Latest news with #TheMajor
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Dragon boat racers go from disaster to Team GB
A dragon boat racing club which was taken to the brink of closure after Storm Henk washed its boats away is now celebrating after nine of its rowers secured a place on the Great British team. Four boats owned by the Soaring Dragons club disappeared in January 2024 when Storm Henk caused widespread flooding across the East Midlands. Paul Freemantle, the club's head coach, said they feared the loss of the boats would end the club, until three of the vessels were recovered and a fourth, which was smashed beyond repair, was replaced. And five adult members of the club and four juniors are now set to represent Great Britain at the Dragon Boat World Championships in Germany. Speaking about the loss of the club's boats, Mr Freemantle said: "If we're being honest, we probably could have lost the club. "If you cannot get out on the river in your boat, you cannot train, and if you cannot train, you cannot exist as a club."The club, which is based in Hathern near Loughborough, recovered three of the boats it lost soon after the floods, but its main £12,000 racing boat called "The Major" had launched an appeal in an effort to find it, and it was found a year later about 28 miles away in Hoveringham, Nottinghamshire. It had been damaged beyond repair and was missing its front end, which was later washed up near Trent Bridge in Nottingham. The club managed to replace "The Major" with a new boat in time to compete and retain its position as national champions in March members of the club have now been selected to compete for Team GB at the Dragon Boat Racing World Championships in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany, in July. Dragon boat teams, made up of 20 rowers, a helmsman and a drummer, from across the world will battle in a number of different age group categories. "We have got five in the over-40 category and then we now have four juniors in the under 18s that are racing this year as well," Mr Freemantle said. "For a club to have that many people selected for GB is brilliant. "We're incredibly proud. To see the effort they have put in, especially the juniors is really quite something."They are studying for their GCSEs at the moment, it's an important time for them, and when they are not racing, they're studying. They've had books out studying in the club house between training sessions. "That dedication is absolutely amazing and is inspirational for the rest of us."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Flag honoring Utah man killed in action is getting repaired, replaced
A giant U.S. flag flown in North Ogden yearly is undergoing some major changes after it was damaged by weather The flag named 'The Major' is one of Utah's most recognizable flags due to who it's honoring and how big it is. 'There is no kitchen table or sewing table big enough,' said Jennie Taylor, the wife of the late Maj. Brent Taylor. 'Every single one of those 50 stars is 5 feet tall.' Brent Taylor was a member of the Utah National Guard shot and killed in Afghanistan on Nov. 3, 2018, by a rogue member of the Afghan military. Every year, the flag honoring Brent Taylor is hung in the Coldwater Canyon. It is also meant to pay tribute to other U.S. military veterans. Last November, it sustained heavy damage from wind and rain. 'When this particular flag, The Major, took a beating last November, I almost felt like it was symbolic of my husband and my life and me,' Jennie Taylor said. Jennie Taylor said she nearly retired the flag after rain, snow and wind tore it up. 'Widowhood is not super easy, for those who are asking,' she said. But Jennie Taylor felt inspired to give The Major new life. The flag will be on display at different events across Utah. 'It flies strong and proud and true. And it takes a beating here and there, and it needs repairs along the way … I think that's kind of how we sometimes feel as American people,' she said. 'We're strong and proud and true to our values, and sometimes we get beaten up, and sometimes we need a break.' When The Major was not flying, it was placed in a black case signed by every serviceman and woman who had seen it in person. Their notes are a reminder of their bravery and commitment. For Jennie Taylor, those signatures help her not to give up the tradition. 'New life rising like the phoenix from the ashes. We need a new set of Sharpies, and we need to find new service members and veterans to sign that box,' Jennie Taylor said. Colonial Flag workers are creating a new flag to replace The Major's duty to fly over Coldwater Canyon during Memorial Day. 'We have to cram a lot of fabric onto that machine and maneuver,' said Jacob Swenson of Colonial Flag. 'Did we get the math right on this? Do we get it all calculated?' The Major Brent Taylor Foundation is accepting name ideas for the new flag on the foundation's website.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Honoring Major Brent Taylor's legacy with a new flag
OGDEN, Utah () — A massive sewing project is underway at the Sandy Expo Center, where is working to repair '.' The flag suffered major wind damage last fall. It once flew proudly over North Ogden's Coldwater Canyon, and it carries the name and legacy of a man who meant so much to the community: . The flag spans 78 by 150 feet and would cover nearly half of a football field. PREVIOUSLY: Weber County hangs largest free hanging American flag in Coldwater Canyon when he was killed in action. He was not only a military officer but also , and the first U.S. elected official to die in combat since the Civil War. 'He was killed the Saturday before Election Day, which was one week before Veterans Day,' Jennie Taylor, his widow and founder of the Major Brent Taylor Foundation, told . The with a high-flying flag strung across Coldwater Canyon that Veterans Day in 2018. 'It had such an impact — not just on me, but our whole community,' Taylor said. 'My husband, the father of our seven children, was gone. People immediately began fundraising to make sure we had a flag worthy of him. And that became 'The Major'.' Who was Major Brent Taylor? Since 2019, the flag has flown each Veterans Day week in Coldwater Canyon. But in 2023, it had to be taken down early after heavy canyon winds caused a tear nearly 12 feet long. Instead of being retired completely, 'The Major' is being reassigned to what Jennie calls 'ground missions' — football games, parades, rodeos, and community events. A new flag will be commissioned to take its place in the sky. An American Hero: Utah says goodbye to Maj. Brent Taylor This new flag, currently being made, will take about six to eight weeks to complete. According to Jacob Swenson at Colonial Flag, this version is specially reinforced to endure canyon winds and last for years to come. This new flag still needs a name. You can go to to cast your vote. That flag will be flown for two full weeks beginning Saturday, November 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
