Meet the Captains

As the beginning of the academic year looms ever closer, it’s time to meet your sporting heroes, our captains and presidents, those paragons of athleticism and leadership we call Palatinates.


DUBC – Will Mace

Position?
Whereever they’ll have me

Shack or Lloyds?
Shack – no brainer

Best moment from a social/tour?
Poznan 2013. Racing then drinking followed by an early flight the next morning. Watching one of our lightweight men try to get to the toilet on the flight but instead passing out in front of the whole plane and requiring assistance from the air hostess.

What makes your sport the best in Durham?
The unique element of team work required, as soon as one guy goes rogue in the boat the rhythm is disrupted for everyone.

Who’s the one to watch in your club?
Ed Gleadowe. Now lovingly referred to as the Golden Goose because there is nothing that he can’t do, always at or near the top of the squad and he came through our fresher programme!

Three words for the freshers?
Challenging but rewarding

Durham Divas – Amy Rentell

Shack or Lloyds?
Shack. But we have loads of fun wherever we end up!

Best moment from a social/tour?
So many to choose from! There’s the time we won Grand Champions in Paris but overslept and missed the awards ceremony; the time the entire squad got kicked out of a Newcastle McDonald’s at 4am for being ‘too rowdy’ after putting on a gymnastics show in the middle of Waikiki; the fact that the very first social resulted in an A&E trip for a rather overenthusiastic Social Sec…

What makes your sport the best in Durham?
Most other teams lift weights; we lift people. And on top of that we jump, flip, somersault, bend and booty-shake. And all of this is crammed into an explosive 2.5 minute routine. And we do it all with a smile on our face!

Who’s the one to watch in your club?
Tabitha Roberts: always ready with a camera to catch the bits you want to remember from training and the bits you definitely don’t from nights out. That is, if she doesn’t pass out on the stairs before leaving pre-drinks.

Three words for the freshers?
Everyone loves cheerleaders.

DUAFC – Will Legg

Position?
Goalkeeper and occasional centre half

Shack or Lloyds?
Loveshack is the traditional club of choice for DUAFC. However I am personally guilty of enjoying a night in Lloyds as well.

Best moment on a social/tour?
I really enjoyed the north versus south social. We split into two teams depending on where we originate, and crawled around Durham. The Southerners had to dress in their finest northern attire, and vice versa. It was great night, particularly because the Southerners cleaned up the Northerners in the competitions.

Why are you the best sport in Durham?
Football is by far the most popular sport in Durham. There are six divisions for college football, as well as a new futsal league that has been proposed for the new season. The football club supports this system by drawing the best players from the college pool to represent the university across the country. DUAFC has enjoyed remarkable success in recent seasons – the 1st team achieved three back-to-back promotions into the Northern Premier and the futsal team won the BUCS Futsal Trophy in their debut season.

Your one to watch?
Dave Green. He enjoyed a very successful first year at Durham, establishing himself in the 1st team, and finishing as joint top goal scorer. He is also prone to getting very loose, with a number of unfortunate indiscretions on club socials. Expecting big things next season.

Three words for the freshers?
The beautiful game.

DURFC – Harry Thompson

Position?
Back Row

Shack or Lloyds?
Shack

Best moment from a social/tour?
Tough one; being a Pokemon trainer this year probably just sneaks in ahead of the Colosseum on Newcastle night.

What makes your sport the best in Durham?
Durham is a uni all about tradition, and being the oldest and biggest club in the university places us at the forefront of all things Durham. That and of course our Wednesday night socials.

Who’s the one to watch in your club?
Tricky question – on the field if you’re looking for flair then keep an eye on England Students winger: Murray Galbraith-Lowe; in the Shack though its probably Ben Veitch who’s most likely to score.

Three words for the freshers?
Pride. Passion. Palatinate.

DULAX – Emily Fitzsimons & Serena Tite

Position?
Any

Shack or Lloyds?
Shack

Best moment from a social/tour?
DU Lacrosse take on Harry Potter roaming around the castle with our very own snitch.

What makes your sport the best in Durham?
Fastest game on two feet played by the fittest girls

Who’s the one to watch in your club?
Ella Underwood, 4 years gone and still going strong

Three words for the freshers?
Socials, Sody, DU Canoe

Athletics & Cross Country – Chris Mcgahan (& Chloe Price)

Position?
800 metre runner

Shack or Lloyds?
Lloyds

Best moment from a social/tour?
Performing a duet of Wouldn’t It Be Nice by the Beach Boys with former president Tom Kearns at our Easter Warm Weather Training camp in Lanzarote.

What makes your sport the best in Durham?
Being the biggest DU sports club in Durham gives us great socials. Relaxed atmosphere and the alumni keep coming back.

Who’s the one to watch in your club?
Excluding myself, I’d say Neil Holloway; good drinker, great athlete, excellent biceps.

Three words for the freshers?
Runners are fit.

Fencing – Joe Schenkel

Position?
Foilist

Shack or Lloyds?
Shack

Best moment from a social/tour?
The entirety of our trip to Barcelona.

What makes your sport the best in Durham?
The team itself. You won’t meet a more fun, talented, hard-working group of people. They aren’t just your teammates. They’re your family.

Who’s the one to watch in your club?
The one to watch in competition is last year’s club captain Will Bettle, known for his crowd pleasing performances, trash talk, and ability to fence at his best under pressure.

DUNC – Eloise Andrews

Position?
Usually GS or GA

Shack or Lloyds?
Shack. Every time.

Best moment from a social/tour?
Waaa so difficult! Sometimes the best moments are the day after, when everyone’s debauchery from the night before come to light

What makes your sport the best in Durham?
The fact that it’s played indoors rather than in the icy northern conditions is actually a massive bonus.

Who’s the one to watch in your club?
Katie Boon and Anna Simmonds. They’re in charge of socials this year and I think they’ll be making Wednesdays pretty epic.

Three words for the freshers?
They shouldn’t need convincing!

DUSSC – Alex Brogan

What a Bro(gan)

Position?
Slalom and Giant Slalom

Shack or Lloyds?
Shack!

Best moment from a social/tour?
A certain fresher getting locked out the hostel in Edinburgh for the day, after being too drunk to make the race, in only his underwear

What makes your sport the best in Durham?
As the largest club in Durham, there’s something for everyone, from seasoned racers to park rats.

Who’s the one to watch in your club?
Derek Skittles!

Three words for the freshers?
Snow. Sun. Shot-Ski.

DUSSC’s freshers’ introductory session will be on Sunday 5th October. For more information, email [email protected]