NAVY NEWS, MARCH 2008 47
Taking the
Spar wars
Lane to
Wembley
for ladies
THE RN’s female boxing
THE Brothers have started community gathered at HMS
down the road to Wembley in Nelson for its inaugural training
the Rugby League Carnegie weekend.
Challenge Cup after a memorable Nineteen female pugilists
victory over Yorkshire side from HM Ships Kent,
Castleford Lock Lane, writes WO1
Collingwood and Sultan, plus
Keith Humpleby, RNRL spokesman.
JSU Northwood and RNAS
The fi rst-round match saw the
Culdrose, took part in the
West Yorkshire side, not having
three-day sparring and fi tness
the best of seasons in the league,
session, writes Lt Lucy Abel
prove to be tough and resilient –
(HMS Sultan).
and in with a shout of progression
These numbers, combined
until well into the second period.
with women already part of
In a thrilling fi rst half the
the RN ladies’ team who were
Yorkshiremen took the lead only
unable to attend due to other
for the RN to cancel out the lead
Service commitments, prove
with a try for centre Buinamasi
once again that female boxing
converted by Dane Smallbone.
is not only a sport for the
The home side once again
future but a major sport for the
nosed ahead with a rather
present.
fortuitous try resulting from a
Female boxers of all levels
sliced kick.
from novice to international
The RN struck back with a
took part in the weekend to
Scott Partis try converted by
learn, develop or polish their
Smallbone.
boxing skills.
The touchdown of the match
The programme of events
then came courtesy of some slick
included technique sessions,
handling deep in their own half
circuit training, sprint training,
by the RN. Debutant Manasa
sparring and not forgetting
Tamoi then proceeded to sprint
high-powered games of football
60 metres beating the covering
and basketball.
defence before feeding Jim Barnes
The female fi ghters were
who went over for the try.
helped in their training by Cpl
A late try by Lock Lane’s Andy
Baz O’Connell (JSU Northwood)
Townsend brought the scores
and LPT Bungy Edwards (HMS
level at the half time break.
Kent).
Spurred on by their success
The aim was to kick-start
before the break the home side
the ladies’ boxing season in
came out strongly but were
the build-up to the National
unable to break the RN defence
ABA Ladies Championships to
and the perfect response came
be held at Maida Boxing Gym,
from Lee Hunter who forced
Aldershot, on June 21.
● Swede dreams... RN
his way over and with another
physical training instructors
Many of the RN female
Smallbone conversion the visitors
at Pitt Street demonstrate the
boxers are already showing
were back in front.
‘Swedish system’ in practice
strong potential to do well in
Despite two serious injuries the
for the 1914 Royal Naval and
this competition.
Navy began to dominate a tiring
Military Tournament
That and the success of the
Lock Lane side.
women last year will mean the
This domination was
RN will be the team to beat in
confi rmed when prop forward
the championships.
and RN skipper Jamie Goss burst
In the lead-up to the
nationals, there will be monthly
through the defence to score
training weekends (the next was
another try. Dane Smallbone
due to be February 29-March 2).
converted Goss’ try and knocked
PTIs bid goodbye
Regular evening training
over a late penalty to confi rm the
sessions also take place on
victory 18-32.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
A terrifi c team performance,
“BRING me my chariot of
6.30-8pm at HMS Collingwood
especially in the second half when fi re...”
and on Thursdays between 5pm
resources were stretched through The immortal words of
and 7pm at HMS Nelson.
injury, saw the Brothers go into William Blake’s Jerusalem
the hat for the second round – the anthem of the RN PT
draw. branch – echoed around the
Their reward was a home tie hallowed but derelict gym
Land of slopes
against National Conference at Pitt Street in Portsmouth
Premier League high-flyers for a final time as PTIs paid
Rochdale Mayfield. homage to the spiritual home
and glory
Mayfield are currently locked of Senior Service fitness.
marina Continued from back page
in a four-way fight for supremacy For nearly 80 years the
in the NCL Premier, almost neck
red-brick building was known
and support their friends and
and neck with Leigh Miners, East
as HMS Temeraire, the RN
colleagues negotiate their way
Hull and Skirlaugh.
