Hockey

OFF DAY FOR FALMOUTH:

Falmouth 2 Westberries 4

Falmouth were once again slow to start this Premier 2 game and allowed their Bristol-based visitors to get ahead and then found it too difficult to catch up despite dominating the later stages of the match.

Westberries went 2-0 up in the opening 15 minutes before Falmouth worked back into the game, gradually gaining more of the possession and pulled one goal back when a Clare Hudson strike was saved by the 'keeper only for Kat Barberry-Redd to pounce on the rebound and push it into the goal.

Falmouth continued to press forward but they over committed and Westberries regained their two-goal advantage just before half-time.

In the second half Falmouth played with a more attacking formation and cut the deficit with a fine individual effort from Vic Pryor as she beat the last defender, drew the goalkeeper out and pushed the ball around her into the goal.

Falmouth kept attacking but the visitors managed to score on one of their quick breaks. Falmouth went very close when Hannah Whear's follow up shot at a penalty corner was stopped on the line by a defender's foot. Falmouth's usually extremely reliable Clare Hudson put the resulting penalty flick just wide which confirmed that it was not going to be their day. Defender, Philippa Eddy made some excellent tackles and was voted Falmouth's player of the match.

Falmouth: Sam Bunyan, Mandy Langdon, Philippa Eddy, Danny Burnford, Hanna Royle, Kat Barbery-Redd, Fay Robinson, Olivia James, Clare Hudson, Hannah Whear, Vic Pryor.

On Saturday Falmouth 1 travel to play Cheltenham (12.30pm).

Running

SUCCESS FOR ANNABEL:

Coming a week after her success in dominating at Under 20 level in the UK Cross Country Challenge in Cardiff, Truro's Annabel Gummow competed at international senior level for the first time and what a performance.

The 18-year-old produced another strong performance to finish seventh in Antrim Northern Ireland in a field that contained the European Cross Country champion and a number of other experienced senior international runners.

Gummow demonstrated the faith placed on her by UK Athletics who entered Gummow in this race as part of her long term development.

Competing against seasoned athletes, who train twice daily, Gummow was fully aware that she was not in contention for the prize money on offer for the top six places but how close she come to sixth place and the $500 on offer, just a mere five seconds separated her from sixth place after the 5.8k race.

The race was run in tough ground conditions and unfavourable weather and Gummow clearly demonstrated her potential for the future.

As part of her preparation for her track and field season this year and the move to the senior ranks in 2013 her training is scheduled to become more intense, but in a controlled manner to reduce the risk of suffering short and long term injuries that can develop by over training at so a young age.

To support this training Gummow works closely with the team at Stringers Gym in Truro on her conditioning programme.

Coming two weeks after Gummow was forced out of the Great Britain junior team for the international race against the USA and a European Select team due to illness that meant she was unfit to travel to Edinburgh.

This performance in Ireland and the excellent race in Cardiff clearly shows that she is fully race fit for the remainder of the winter cross country season and ready to do Cornwall proud.

Surf Life Saving

CORIN SCOOPS HAT-TRICK:

Hayle's Emily Corin concluded an amazing 2011 Surf Life Saving season by taking all three Surf ski national titles in Open, U17 categories and Icon Surf Ski long distance series, and all at the age of 16, winning a brand new Icon surf ski.

Selected for the second year for GB's surf life team boot camp squad, and reserve to the GB open team, Emily also won her fourth Cornwall cap competing in the Celtic Cup and Atlantic Watersports event.

She had another successful year in the challenging Legacy Ironman series and came third in the Cornwall Indoor rowing championships.

Emily returned in September with her first European bronze medal from the Europeans event in Alicante, taking top eight individual positions across the board out of 122 in most events competing from all over Europe.

She also finished second in the GB Bennetts paddle board series, and was recently selected out of thousands to be assessed as an Olympic talent prospect in the recent Power 2 Podium campaign.

Emily is not new to the national podium, having qualified representing Gems Bolitho and St Piran's Schools for seven consecutive years in swimming, running and netball, taking silver medals each year.

She gave special thanks to Glenn Eldridge of Ocean Sports, her coach and sponsor; Mike Kent (Carn Brea Swimming Club); all at Hayle Surf Life Saving Club, and Cornwall and GB surf life saving coaches and managers.

Emily is now training hard to compete in the World championships this November in Australia.

Sailing

PERTH ROLE FOR ANDREW:

Neil Andrew, from the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club at Falmouth, has returned from Australia where he was invited to officiate at the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) World Championships, in Perth.

