Olivia Walwyn at White Nancy in the Peak District, preparing for the European Mountain Running Champs - 4 July 2010
Sean Watson captured 4th place at the British Schools Biathlon Champs - Crystal Palace, 21 March 2010
Sean Watson placed 6th in the Youth’s C race at the World Biathlon Championships in Monaco - 20 September 2009
CoNAC Clive Poyner marks Myra Hawtree’s retirement after 13 years as general secretary - 23 February 2009
Other News
CoNAC's 500 Club winners for July announced
20 July 2010
The 500 Club draw for July has now taken place and this month's lucky winners are:
£50 - Richard Polley
£30 - Cherry Collins
£20 - Claire Dyke
£10 - Chris Mace
You can become a member of CoNAC's 500 Club for as little as £1 per month, payable by standing order; please click here for further information and details of all the recent winners.
Olivia earns GB call-up
7 June 2010
CoNAC-er Olivia Walwyn has taken to the hills like a duck to water. So much so she has gained international recognition following her success in the McCain Mountain Running Challenge held in Keswick at the weekend.
The race incorporated the trials for the European Mountain Running Championships that was staged over an extremely testing 9km course that included an 1800ft climb on each lap. Olivia was leading race favourite Victoria Wilkinson with less than a kilometre to the finish but was overtaken on the run in to the line but had the satisfaction of gaining automatic selection for the Great Britain team that will travel to Sapanera Banya, Bulgaria to compete in the European Championships on July 4th.
Raised in the flatlands of Norfolk, Olivia is proving to be a force to be reckoned with when it comes to mountain running and for sure can look forward to further international call-ups in the years ahead.
CoNAC launches outstanding achievement bursary scheme
19 April 2010
As announced in a recent e-newsletter, we are launching a bursary scheme to recognise outstanding individual achievements by our members. The structure of the scheme has been discussed at length by the CoNAC Executive Committee and is now confirmed with immediate effect.
The scheme has been designed to reward performance and recognise the training and dedication that is required to achieve excellence in our sport. It will operate on a calendar year basis and we hope that countless bursaries are awarded by the end of each year. All winners will also be offered complimentary CoNAC membership for the following year. Here are the details:
* First selection for GB: £150 (£50 if first national selection already achieved)
* First selection for England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland: £100
* Top three Power of 10 final ranking: 1st = £75, 2nd = £50, 3rd = £30
Terms & conditions - all bursaries to be spent on ongoing athlete development; payments will be made upon selection for representative honours and at the club's next Annual General Meeting for Power of 10 final rankings; only one Power of 10 payment per athlete per calendar year. Exclusions - masters only events.
Sean and Catherine enjoy British Schools Biathlon Championships
21 March 2010
Year 10 student Sean Watson from Northgate High School opened his multi-sport season by placing 4th equal at the 2009-10 British Schools Biathlon Championships at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.
The biathlon is a combined swim/run event where the athletes compete for points in separate events to produce the highest possible combined points total. Qualification was via one of fifteen regional events with the top forty in each year group making it through to the finals. Sean qualified at Peterborough in December with 2,392 points behind eventual British Champion Lewis Hughes from Aylsham High School & City of Norwich Swimming Club.
Sean started the day at Crystal Palace with a personal best swim in the 100m freestyle, breaking the Dereham Otters long course club record in the process. His time of 1min 01.05secs was rewarded with 1,312 points. In the afternoon the 1,000m run saw Sean seeded in the top heat which gave him the best opportunity of a competitive run. He ran a personal best of 2mins 54.23secs, also recording a personal best at the 800m mark on the way and posting the fifth fasted run time for 1,128 points. Sean’s combined total of 2,440 points was good enough for 4th equal overall and a trophy as well.
Meanwhile, Beeston Hall's Catherine Longe was battling away in the year 6 girls competition having won the Bath qualifier in January with 2,780 points. At Crystal Palace she produced a 50m swim of 34.70secs for 1,192 points and a 500m run of 1min 35.76secs worth 1,660 points to give an encouraging combined total of 2,852 points and 12th place overall.
Report from 2010 Annual General Meeting
9 February 2010
Our Annual General Meeting took place at the Sportspark last night. Chairman Clive Poyner reported on a very successful year for the club and Treasurer Hugh McGill presented the club's financial statements for 2009.
