48 NAVY NEWS, MAY 2008
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● If you see Sydney, tell ’em... Lt Penny Clark on her boat in front
of the legendary opera house
Qing of Beijing?
THERE will be at least one
Royal Navy sailor fl ying the
fl ag for the Senior Service in
Beijing this summer.
Lt Penny Clark will be
racing on the water in the
Ever active
Laser Radial class.
The 32-year-old offi cer
– on eternal
earned her call-up following
extended trials in which she
watch in
and three other women were
all vying for the single British
the Med
place in the class.
Penny has already raced
on the Olympic ‘track’ at
with HMS
Qingdao; two years ago she
earned bronze at the 2006
Somerset
Test Event.
She was nominated by
the RYA’s Olympic selectors
for the most consistent
performances – and best
overall results – during
the second stage of the
selection process which
began at the 2007 ISAF World
Championships and included
the Miami Olympic Classes
Regatta and the 2008 Laser
Radial World Championships.
“I’m really happy to have
been selected, but for me it’s
Mine’s a hot
just another hurdle towards
the end goal, which has
one – the
always been to get on that
podium in China,” said Penny,
who claimed her fi rst national
hunt goes on
title at the tender age of eight.
The pressure is now on the
in the Gulf
junior offi cer and her fellow
sailors: the Team GB selection
committee hopes the sailors
will bring home at least three
Double delight
medals from China.
“The selectors were
impressed by the level of
competition in the Laser
Radial trials, where all
four women have pushed
themselves to increase
Great Britain’s chances of
IT’S the centenary season
thawing out having returned two
winning a medal at the 2008
of Army hockey.
days before from a six-month
Games,” said Stephen Park,
So what better way to mark the
deployment to Norway.
RYA Olympic Manager and
milestone than to dispatch the
After some outstanding saves
sailing’s Team Leader for the
soldiers on their home turf and
from CPOMEA Wendy Frame
Beijing games.
ensure the Inter-Services trophy
(MWC) in goal – a trend that
“The clock is ticking
remains in the RN cabinet?
carried into the second day – the ever faster now as we
Aldershot Garrison Sports
inevitable happened and a well- enter the fi nal phase of our
Centre was the venue for this
worked goal from the RAF fi nished preparations. Having now
year’s championships with the
in the back of the net with another completed our line-up of
troops determined to avenge their
following shortly before half time. sailors for Beijing, the team
heavy defeats of the previous year
With pressure mounting from is focussing on delivering the
against both the RN and the RAF.
the RAF they broke down our goods in China, where we
However, they were made to
team play and the match ended hope we can do the nation
Sand and wait, as the Navy and the RAF
6-0. proud once again.”
faced off on the fi rst day.
The Army’s frontal attack the Sailing is the first discipline
deliver – how
The RAF boasted one of the
following day put great pressure to complete its selection
strongest sides that they have
on the RN defence led by captain process for the Olympics. Still
your parcels
ever fi elded, with quality players
POAET George Patterson (HMS waiting for his Beijing call-up
in all position, whereas the RN
Heron) with some great support is rower Lt Peter Reed.
reach the
were missing several key players
from Logs Laura Laing (HMS Peter has been a member
through operational deployment
Neptune), Lt Cdr Kay Lewis of the GB Coxless Four for
● Mne Graham Smith (847 NAS) challenges the Army during the 3-1
front line
and injury. As current champions,
victory as S/Lt Tim Lomas (BRNC) hooks his opponent’s stick
(MWS) and S/Lt Rachael Rake
the past three years, during
the Navy were not going to give up
Picture: Lt Col Charles Jackman (BRNC). which time his boat has won
the title without a fi ght, however.
However the overload and good
the World Championship in
The game started at a frenetic
the following day. when another penalty corner saw
distribution of the ball secured
successive years.
