home at Huddersfield, it was fantastic. Nobody could have predicted the result at 4-0 but, we need to capitalise on that now. We had a little hiccup against Notts Forest but we played really well and had a huge amount of possession with so many shots on target, we could have easily won it comfortably. Every team we play in this division, will cause it’s own problems but our aim is to hopefully go one step further than we did last season.
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FILE
FULL NAME TO BIRTH DATE 0 MMY ELPHICK 7 SEP HEIGHT 5’11” T 1987 POSITION DE FE NUMBER 5 NDER
FLETCH’S PREDICTIONS ON THIS MONTH’S GAMES AFCB v Rotherham – Newly promoted from League 1 and with us playing with a home advantage, I would hope we’d pick up 3 points at this game. AFCB v Leeds – Always a tough fixture against a big football club with great tradition. We had a fantastic result against them last year and hopefully we can replicate that this season. Watford v AFCB – Be a difficult game, we had a bad result there last season so we’d be hoping to put the demons of last year behind us. Any point at
Vicarage Road will be a good point. AFCB v Wigan – Wigan are a tough outfit and very much peoples’ favourite to be in and around the top few teams at the end of the season. Derby v AFCB – Tough place, once again, a lot of peoples’ prediction for automatic promotion. They just missed out last season and have a fantastic squad. If we can get something out of the game at Derby, that will be a job well done.
#ASK FLETCH QUESTION OF THE MONTH
From: The Dorset Destroyers Wheelchair Rugby Club via Facebook What sport would you have done if not football? I had my qualifications and position lined up at college to be a PE teacher and when I went for my trial at my local team, Hartlepool, the lady at the college said if it doesn’t work out for you, you’ve got your placement lined up. Fortunately for me, I was signed at Hartlepool and the rest is history. The other sport that I have participated in competitively was badminton. I really loved it and represented the town until I was 15. It was then that I had to choose one or the other and I chose football, the love of my life. SEPTEMBER 2014 FIXTURES SAT 13TH TUES 16TH
SAT 20TH SAT 27TH TUES 30TH
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PLAYE
ELPHIC K
We welcome back AFC Bournemouth’s much loved, Steve Fletcher to our ‘Up the Cherries’ feature. Fletch will be giving his personal perspective to the highs and lows of the current season in his monthly Q&A column.
ROTHERHAM
HOME 15.00
LEEDS
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DERBY
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