Clive thanked all those who had given of their time during the year to ensure that the club continued to develop and move forward; and made special mention of the contributions of Harry Knowles (cross country), Ian McDonald (Sportshall) and Karen Wilson (young athletes' welfare) who had all decided to retire from office at this meeting. The club's gratitude to all three was endorsed by everyone present.
The meeting voted to peg the rates for the 2010-11 membership year at their current levels - senior £25, junior £20, friend £10.
Finally, it was agreed that the club's constitution needs to be revised to better reflect how our club now operates. Accordingly, a near-final draft version is available here for your perusal - please let Rob Kinge have any comments or suggestions for improvement by no later than 31 March 2010.
Catherine Longe wins British Schools Biathlon Championship qualifier at Bath
24 January 2010
Beeston Hall's Catherine Longe produced a winning performance in the final qualifying round of the 2009-10 British Schools Biathlon Championship at Bath University.
The year 6 student earned her victory with a 50m swim in 35.36secs and a 500m run of 1min 39.74secs to secure first place by almost four seconds and earn an invitation to the British Championships at Crystal Plalace on 21 March. Please click here to view all this season's rankings and results.
Review of 2009 - what a year!!
21 December 2009
With the festive season approaching I thought it would be worth having a brief review of the year.
Cross Country - We finished the year as we started with successes for our athletes "on the country". Recent GB vests for Mitch Goose, Ashley Harrell and Hollie Rowland and an England vest for Dani Nimmock have been the highlights along with the National U20 team trophy won at the start of the year by Mitch, Ashley, Luke Allen & and Tommy Carroll. We now look forward to the County Cross Country Championships on 10 January at the UEA - good luck to all our athletes who will be competing. We are organizing the event and will need marshals to man the course. If you can help in any way please contact Richard Polley on richardpolley@conac.org.uk
Sportshall - In the spring we supplied the majority of the athletes for the four County teams that went to the National Finals. At the close of the year we again put on a very successful Norwich Championships and dominated the County League winning all age group categories. Looking forward again the County Championships are on 9 January at the UEA - again good luck to our athletes.
Road Running - We have had another exceptional year "on the roads" in both performance and organization. Best ever placings in the National Road Relays and category wins in the Round Norfolk Relay have been the highlights in performance. Have a look at the Runners World website report on the Half Marathon to see what a fantastic job was done by the organizing team led by Hugh McGill, Richard Polley and Granville Courtnell. In total over 4,000 runners have been processed through the four races organized by the road running team, not to mention the support given to the Race for Life races - all in all a great achievement.
Track and Field - What a year 2009 turned out to be. Four gold and four silver medals at the English Schools, numerous top ten rankings, second in the National Young Athletes Auxiliary Final, retained our place in the Southern U20 Premier League, Senior Men promoted and three age group wins in the East Anglian League. The 2010 fixture list is now available on our website - please print off a copy and pencil in those key home fixtures of 25 July and 1 August - can we improve on 2009? New for 2010 will be a senior ladies team, hopefully a local U13/U11 league and on 26 September we will be hosting the Eastern Vets Championships at the Sportspark.
Awards - We've picked up a string of awards that recognise the achievements of our athletes and volunteers: England Athletics National Finalist for services to coaching - Tim and Pauline Ash; England Athletics National Finalist and winners of the East Region Junior Club of the Year - City of Norwich AC; EDP Active Norfolk Coach of the Year - Tim Newenham; EDP Active Norfolk Young Sportsperson of the Year - Oliver Bradfield.
Others - Throughout the year we have been building on the already established school links and will continue this activity into 2010. The go ahead for the formation of an England Athletics authorized and funded Network in this area has been received. Initial meetings have been held to outline the structure with an anticipated full launch happening around April 2010, more details will follow as they are made available.
Volunteers - Without our volunteers the club could not exist. If you have helped the club in any way this year as a committee member, coach, team manager, official, marshal, goody bag stuffer, tuck shop admin, pit racker, etc etc etc - then the club is indebted to you, thank you for your contribution. The club's AGM will be in early February - if you would like to volunteer for a position on the committee then please make yourself known to the club secretary Rob Kinge on secretary@conac.org.uk alternatively, if you would like to volunteer in another capacity (coaches and officials are always in short supply) please advise Clive Poyner on chair@conac.org.uk
Into 2010 - It looks like being another exciting and rewarding year with lots of opportunities to develop our sport. I am particular looking forward firstly, (assuming we get there) to the National Young Athletes Regional Final on 1 August when the top eight Southern clubs go head to head in one match - on paper this should be an even better match than the Auxiliary Final this year, and secondly, seeing 3,000+ runners race in our Half Marathon on 28 November.
