Latest news with #KatherineGrainger
STV News
04-05-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Rowing boat made by community group launched at Newhaven
A St Ayles Skiff carefully crafted by a local charity has launched for the first time. 'The Dochas', an Irish word meaning hope, was made by hand by members of the Grassmarket Community Project, which supports people with experience of homelessness and poverty. The boat touched water for the first time following a whisky blessing and a guard of honour at the Newhaven Maritime Festival. Britain's most decorated female Olympian, Dame Katherine Grainger, was there to welcome her onto the water. She told STV News: 'What a privilege it was to be on that boat. The story of how it was made was incredible. 'It's such a part of the community spirit, which you can feel as you walk down the harbour. 'What a joy to be invited to be on the official launch; it's a very special day.' STV News Community group build the boat by hand STV News This skiff has been carefully handcrafted over the last 18 months by members of the Grassmarket Community Project. The charity supports people with experience of homelessness, poverty or abuse. Their mission, inclusion for all. Wood workshop assistant manager Campbell Deeming said: 'A lot of people we deal with are incredibly vulnerable, so they have disabilities both physical and mental, or their lives have really run them down. It's about building them back up. 'We give them the training they need in practical crafts like cabinetry – and I've been teaching them boat building.' Developed in Scotland, this boat now joins a family of more than 350 skiffs built by communities worldwide to encourage a revival of coastal rowing. Grassmarket Community Project chief Helene van der Ploeg said: 'We've been supported by Newhaven Coastal Rowing Club, and they will be working with us to take people out and really encourage everyone to get in the water. 'It's fantastic getting out, whether it's rowing, kayaking, or canoeing – the sense of adventure is amazing. We hope we can work with communities to get other people access to the sea.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Times
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Times
Jeopardy at last: Red Roses reality check is best thing for them
The best thing that could have happened to the Red Roses was the fact that seconds from the finish in their grand-slam decider at Twickenham, stomachs tensed, pulses raced and we watched the riveting denouement through our fingers wondering if they really could blow it. The 43-42 win was the best thing that could have happened to England for a number of reasons but primarily because this team are ranked No1 and have left the rest of the world — New Zealand apart — so far in their slipstream that the World Cup, later this summer, had just looked like being an armchair ride to the final. The fact that France nearly pinched victory on Saturday doesn't change the overall premise, though. The bigger picture is that England's next date at Twickenham should be for that final on September 27, and not only are they favourites to become champions but lifting the trophy is the only satisfactory outcome. The runners-up medals they collected behind New Zealand in 2017 and again three years ago now weigh too heavily and no doubt that weight will grow the further we progress through September, but that's just going to have to be the deal. They are in the same territory as the All Blacks were at their home men's World Cup in 2011: all those years of dominance yet the major trophy always eluding them. We thought that sport's eternal bridesmaid was Katherine Grainger, the Olympic rower, who grew sick of the sight of silver until she reached gold medal fulfilment at London 2012, yet that is where the Red Roses are, except they are even more dominant. We turned up for their grand-slam game on Saturday too much in expectation. It was barely a recognised subplot that, actually, France were on for a Six Nations grand slam too. But then Jo Grisez was streaking down the left with two minutes to go and England's flaky defence was never going to stop her. With another excellent conversion that followed, France were one point behind and it was brilliant. It is too simplistic to claim that the World Cup this summer could be the launchpad for women's rugby in England. It is simplistic because women's rugby has been well launched anyway. However, there are plans, marketing and investment, and a whole lot of hope built into the idea that this summer could do for women's rugby what England's triumph in the 2022 Euros did for women's football. There certainly feels like an appetite for it. Actually, the 37,573 crowd on Saturday was a marginal disappointment. Nevertheless, there was a completely joyful festival atmosphere that felt similar to other women's sports events. More kids, more families, less beer. Come to Twickenham for a men's international and the West Car Park is like a giant pub, with Guinness tents and champagne enclosures and pints being pulled at record pace. On Saturday, that same car park had been transformed into a fairground with dodgems and rides and cuddly toy prizes. Plus girls, loads of girls, chucking rugby balls around. That may not prove much beyond the fact this is rugby being really relished, but in a very different way, and that there is a genuine appetite for it. To keep people hungry, though, you want twists and turns and knife-edge finishes such as this one against France. The concern for the summer is that the Red Roses' coronation is just too