Hundreds to be honoured in sport awards

The shortlist for the annual awards ceremony, to be held at Wentworth Leisure Centre, in Hexham, on Sunday, December 13, has been decided with hundreds of people involved in amateur sports to be honoured.

Olympic silver medalist and athletics personality Steve Cram has agreed to hand out the prizes on the night, the ceremony a glittering celebration of high achievers of all ages and in a wide variety of sports.

NOMINATIONS

CLUB

Castle Tri: new triathlon club formed in February, membership numbers are steadily growing and the club has hosted two popular events for beginners.

Gateway into Community sports: having added competitive matches to the sporting arm of the charity, the club was described by the England Cricket Board as an example for the rest of the country to follow.

One Life Racing: the Hexham-based triathlon club continues to be a force to be reckoned with on a national stage and returned from theNational Triathlon Relays Championships with three golds, a silver and a bronze.

South Northumberland Pony Club: a hugely successful year with qualifiers for the National Pony Club Championships across all events possible, including national champions in intermediate tetrathlon.

ADULT TEAM

Haltwhistle Jubilee FC: the dominant force in the Hexham and District Sunday League, they repeated the quadruple of last year by winning all four local trophies.

Hexham Rowing Club Masters: best ever year for the club at the National Masters Regatta as members of the squad claimed five golds, a silver and a bronze.

One Life Racing ladies’ veterans: the vet 40 team of four put in an excellent display to comfortably clinch gold at the National Triathlon Relays Championships.

Tynedale Hockey men’s first: making it three successive promotions, the hockey team earned the right to play in the North East Premier League by finishing as runners-up in League One.

YOUTH TEAM

Amy Bowman and Milly Dickinson: the Queen Elizabeth High School Rowing Club duo competed in the junior pair and clinched gold at the British Junior Championships and while representing England in the Home Counties international.

Corbridge CC U13 girls: excellent displays throughout saw the talented lasses reach the grand final of the Lady Taverners Hardball National KO Cup, finishing as runners-up in the country.

Hexham FC U17: finished as runners-up in a very competitive Pin Point Junior League One table, as well as lifting the West Division Cup along the way.

One Life Racing junior girls: the team of four pipped their One Life teammates to first place on the podium at the National Triathlon Relays Championships.

Tynedale CC U11: a successful season saw them end as Northumberland Junior Cricket League Cup champions.

Tynedale CC U15: Northumberland Junior Cricket League and Cup double winners, who represented the county at the Northern finals where they finished third.

HIGH SCHOOL TEAM

Haydon Bridge intermediate girls’ cross country: six members of the team all finished in the top 33 of the field to be crowned champions of the Tyne and Wear Schoolgirls’ team cross country championships.

Ponteland U15 boys’ rugby: retaining the Northumberland County Cup title from last year, they beat Newcastle’s Royal Grammar School in the final.

Queen Elizabeth U15 girls’ cricket: winners of the Northumberland Schools Cup, they also represented the county in the North finals of the Lady Taverners Competition at Old Trafford.

MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAM

Highfield U13 girls’ rugby: were unbeaten in the Tynedale Schools Tournaments, and just missed out on a place in the national schools finals at Twickenham after a narrow loss in the RFU North East Area final.

Ovingham minors’ indoor athletics: caught the eye at the Northumberland Schools Athletic Association Minors Indoor Championships by bringing home nine gold medals.

Ponteland U11 girls’ cricket: district and county champions at Kwik Cricket, they finished as runners-up in the Northern National Finals having lost just one game in five.

Ponteland U13 girls’ cricket: winners of the Northern Region Indoor Cricket Championships, they represented the North at Lord’s in the national finals where they finished a creditable fifth.

St Joseph’s U13 volleyball: some great displays saw them finish on top of the rest of the field in the North-East Regional Volleyball Championships, in Washington.

St Joseph’s girls’ cricket: winners of the Northumberland Chance to Compete Championsips, represented the county at the North finals in York.

YOUNG VOLUNTEER

Antonia Harrison: an active member of One Life Racing, the 15-year-old helps out with the cycle sessions and has earned her British Cycling young volunteer bronze award.

Martha Robinson: unable to compete with One Life Racing any more due to a genetic bone condition, the 15-year-old has remained involved with the club and cycling coaches say they ‘could not do without her help’.

Patrick Lally: the 15-year-old One Life Racing member has gained his British Cycling young volunteer bronze award and has been selected to attend a national talent camp for young officials.

DISABLED SPORTSPERSON

Alicia Armstrong: competing again after receiving a life-saving bone marrow transport, the 14-year-old returned to swimming in style and scooped five gold medals and two silvers at the World Transplant Games, in Argentina.

Edward Common: the 20-year-old captained his powerchair football team Northern Thunder to a Premiership and WF Cup double, and was voted the league’s players’ player by his opponents.

Grace Courtney: diagnosed with neurofibromotosis aged just two, the talented 12-year-old won four golds and a silver at the British Blind Sport Visually Impaired Championships, in Birmingham, earning her the best overall female award.

SPORTSWOMAN

Caity Mattinson: having grown up at Tynedale Rugby Club, the impressive scrum half was asked to captain England Women’s U20 when they faced the Army.

Lynne Marr: another good season for the dedicated runner, she won a European 10k silver and European cross country bronze as part of the GB&NI Masters team.

