Sussex Sports

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Sports Federation Annual Award Results

Each year the Sports Federation Colours Committee confers several awards to sports-women and men at the University for their achievements throughout the year. The Full Blue is awarded to those who have reached an outstanding level in their chosen sport. This standard should equate to national or very good regional players who have been willing to represent the University at every possible opportunity. The Half Blue is awarded to sports people who have not attained the playing standards required of a Full Blue, but who are still competing at a high level in their chosen sport. This should equate to good county standard. Nominees must have been willing to represent the University at every possible opportunity.

This year Kelly Moore was awarded the Full Blue for rugby. Kelly, as well as being an invaluable member of the University of Sussex Ladies' Rugby Squad, has also played for the Lewes Ladies Team, Sussex County and for Under-19 Wales. Kelly is still a first year, and shows potential for even better things over the next few years. She will be sharing her expertise when she takes over the club next year.

Half Blue awards have been given to the following:

Kim Robsson for Men's Handball
Eva Rytter and Elizabeth Anderson for Women's Handball

Sports Federation Awards are given to members who have shown great loyalty and commitment to one or more clubs. Members receiving these awards are those who have made a significant contribution during the year, above and beyond the call of duty, and become generally invaluable to their team.

Sports Federation Awards went to:

Nicola Smith for Rowing
Tom Green for Rugby
Sean Burton for Diving
Ivo Schmidt for Handball
Ben Park and Michael Plummer for Wado-Ryu Karate and Kick boxing
Nick Walker for commitment to the Sports Executive Committee.
Team Of The Year - Men's Basketball
Club Of The Year - Handball

Sussex Rowers Rock the Boat

From left to right: Steve Rowe, Steve Jukes (Men's Captain), Sarah Kate May, Loraine Ronchi (Women's stroke), Hilary Bayly (coxswain), Elene Dawkins (Women's Captain), Nicola Smith (President), Roman Lundstrom (Men's stroke), Matt Grandy.

Some university boat clubs have years of tradition. Some have corporate sponsors. The two year-old University of Sussex Boat Club has something equally remarkable: Nicola Smith.

For a while, however, what it didn't have was a boat. Indeed, the club's lack of a river boat became an unavoidable obstacle to Sussex's representation in the BUSA (British University Sports Association) Rowing Championships. With four-person river boat (a 'four') available at £5000, and a Sports Union grant of £100 and an additional £100 raised in funds the only money available, the situation was somewhat less than optimal. With true northern tenacity, however, Nicola - a final year DPhil student in Chemistry - found and purchased the only £200 'four' in the UK, from the University of Cambridge. With their rickety new boat - affectionately known as 'Berti' - Sussex was off to the races.

Two crews, one men's and one women's, competed in the 2000 metre regatta, which involves 53 universities from across the UK. Sussex distinguished itself from the outset as the youngest boat club and one of the only proud owners of a wooden 'four' weighing in at 50-100lb. heavier than its fibreglass competitors (Recall - the key word here is 'gutsy'). Despite numerous problems with one of Berti's seats during the race, the men's crew finished the quarter finals in style. The women's crew finished second in their heat and proceeded to the semi-finals for the Novice Women's division.

From the start, this Sussex crew led their lighter competitors in first place until the ill-fated seat disabled a bow-side rower. With stroke side rowing on, Berti cut horizontally across two lanes. With an incredible presence of mind and a much-appreciated sense of humour, the coxswain Hilary Bailey veered Berti back into her lane while the seat was re-attached. The women's crew found themselves over six boat lengths behind the last boat and only 1000 metres remaining. In a space of 750 metres, the valiant four in their ancient but speedy vessel rowed from a standstill position to catch the last crew, moved beyond the next crew and then pulled into the crew vying for third place. The University of Sussex women's crew missed the BUSA Finals by less than half a boat length. The third-place crew was shaken. The crowd was stunned.

Oxbridge has nothing on Sussex when it comes to exciting races. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a debut. And the University has one slick wooden craft named Berti and one dedicated club president named Nicola Smith to thank for it.

The club welcomes students of any shape, size and level of ability wishing to join the club in the upcoming autumn term. Interested students may contact Elene Dawkins (Women's Captain) at bau76@central.susx.ac.uk or Stephen Jukes (Men's Captain) at hcu05@central.susx.ac.uk. Look out for a new series on University clubs due to start in the Bulletin next term.