damn straightforward, that their tournament doesn't maximise its days in the sun because it's just not so interesting when the sun's shining all the time. This is not the fault of the Red Roses themselves. Yes, they've got numbers and resources beyond any of their competitors, but well done to them for making the most of them. However, when you've only lost one match in 56 — and that was the World Cup final — and when you've won six successive Six Nations and you're coming to claim the seventh with a points difference against your previous four opponents of 213-29, then no matter your levels of excellence, your offering to the fans doesn't have much of the ingredient that is crucial for a sporting event: not knowing who is going to win. Jeopardy is the lifeblood of sport. Thank you to France for making that point, for injecting some uncertainty. Let's not kid ourselves here. There is no pretending that the World Cup has suddenly been transformed by Grisez and co and is going to be a remotely tense affair for England fans before the semi-finals. However, France left Twickenham ruing an opportunity that they won't want to miss next time and Canada will have seen this and grown in the belief that England are not untouchable. The Kiwi's Black Ferns, meanwhile, need no such encouragement. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, the Women's World Cup's record tryscorer, is coming out of retirement, a player designed to destroy a defence as poor on the edges as England's was against France. All this brings jeopardy at least to the semi-finals. Instantly, this becomes a better World Cup. Some recognition must go here to the challenges faced by the Red Roses. Yes, they've got all that weight of expectation, but that's the nature of being favourites: just deal with it. Yet it becomes more complicated in such a lop-sided sport. If so many games are so one-sided, then where do you get your edge? How do you rate your levels of excellence if the bar elsewhere is comparatively low? England's task is to self-assess continually and to insist on the highest standards. The challenge, always, is to know what heights are attainable. And if your opposition aren't challenging you, then your weaknesses will be less exposed, the work required less clear and you've forgotten how it feels to have your backs against the wall. That is another reason why this France game was so good for England: not only did it bring a reality check but it left the team with a whole shopping list of areas to improve upon. For now, though, that's another grand slam in the bag. As expected. Expectation hasn't dropped for the World Cup. But it has just got a lot more interesting.
The Independent
27-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Britain ‘risking global reputation' by not holding enough major sporting events, says Katherine Grainger
Britain need to ramp up their efforts to stage more major events over the coming decade or risk damaging the country's global reputation, says outgoing UK Sport chair Dame Katherine Grainger. UK Sport is at the heart of ensuring the country bids for some of the world's landmark sporting events, staging showcases that draw eyes from each corner of the globe. There's a lot to look forward to over the next couple years in Britain, with England staging the Women's Rugby World Cup later this year before Glasgow host the Commonwealth Games in 2026. It was also confirmed last week that the men's and women's Tour de France races will both begin in Britain in 2027 - 12 months out from Euro 2028, staged across the UK and Ireland. But beyond 2028, Britain's sporting calendar is looking light - something that frustrates former Olympic rowing champion Grainger, who is leaving her role at the pinnacle of Olympic and Paralympic sport after eight years in charge. "We risk public investment, we risk global reputation, we risk opportunities for athletes," she told BBC Sport. "We've got a great reputation for it. But I think we've got challenges going forward. We have a few [events] lined up. But when it comes to 'mega-events', after 2028 we've got nothing secure. "We don't want fallow years. After 2028, we don't really have anything named. That is quite a big gap. "There are plenty of events that still are there for the taking. It's quite obvious why these mega-events are so important to the country, and yet maybe we haven't made the case clear.' The home nations have expressed an intention to submit a joint bid for the 2035 Women's World Cup, but nothing concrete has been put forward. UK Sport is hoping for more public financial backing to bid for such major events, in addition to the record £330million government funding package provided for the next four years to aid Britain's hunt for medals LA 2028. But beyond monetary support, winning bids can often require years of campaigning, with Grainger highlighting 2029 World Athletics Championships, the 2030 Solheim Cup and the 2031 Ryder Cup as possible targets. Grainger is moving on from UK Sport to become the first female chair of the British Olympic Association - trailblazing in a similar vein to Kirsty Coventry, who was elected the first woman president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). "A lot of ground broken, which is fantastic because it's an organisation that there's always a question mark [over] whether or not they are open to change for the future. And I think this was a resounding answer," she said. "She's going to bring in something different that we've probably not seen before. I think there's a lot of excitement about what she might do."
