Today was our first Junior Rowing Challenge event, supporting the Strength of Spirit Games on Plymouth Hoe. Each year the Royal Navy, supported by Plymouth City Council and sponsored by Aecom & the Royal Marines Charity, host a rehabilitation triathlon for veterans of the armed forces. This year, the Plymouth School Sports Partnership opened the days’ activities with a competitive rowing event for children from military families. 6 children from each school were invited along to take part in 3 different challenges: a 100m sprint/a 2 minute row and a 6 minute team relay challenge. We had an incredible 20 teams with us today! We were supported by an amazing group of sports leaders from Devonport High School for Girls: they greeted the teams on arrival and took them through some individual warm ups and some technique before we got started. The atmosphere was electric! So much excitement and energy, it was brilliant! Before we knew it we were underway and the results were coming in thick and fast.  Once all of the races were competed and the numbers were being crunched our sports leaders gave every child who participated their very own medal and certificate and then they were able to spend some time exploring some of the other activities on offer, such as a taster of a Field Gun event/a climbing wall/air rifle shooting – there was so much to see and do. 

Then it was off to the main stage to announce our winners… Congratulations to Eliose from Yealmpstone Farm and Jacob from St. Matthew’s for Rowing 100m in the fastest time and to Olivia and Nic from Goosewell for rowing the greatest distance in 2 minutes. To calculate the overall winning team, we combined all of their individual distances over 2 minutes with their team relay distance. A huge congratulations to the team from Leigham primary who are the first recipients of our winners shield! Well done to everyone who took part today, I am thrilled that there were so many smiling faces. Our schools were then invited to stay for a packed lunch and to enjoy more of the activities laid on for them. I would like to say a huge thank you to some very special people who helped significantly to make this event such a success: firstly to the sports leaders from DHSG and their teachers – you were amazing and the children had the best time; to my colleagues Jan, Josh and Anna for all their help and support throughout the day; to Sophie for once again being my right-hand person; for our very generous sponsor Aecom for their support; Plymouth City Council and the Royal Navy – thank you all so much. I’m so excited to do it all again next year!

Click here to view more photos

Claire Cormack

PE Specialist Teacher for Tor Bridge Cluster,                                                          Responsible for Partnership Mainstream SEN

Mobile: 07932 460256

Email: cormackcpssp@gmail.com