Sail - Swansea University

Serious about sport
Swansea University Alumni know how exciting every sporting year can be.
Varsity 2011:
Cardiff 18-28 Swansea
Swansea University won the fifteenth Welsh
Varsity Rugby match, which took place at the
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on 30 March
2011. Swansea has now won the match ten
times in fifteen years.
Over 14,750 spectators saw Swansea
University collect the Welsh Varsity Trophy from
Dennis Gethin, President of the Welsh Rugby
Union. After conceding two early penalties,
Swansea quickly found their rhythm. Tries by
Henry Boot (no 5), Aled Lewis (no 10), Tom
Rowlands (no 9) and Dan George (no 8) were
all converted by the accurate Aled Lewis.
Although Cardiff scored two converted tries,
the Swansea team proved too strong for them.
The Welsh Varsity Challenge
The Welsh Varsity Challenge, now in its fifteenth
year, is the biggest student event in Wales
and is the second largest of the British Varsity
Games, behind the Oxford/Cambridge game.
Swansea University has now won ten of the
fifteen encounters, and drawn one of them.
The match itself is the culmination of a day-long
competition that sees the universities competing
for the Varsity Shield in over 25 different sports,
from basketball, golf, and hockey to fencing,
squash and even Ultimate Frisbee. Cardiff
University won the Shield, although there were
some memorable wins for Swansea, including
a thrilling drop-goal shootout to decide the
outcome of the Freshers’ Rugby match.
Details of next year’s event will be announced
shortly. If you’d like to come along, contact
the Alumni Office for details.
“
The Varsity match
provided an unforgettable
display of pride, passion,
skill, tenacity, and
determination on the
pitch. If there is any better
advertisement for university
sport and sporting rivalry,
I have yet to see it.
”
Professor Richard B. Davies,
Swansea University Vice-Chancellor
Huw’s Ashes success
Congratulations to Swansea University
postgraduate student, Huw Bevan, who helped
the English Cricket Board (ECB) to Ashes glory
this year.
Huw is currently pursuing a PhD within the
Health and Sport Portfolio in the University’s
College of Engineering, where he is focusing
on training methods to develop powerful
athletes. He also works as a strength and
conditioning coach for the ECB, where he is
able to apply innovative sports science methods
developed at Swansea.
Senior Lecturer Dr Liam Kilduff said: “Although
Huw would never admit to it, it is very clear
for everybody to see what a massive impact
he has made to the conditioning of the English
cricket players, which allows them to compete
physically with the other leading cricket
countries.”
Olympic torch to come
to Swansea
The Olympic torch will travel through Swansea
on May 26 next year as part of its 70-day relay
around the UK. During the course of the relay,
the torch will be carried by 8,000 inspirational
torchbearers. Sebastian Coe, Chair of the
London 2012 Organising Committee of the
Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG),
said: “We’re thrilled that the City and County of
Swansea has agreed to host the Olympic Flame
on its journey right across the UK. The Olympic
Flame will shine a light right across Swansea
and will celebrate the culture and heritage of
the area.”
Swansea alumna lays
final tile for
London 2012 venue
Swansea graduate and Paralympic
gold-medal-winning swimmer, Liz Johnson,
had the honour of placing the last of 180,000
tiles in the London 2012 Aquatics Centre. Liz
said: “It’s great to see first-hand where I hope
to be competing and to play a very small part
in building it. I can’t wait to compete at the
Aquatics Centre in front of thousands of fans.”
Swansea to host NZ
Paralympic squad
New Zealand’s Paralympic squad will be
basing their training camp at Swansea University
in the run up to the London 2012 Paralympics.
The squad will be making use of a range of
facilities, including the athletics track and the
Wales National Pool Swansea.
Sporting
reunions
swansea’s top ten At a glance
1997 Swansea 23 – 11 Cardiff 2000 Swansea 28 – 18 Cardiff
1998 Swansea 49 – 13 Cardiff 2001 Cardiff 10 – 10 Swansea
1999 Swansea 13 – 7 Cardiff 2002 Cardiff 21 – 3 Swansea
2003 Swansea 18 – 12 Cardiff
2004 Swansea 25 – 11 Cardiff
2005 Swansea 16 – 8 Cardiff
2006 Cardiff 15 – 5 Swansea
2007 Swansea 18 – 0 Cardiff
2008 Cardiff 19 – 9 Swansea
2009 Cardiff 9 – 6 Swansea
2010 Swansea 16 – 12 Cardiff
2011 Cardiff 18 – 28 Swansea
Were you involved with
any of the University’s sports
teams? If you’re interested
in organising a reunion,
contact the Alumni Office
on alumni@swansea.ac.uk
We look forward to hearing
from you.
Sail – 12