BBC News
27-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Grainger 'frustrated' Britain not hosting more events
Outgoing UK Sport chair Dame Katherine Grainger says it is "frustrating" that Britain is not staging more major events over the next decade, warning of "a big gap"."We risk public investment, we risk global reputation, we risk opportunities for athletes," the head of the funding agency told BBC former Olympic rowing champion is leaving her role as the most senior figure in Olympic and Paralympic sport after eight years in well as funding elite athletes, UK Sport tries to ensure the country bids for and stages the world's biggest events."We've got a great reputation for it," she said. "But I think we've got challenges going forward."We have a few [events] lined up. But when it comes to 'mega-events', after 2028 we've got nothing secure."The number of major events being hosted in the UK has been declining since the start of the is set to host the women's rugby union World Cup in England this year, along with the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and the European Athletics Championships in week, it was confirmed that the men's and women's Tour de France races will both begin in Britain in 2027. In football, the UK and Ireland are staging the 2028 men's European while the home nations have also expressed an intention to submit a joint bid for the 2035 women's football World Cup, Grainger says more needs to be done."We don't want fallow years," she said. "After 2028, we don't really have anything named. That is quite a big gap."There are plenty of events that still are there for the taking. It's quite obvious why these mega-events are so important to the country, and yet maybe we haven't made the case clear. "Maybe it's a very difficult time, especially for government to support financially, but there's something we still could do to get more security... We do need more to make sure we've got consistent eyeballs on this country, on what we're doing in sport."No one can get complacent of our place within global sport, and I think we still should have big ambitions of what we can do next, and that will take collaboration."While UK Sport has secured a record £330m government funding package for its sports over the next four years to pursue medals at the LA 2028 Games, it is hoping for more financial backing to bid for major events. Winning bids can require several years of campaigning, and Grainger highlighted the 2029 World Athletics Championships, the 2030 Solheim Cup and the 2031 Ryder Cup as possible also said there was "a really good conversation" to be had around the Special Olympics for people with intellectual disabilities. It currently sits outside UK Sport's funding remit, and the event has never been staged in the DCMS has been approached for comment. 'We have made sure athletes have a voice' Grainger arrived at UK Sport in 2017 with the British high performance system and its "no-compromise" approach, linking funding to medal potential, under intense scrutiny amid a spate of athlete welfare controversies. She insists that since then, the body has put "huge amounts in place to make sure, as much as we can, it is a place that is safe and nurturing and supportive".She added: "When I came in, there was a big challenge to the system - with such great success historically across Olympic and Paralympic sport - was the human price being paid, sometimes too much? And I think there was a real honesty that looked into it."We have made sure athletes have a voice and are listened to. I think we made sure that athletes are valued for who they are and what they bring to the performance system. I think we have still seen phenomenal performances through summer and winter Olympics over the last two cycles, which I'm very proud of."Under Grainger's leadership, UK Sport said it would win "the right way", and focused funding of sports on medal potential over a longer 12-year period, intended to produce success over a wider range of sports. It also established 'culture health checks' to boost duty of care, gave more funding to the British Elite Athletes Association, and insisted funded sports appointed a director to take a board lead on welfare and safety work."I think we've made a healthier-style investment," she said."It will always be tough, and it will always be challenging. And high performance, by its nature, will have some rough edges, and yet that doesn't mean it in any way needs to be uncomfortable for people or certainly unsafe. "It was [about] creating an environment where people feel they could talk about what they've experienced and how we can try to fix it. 'Winning well' has been embedded really comfortably, and that's really important to go forward." Coventry IOC win 'huge' Grainger is moving on to become the first female chair of the British Olympic Association. She says Kirsty Coventry's historic election as the first woman president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is "huge"."A lot of ground broken, which is fantastic because it's an organisation that there's always a question mark [over] whether or not they are open to change for the future. And I think this was a resounding answer," she said."She's going to bring in something different that we've probably not seen before. I think there's a lot of excitement about what she might do."Grainger said she was "surprised" that British candidate Lord Coe only received eight votes in the election."In this country we're used to seeing Seb as a winner," she said."But I think he spoke very well about looking forward to seeing what Kirsty brings, and knowing that he wanted an athlete to lead that organisation."