School of Physical Training.
down the fl oodlit piste in their
The third-round place they
Its RN role ended in
fi rst ever ski race.
were fighting for should have
1988 when the present-day
The main race week
been filled by the time you read
Temeraire site opened. produced yet another year of
this. Unfortunately, the match
But Pitt Street remained good competition with many
occurred after we went to press
and became a sports centre individuals achieving the personal
– but we’ll have a report next
for civvies, specialising in satisfaction of successfully
month.
gymnastics.
negotiating challenging courses
Now, however, the
down the former Olympic piste.
Pompey’s just
Edwardian building has
New young talent was also
no role to play in the
discovered during the races by
regeneration of Portsmouth
both the ski and snowboard teams
the ticket
city centre, so the bulldozers
moved in to flatten it.
that has improved the pool of
The wrecking balls stopped
available people for selection and
swinging long enough for
hopefully with suffi cient time
THIRTY complimentary tickets
today’s generation of PTIs
to train over the coming year a
are available to football fans in
to pay their respects in the
strong performance at the 2009
the Portsmouth area who fancy
derelict building in a short
Inter-Service Championships.
watching some Premiership
service of remembrance, led
That said there is always room
action.
by Naval chaplain the Rev
for more so any individuals
Thanks to a deal with Pompey,
Roland Wort and Cdr Bob
– especially female winter sports
the RNFA has tickets for two
Holmes, Temeraire’s CO.
enthusiasts – who are interested
home matches to give away – but
CPO(PT) Wayne Hodkinson, and would like to try out for the
only to Service personnel, not
Temeraire’s establishment Navy squads should contact Cdr
civilians.
CPO, is one of the dwindling Gary Skinns at HMS Temeraire
Pairs of tickets for Milton End
number of serving RN club (9380 27880) who will put you in
seats are available to applicants
swingers who attended Pitt
for Portsmouth’s clashes with
touch with the relevant people.
Street in its Naval days,
Aston Villa (Saturday March 15)
The full race results from the
admittedly very briefly.
and Blackburn Rovers (Saturday
2008 Alpine Championships can
“There was an atmosphere,
April 26).
be viewed at www.skiworldse.
an aura which surrounded the
The tickets will be allocated
com/navy – to gain access the
building. You’d walk in and
through a draw and Portsmouth
login is ‘rnwsa’ and the password
think: I need to be part of this.
Naval Base Commodore’s reward
“During the service, this
‘band’.
and recognition scheme.
once-thriving building with its
For those of you already
RN/RM personnel serving
glorious history and tradition
looking to 2009, next year’s
in Portsmouth Naval Base/
seemed a shambles of the
championships will run between
Nelson, Collingwood, Sultan and
place we once knew.
January 10 and 24.
Excellent are eligible.
“But during those last
If you do win, do not wear any
prayers on that sorry day,
football clothing which might
during that silent moment, we
IF YOU wish to submit a
cause offence to fellow fans. The
reflected on our memories of
report/images for inclusion
● The detritus of demolition... A few rather forlorn reminders
tickets are non-transferrable, so
times gone by. Pitt Street may of Pitt Street in its prime gathered up by demolition teams as
in the sports pages of our
you cannot sell them/pass them
have gone, but the memories they prepared to pull the building down
April edition, please ensure
on.
of this hallowed place will live
Picture: LLogs (CS) Alex Knott
your submission reaches us
Details from WO1(PT) Ian
forever in our hearts.”
by Friday March 14.
Binks on 9380 22828.
0047_NN_Mar.indd 147_NN_Mar.indd 1 119/2/08 18:48:089/2/08 18:48:08
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