Steph Scott: was again chosen to represent GB in the European age-group championships where she finished an impressive seventh, and finished second lady overall in the Triple Crown series of Scottish Ultras along the West Highland Way.

SPORTSMAN

Dominic Herbertson: the upcoming biker became the North East Motorcycle Racing Club’s super twin champions at the age of just 24.

Liam Collins: the Tynedale Harrier was part of the GB team which set a new world record in the 4x400m relay at the World Master Athletics Championships, as well as an individual silver and bronze.

Kevin Oates: teaming up with a Talkin Tarn member, Hexham Rowing Club’s leading light made history for the club by winning back-to-back golds in the coxless pairs at the National Masters Championships.

YOUNG SPORTSMAN

Ben Dickinson: the Whittonstall teenager was selected for the British Canoeing Regional Training Academy after gaining promotion from Division Three to Division One in the space of a season.

David Cumberlidge: the 18-year-old finished in the top 20 male swimmers in the UK, and was a finalist in the British National Finals at 50m front crawl.

Fergus Robinson: having made the transition from triathlon to cycling, the 17-year-old finished in the top 30 in both British Cycling National Junior Series races he was invited along to.

Jack Johnstone: the 15-year-old won the Northumberland Schools U16 Golf Championships, and went on to represent the county at the English Schools Championships, in Leicestershire.

Jack Taylor: the Humshaugh trampolinist won the U15 boys’ and was fourth in the men’s North East Championships, and finished fifth at the national boys’ event.

Jonny Currie: his most consistent season to date, the 19-year-old Tynedale Harrier claimed victory in the 800m in the Scottish U20 Championships for his first national title.

Luke Doneathy: promoted to Stocksfield Cricket Club’s second team despite only being 12, the local lad has particularly caught the eye with Northumberland U13 where he has hit two centuries and two half centuries.

Matthew Armstrong: the 15-year-old has excelled in basketball and his impressive displays with the North East Regional U15 team has earned a call-up to the national development squad.

Max Pearson: another great year for the 15-year-old Tynedale Harrier with highlights including becoming British champion in the road mile, winning the Junior Great North Run for a record seventh time and county champion in 1500m and 400m.

Oliver Draffan: talented all-round cyclist who won North East and North of England championships, as well as finishing ninth in the National Trophy Series in mountain biking.

Owen Richardson: highlights for the promising kickboxer include a bronze medal in the under 37kg category of the Unified World Championships, in Italy, as well as victories in all three of his ring fights.

Zac Allin: the 17-year-old made the junior GB canoeing team and reached the individual finals in the Junior European Championships, in Poland, where he helped the GB K1 men’s team to a bronze medal.

YOUNG SPORTSWOMAN

Bryony Agar: talented all-rounder who is county champion in indoor rowing, indoor shot putt and discus, and also competes in K1 Division Two in UK canoe slalom.

Hannah Illingworth: rugby player who was on the pitch for every minute of every game for Scotland Women’s U20 despite only being 17, representing Northumberland and North of England teams along the way.

Jess Scott: aged just 14, the Wylam teenager made a splash as she claimed the U19 girls’ championship at the Chillswim Coniston event over 5.25 miles.

Lexi Howard: a name to look out for in badminton, the Queen Elizabeth High School pupil won gold in the U15 and U17 mixed doubles championships, and also claimed silver in the singles in the U15 competition.

Madeleine Duffy: 12-year-old Tynedale Amateur Swimming Club member who was selected for the England Talent Programme in a year when she set three new Northumberland and Durham records in the 200m breaststroke.

SPORTS PERSONALITY

David Glendenning: tireless hours are poured into Hexham Canoe Club and he is pivotal in helping with the numerous coaching sessions and events, including the popular Hexham Tyne Tour.

Dickie Purvis: a larger-than-life character heavily involved in the West Tyne Senior Cricket League, he brought a 50-year playing career to a close with a celebration game at Tynedale.

Duncan Graham: the main driving force behind Prudhoe Youth Club FC, the club secretary is leading the charge for a major £500,000 development of a clubhouse.

Jennifer Lapping: founder of Jog on the Tyne, she now has more than 100 members and has introduced junior sessions for local youngsters.

COACH

David Glendenning: constantly out on the water, he is an inspirational and hard working coach at Hexham Canoe Club who members look up to.

Geoff Higgins: a coach to more than 50 students at Queen Elizabeth High School Rowing Club, he has travelled across the country transporting rowers to various championships.

Mark Gradwell: enthusiastic coach with Hexham FC juniors, he has passed his FA Level Two award and local youngsters are reaping the benefits of his coaching.

Mark Seymour: has enjoyed instant success since becoming head coach of Tynedale Amateur Swimming Club, and has coached three British National qualifiers.

Martin Bluck: coming to the end of his four year tenure as head coach of One Life Racing, his popularity and success has resulted in a higher level of coaching and the introduction of more training sessions.

SERVICES TO SPORT

Lorraine Murray-Glendenning: plays a huge role in the day-to-day running of Hexham Canoe Club behind the scenes, and it is largely thanks to her endless hours of voluntary work which makes the club work so well.

Rob Archer: described as the ‘saviour’ of Riding Mill Tennis Club as it came close to folding three years ago, he helped transform the club and oversaw the refurbishment, which has led to an upsurge in membership.

Sue Crawford: long-serving member of Tynedale Hockey Club, she runs the ladies’ section and is out every Sunday morning coaching the club’s juniors.