Spoils shared at Dorset School Games

On Friday 13th July, the borough of Bournemouth played host to the Dorset School Games – with 144 finalists battling it out across a number of indoor rowing events.

The finalists were selected from across Dorset’s six boroughs, winning their places against over 800 competitors in the previous qualifying round.

Friday’s finals saw a combination of 500m individual races and team relays over 2012m, in Year 7-9 age categories.

Cranborne (Year 7), Talbot Heath (Year 8), and Thomas Hyde (Year 9) schools shared the glory in the girls’ relay races, as Portchester School stormed to a clean sweep of victories in the boys’ relays.

Juniors from Harewood, Poole, Blandford, Talbot Heath, Thomas Hardy, and Cranborne enjoyed success in each of the six individual races, with John Purkess (Chairman of the Hants and Dorset Rowing Association) on hand to present the prizes after a tremendous morning’s racing.

An enjoyable morning’s racing was had by competitors, teachers, and parents alike, with the lively, noisy tournament showing the great enthusiasm and potential in indoor rowing in the Dorset area.

Next year’s School Games event will be held as a winter event, comprising of young people aged 11 to 18 (fully inclusive) using the gold standard format of competition.

The winners of the 2013 finals will then be invited to attend the National Junior Indoor Rowing Championships in London, in March.