ISAF is the world governing body of the sport of sailing and holds the World Championships every four years, the next major competitive sailing event to the Olympic Games. Perth 2011 saw 850 boats and 1,200 sailors from 80 countries, supported by 500 officials and over 900 volunteer helpers, competing in 660 races comprising the two-week regatta which determined the 2011 world champions in each of the ten Olympic sailing events.

Racing took place simultaneously on six course areas. Neil was assistant race officer and mark layer for the Finn and Star classes.

He said: "I especially asked to be involved with the Finns because of the valuable experience it would be for the J P Morgan Asset Management Finn Festival in Falmouth this year.

"Perth provided valuable insights into how a major event is organised, it was also a great honour to be involved in the biggest event outside the Olympics."

As sailing secretary of the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club Neil is closely involved in planning the two regattas that will be held under the auspices of the J P Morgan Asset Management Finn Festival in Falmouth from May 4-18 – the UK Open Finn Nationals and the Finn Gold Cup (the Finn World championship).

Neil will be senior mark-layer for both Falmouth regattas where he will be able to call on his invaluable experience gained in Perth.

He added: "As well as superb sailing waters and a reputation for hosting top sailing events, we also have highly qualified and respected race officers in Falmouth who are recognised internationally." commented Malcolm Bell, Head of VisitCornwall, at Cornwall Development Company.

"The J P Morgan Asset Management Finn Festival is one of the major events in Cornwall in 2012 and arguably the most prominent and competitive regatta ever to be sailed in Falmouth Bay.

"The regattas will generate global media interest with the opportunity of showcasing the county's unique countryside and coastline."

As the pinnacle in 2012 Neil is in a team of mark-layers being worked up to run Laser class racing at the 2012 Olympics in Weymouth and Portland in July.

For full details about the J P Morgan Finn Festival in Falmouth see www.falmouthfinnfestival.com

Multi-terrain Race Series

NEW RACES UNVEILED:

Cornwall Road Running and Racing Group (CRRRG) are introducing a new multi-terrain race series.

The ten races involved are all existing favourites and take in some spectacular scenery and settings including National Trust properties; Stately Homes; Wild Moorland; Clay Country Trails; Coastal and Estuary paths along with other little used footpaths and bridleways.

The series will start on April 1 with the 5 Tors Moorland Run organised by East Cornwall Harriers.

Other races in the series which will run throughout the year until November are: Boconnoc 5 mile; St Austell Half Marathon; Bude Lifeboat Run; Meet your Max; Lanhydrock 10 mile; Tywardreath Trotter; Trelissick 10k, Race for Wildlife and Mounts Bay Remembrance Run.

These races will all provide their own unique challenge and charm and raise much needed support for their chosen charities.

Competitors' scores from these races will be collated in the form of a league table similar to the Cornish Grand Prix Series, with awards at the end of the year for all competitors who complete at least six races.

Additionally there will be prizes for the category winners. The series is open to all, club members and unaffiliated runners.

Doug Alsop chairman of the CRRRG said: "We are very excited by this new series. The existing Grand Prix is a great success with participation growing year on year but this series will provide an alternative for those who wish to try something different.

"We are proud to have Personal Best Running Store St Austell as our sponsors and the series is also being supported by The National Trust. This is a chance to see Cornwall at its wildest and best.

"Off road shoes will be needed as there are only limited sections of road running."

For more details see http://www.cornwallroadrunning.co.uk

Cricket

CORNWALL COURSES:

Details of the next series of cricket courses for children at the Cornwall Cricket Centre have been published.

Fun Cricket Skills and Games, a selection of skills, fun drills and small-sided games, is aimed at all children who want to have fun playing cricket (approximate ages: 7-11), especially beginners.

Two separate weeks of this course will be taking place, one in the February half-term and the other at Easter.

There is also a Ball Skills course for 5-7 year olds in the Easter holidays. Age groups are approximate.

Application forms and further details can be accessed on the Cornwall Cricket website (www.cornwall-cricket.org.uk) or by contacting Mark Mitchell (07805 787858 / mitch@cornwallcricketboard.com

Fun Skills & Games (Age 7-11): Course 1 – Monday 13th to Thursday 16th February, 9.00am-1.00pm.

Course 2 – Monday 2nd to Thursday 5th April, 9.00am-1.00pm.

Cost: £12 per day or all 4 days for £40 (siblings £30). All 8 days: £70.

Ball Skills Starter Course (Age 5-7): Tuesday 10th to Friday 13th April, 10.00am-noon

Cost: £6 per day or all 4 days for £20 (siblings £15).