The Flagpole

Congratulations to Year 10 pupil, Ben Scares, who took the bronze medal at the Independent School Association’s National Triathlon after a super performance in a gruelling race.

It was an early start for our triathletes competing in the ISA Nationals at Lucton School, in Herefordshire, on Thursday 2 May.  Triathlon is an increasingly popular multi-discipline sport involving a swim, followed by a bike ride and then a run. Princethorpe College’s iron-men and iron-women were competing in the TriStars 2, TriStars 3 and the Youth categories.

Against a competitive field of elite athletes in the senior race, the Youth category, Ben swam 400 metres, cycled 8.4 kilometres and then ran 3 kilometres. He completed the course in a super-fast time of 39 minutes and 4 seconds finishing just behind the leader in third place.

In the TriStars 3 competition, the triathletes completed a 300-metre swim, 6 km on the bike and a 2.4 km run. In the girls’ competition, Year 7, Kaena Wasley had an excellent race and finished in 9th place in 37:56 with, Year 8, Julia Loftus 17th in 43:12. Best-placed boy was, Year 7, Ethan Capelett who was 21st in 36:55 followed by, Year 7, Ben Smith who finished 23rd in 37:59.

Competitors in the TriStar 2 event completed a 200-metre indoor swim, 3.6 km on the bike and then a 1.8 km run. First home for Princethorpe was, Year 7, Kate Pomerleau who came 21st in 27 minutes 24 seconds. Best-placed boy was, Year 7, Ollie Farquharson, who came 16th in a time of 24:02, followed by, Year7, Oscar Reynolds, who came 25th in 25:16.  Year 7s, Ed Twyman finished in 27:35, Lachlan Greig in 29:29 and Jacob Iley in 32:48.

A huge well done to all of the participants, but especially to Ben on your bronze medal, the competition was friendly but fast and fierce and you all recorded excellent times.

From after the half term break, our current Year 10 pupils are permitted to wear our senior sports kit which is coveted by our pupils as it sets them apart from the rest of the school, the range includes:

Boys

Senior Training Top £25.00

Senior Hoodie £38.00 (must not be worn for contact sports i.e. Rugby)

Senior Socks £8.00

Girls

Senior Girls Games Top £30.00

Senior Hoodie £38.00

Senior Socks £8.00

Tracksuit Bottoms £30.00 (Limited number available)

Please note that all pupils are expected to wear Princethorpe crested sports kit for Wednesday afternoon Games.  All senior boys need the top and socks for fixtures.  Senior girls must have the senior top and hoodie for all fixtures with the additon of socks for hockey matches.

Orders may be place from now until Thursday 23 May with the School Shop and will be initialled during the half term break.  All purchases must have written permission from home either by a note in the school planner, a text, email or verbally from parents.

We carry a full range of sizes in the School Shop for pupils to try on.

Neil McCollin
Foundation Director of Sport

Congratulations to Year 8 pupils, Finn Osborn and Alexander Hammond who have been selected to play for the ISFA (Independent Schools Football Association) U13 representative team in a match against the Welsh Schools at Bisham Abbey this Sunday 19 May.  The boys are two of only 18 players selected for the team from the 140 players that took part in the recent ISFA U13 Regional Representative Festival in Shrewsbury.  Their selection means that they also qualify for the ISFA training camps that will take place over the summer holidays. 

Goalkeeper Finn also plays for West Bromwich Albion Academy and was in action over the Easter holidays in two exciting international competitions when his team took part in St Kevin’s Boys International U14 Tournament in Dublin and then the Premier League U13 International Tournament in Loughborough.  Finn was up against Youth teams from international clubs such as Athletic Bilbao, Bayern Munich and PSV Eindhoven as well as top Premier League clubs that included Manchester City and Chelsea.

Good luck this weekend boys!

Congratulations to Princethorpe College Year 9 pupil, Libby Chapman, who has qualified for the National School Equestrian Games Eventing Championships that will be held at Lybrook Farm in the Cotswolds in October.

Libby competed in the 90cm class in the Schools Equestrian Games One Day Event Qualifier at Swalcliffe Park Equestrian complex, in Oxfordshire on Sunday 5 May on her new horse Barum Peter Pan.  Against a competitive field of 39 other riders, Libby scored 27.3 in the dressage and then jumped clear in both the cross-country and show jumping, inside the time, to finish in first place.

Libby said, “I had a really good day, Barum Peter Pan was brilliant and I was delighted to win.  I am really looking forward to the Nationals.”

Libby will also be representing Princethorpe later this month in the Sixteenth Princethorpe-Kingsley Wigley Group National Schools’ Two Day Event that takes place at the College on 25 and 26 May. Spectators are most welcome to come along and support the competitors. 

Princethorpe College pupils James Robinson (Year 8) and Ben Hardy (Year 9) played for Warwickshire U14 Boys in the Midlands County Hockey Championships on Sunday 5 May.  Playing in the end of season tournament were teams representing eight counties. In a dominant display, the Warwickshire boys won all their games to go through to the semi-finals where they beat the Black Country 3-1.  The boys' team then progressed onto the finals where they beat Staffordshire 3-0 to become Midlands Regional Champions. Their team only conceded one goal throughout the entire competition.

On the day Princethorpe's  girls were just as successful too.  Grace Thomas (Year 9), Lara Tripp-Smith (Year 9), Molly Harper (Year 9), Evie Phillips (Year 9) and Tilly Houghton (Year 8) made up a large part of the Warwickshire U14 Girls team.  They also took on teams from eight counties and won through to take the Regional title too!  They are pictured here with Year 8 Sophie Gray who was selected for the squad but due to injury didn't play on the day. 

Congratulations to you all, we were delighted to hear of your success!