February 26, 2010 News British Rowing NewsBritish Rowing EventsRowing CommunityGB Rowing TeamCompetitions and ClubsIndoor RowingPartners#YourStoriesArchive Get Going, Get Rowing North East Regional Schools Indoor Rowing Final Indoor Rowing Sports keen youngsters will be put through their paces at the inaugural Get Going, Get Rowing North East Regional Schools Indoor Rowing Final to be held at Maiden Castle, Durham University on 2nd March, 2010. The event is a result of a newly formed partnership that has been established between SUNEE (Sport Universities North East England), Competition Managers, British Rowing, Concept 2, Tony Blair Sports Foundation and North East Strategic Health Authority.ADVERT Rob Cree, British Rowing Coaching Team Leader for the North East is extremely pleased with these new developments in the sport: “British Rowing are keen to support school based indoor rowing programmes and the indoor racing that comes out of these programmes. In the North East, we are developing a great hierarchy of competitions based within Schools, School Sport Partnerships, Counties and the North East Region itself, in co-operation with all partners.” Clare Harding, Senior Competition Manager for County Durham, responsible for co-ordinating the event said:” It is a really exciting time in the evolution of this competitive structure in the North East Region. Our young people have thoroughly enjoyed competing for their counties and are now keen to demonstrate their talents at this next level. With a strong partnership having formed between the key partners we can ensure that this event is both sustainable and continues to grow over the coming years to involve as many of our schools and their students as possible.” Since September 2009, competitions organised by the Competition Managers and British Rowing have been held across the four North East Counties (County Durham, Northumberland, Tees Valley and Tyne & Wear) each providing the chance for some of the region’s top young rowers and those new to the sport, to post their best times of the year. The top 4 young people from each age category have now all qualified to attend and compete against the best across the North East Region at this first ever Get Going, Get Rowing North East Regional Schools Final. The participants will compete for different periods of time depending on their age; however a Gold Medal Target has been set so youngsters can compare themselves against others based on their percentage of their Gold Medal Target. James Kessell, 17, from Yarm School was the overall winner in the Tees Valley Final, completing 2000 metres in 6minutes 26 seconds to finish with an impressive 108.61% of his Gold Medal Target. James, who has rowed for Wales at both junior and senior level said: “It could be the start of something good because once people get involved and get their first taste of winning they want to carry on, and even if you lose you know if you keep training you can win. “That’s the brilliant thing about rowing; it is a sport where you get out what you put in. You don’t necessarily have to be that talented, just be willing to work hard.” Report from Clare Harding An Northern Echo article about this event can be found online now ADVERT