That just leaves me to say - well done to all our athletes and thank you to all our volunteers. Have a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Clive Poyner
Chairman, City of Norwich AC
Sean Watson 6th at World Biathlon Championships in Monaco
20 September 2009
CoNAC-er Sean Watson (aged 14) competed in the 11th World Biathlon Championships which took place on and around Larvotto Beach in the glamorous principality of Monaco. In total over 330 athletes from 15 different countries took part in the competition.
Sean competed in the youth C category in Monaco after securing qualification at the National Championships in Salford early last month. His challenge in Monaco was a 500m run followed by a 100m sea swim and then another 500m run to the finish. Battling hard throughout, Sean improved from 10th position after the first run to a hugely creditable 6th place at the finish in a time of 5mins 00secs.
This was Sean's debut GB selection and his world ranking now qualifies him to compete in next year's European Championships and European race series. Well done Sean!
Myra steps down at AGM after 13 years as general secretary
23 February 2009
At the conclusion of our Annual General Meeting this evening, Myra Hawtree retired as general secretary after filling the role for 13 years. Myra has been CoNAC's only general secretaty since the club was formed in 1996 and before that she was secretary at Norfolk Olympiads AC. Club chairman Clive Poyner paid tribute to Myra's untiring efforts over the years both as general secretary and as organiser of our officials at track & field meetings. He presented Myra with an engraved glass bowl to mark her retirement.
Earlier, the meeting received the annual financial report from club treasurer Hugh McGill and membership fees for the coming year were pegged at the existing rates (senior £25, junior £20, friend £10). Graham Warrin stepped down as coaching coordinator, to be replaced by John Painter; and Rob Kinge took over from Myra as general secretary. All other officers were re-elected unopposed.
Top billing for CoNAC at Norwich Sports Awards
22 April 2008
CoNAC’s 4 x 100m U13 girls relay team was hailed as Team of the Year when they collected The Peter Softley Trophy at the annual Norwich Sports Awards last night. The quartet of Clieo & Ella Stephenson, Laura McDonald & Vicky Mitchell was unbeaten for two years while in the U13 age group and during that time set a new County record of 53.6secs at Bedford on 20 May 2007 as well as being ranked no 1 in the country for 2007.
At the same ceremony, CoNAC stalwart John Maskell was recognised as Volunteer of the Year for his unerring support & commitment to athletics.
Pictured above after receiving their awards with CoNAC chairman Clive Poyner are (L to R) Laura McDonald, Clieo Stephenson, Vicky Mitchell, John Maskell and (front) Ella Stephenson.
CoNAC achieves Clubmark accreditation
20 March 2008
Neil Deans from England Athletics presented us with our Clubmark certificate at the Sportspark this evening. CoNAC is the first athletic or running club in Norfolk to achieve this prestigious award, which recognises that we are properly organised, active, accessible and accredited.
Clubmark covers four key areas: club management, duty of care & welfare, sports equity & ethics and coaching & competition. By adopting the Clubmark ethos we seek to continually improve the arrangements for all club members and adopt best practice in everything we do.
New Committee appointed at Annual General Meeting
1 February 2008
Several new officers were appointed at the 2008 AGM. Clive Poyner replaced John Maskell as Chairman; Hugh McGill succeeded Bob Quint as Treasurer; David Lubbock took over from Brian Warden as Membership Officer and Cherry Collins stepped down as Young Athletes' Welfare Officer. Ian McDonald joined the Committee as Sportshall Coordinator, all other officers agreed to continue in their current positions.
Membership rates were agreed for 2008-09 and will remain at last year’s levels: senior £25, junior £20, friend £10. Renewal notices will be sent to all existing members shortly.
Sportspark supports CoNAC’s rising stars
22 January 2008
Five of CoNAC’s brightest prospects have been recognised in the latest Sportspark Star Awards. Rachel Stringer, Claire Pring, Michael Painter, Dani Nimmock & Laura McDonald (see below) each received a cheque for £100 and free unlimited use of the Sportspark’s track, gym, pool & testing facilities for one year.