Plus
pace, with both teams going at
The Army were boasting a very Dixon fi nd the effervescent Potter
the Army numerous opportunities
His RN career as an
strong side with two internationals at the far post for a tap in.
each other hammer and tongs. The
with few in the back of the net.
engineer is on hold while he
and a plethora of national league This left the fi nal score at 3-1
RAF won a penalty corner after
The second half saw an
trains daily for Beijing (he
players, but the RN came out for another RN win, but the Inter-
Win, lose or
fi ve minutes and their drag fl icker
improvement from the ladies which
did allow himself a rest on
with all guns blazing and had Service title then rested on the
deposited the ball at some velocity
resulted in a lot of pressure in the
Christmas Day).
most of the possession and a lot of result of the Army-RAF clash.
draw – all the
into the top right-hand corner.
attacking 25 with chances created
“Training is really tough
territory in the fi rst half controlled The Army, desperate to not get
For most of the rest of the fi rst
by Lt Lucy Abel (HMS Sultan)
– there are so many sports
by midfi eld general Surg Lt Dave beaten twice on their own patch and
half the RN were then under the
which have tough training
Potter. in their centenary year, produced
for S/Lt Marion Taylor and POET
action from
cosh, but defended with great spirit
regimes, but I think rowing –
The Navy took the lead through an excellent performance to beat
Ann Jones (HMS Drake).
with Lts Matt Wesson and Mark
along with cycling and maybe
LAEA Mark Stanton when he the Air Force 1-0 and hence crown
A conciliatory goal was just out
Twickenham
Dixon soaking up the pressure.
swimming – has one of the
fi nally scored one of the chances the RN champions.
of reach, especially with the loss
It was with some relief that
most punishing programmes,”
that came his way. This was also special as the
of Lt McKenna who fell during a
the half time whistle blew as it
Peter explained.
The score was 1-0 at half RN completed the fi rst double
tackle.
And
provided a chance for the RN to
His teammates refer to him
time with the RN edgy despite double – winning both indoor
A big plus from this year’s
regroup.
as ‘The Commander’ – and
dominating, as the Army were and outdoor championships back
competition was the selection of
The second half saw the RN
it’s this camaraderie which
looking dangerous on the break. to back, particularly apt as they
fi ve players – POET Patterson,
Peter says bonds the team.
Practice,
playing much more positively and
Nerves were put at ease when a celebrate their centenary season
CPOMEA Frame, Lt Abel, Surg
“We spend so much time
creating several chances, none of
slick penalty corner move ended from the end of June.
Lt Herbert and Lt Imrie (HMS
together that if we didn’t
which was converted.
not theory
up with Dixon burying the ball in The women’s team sadly did not
Daring) – for the Combined
get on, it would be a very
The RAF also had their
the bottom corner. However, the fare as well as the men’s, thanks in
Services training camp, the most
miserable job,” he explained.
chances but were kept at bay by
Army then hit back straight away part to the struggle to fi nd a full
selected for many years.
– enjoying
“We’re all like-minded and
a combination of some profl igate
with a breakaway goal unsettling side – a common theme across all
Later this year the RNHA
get on very well.”
fi nishing and some outstanding
the team. the teams and all the services.
begins to celebrate the Centenary
Both Penny and Peter
a big bang
saves by LAEA Richie Potter.
This was manifested when Nevertheless, 13 players
of Navy Hockey with a weekend
have benefi ted from the
Towards the end of the second
discipline was lost and two players travelled to Aldershot to represent
of celebrations in Portsmouth
RN’s elite athlete programme
with Naval
half, the RN won another penalty
were sin-binned, leaving nine men the RN.
following the annual Inter-
which aims to produce the
corner, which was fi nally put to try to defend against a resurgent The fi rst match against the RAF Command tournament.
champions of tomorrow.
reservists
away by Capt Richie Moore RM, Army team. started extremely well with the The women’s team are already
“My colleagues are on
capping an excellent performance The defence was nothing less girls coming out fi ghting and the looking forward to fi elding a good
the front line, fighting in
by the Royal Marine. than superb with everyone on the fi rst 20 minutes was exceptional side against the Army again and
wars and doing things that I
The end result was a 1-1 draw, team working tirelessly for each with the partnership of Lt Dee – on home ground – to putting up
signed up to. I’ve just got so
which probably slightly fl attered other epitomising the team spirit McKenna (HMS Portland) and a competitive fi ght.
much respect for that and I
the RN on the day. A toss of a that has seen the success over the Surg Lt Lara Herbert (RMB We have great plans for next
recognise that I’m very lucky,”
coin then decided that the RN previous four years. Chivenor) in the centre working season and the team can only go
Peter added.
would play fi rst against the Army The result was fi nally put to bed well considering Lara was still from strength to strength.
100%
NEW LIFESTYLE. NEW ZEALAND. NAVY
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Published by Navy News, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth and printed by St Ives (Andover) plc.
048_NN_May.indd 1 22/4/08 10:51:11
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