Thursday 26^th June 2025 – Oh my goodness! What a phenomenal day! Today was our 2^nd ‘Spirit of the Games Rowing’ challenge, supporting the Strength of Spirit Games on Plymouth Hoe. Each year the British Armed Forces, supported by Plymouth City Council and sponsored by Aecom & the Royal Marines Charity, host a rehabilitation traiathlon for veterans of the armed forces. The Plymouth School Sports Partnership opened the days’ activities with a competitive Rowing event for choldren from military fanilies.  6 children from each school were invited along to take part in 3 different challenges: a 100m sprint/a 2 minute row and a 6 minute team relay challenge. We had an incredible 23 Primary schools participating today. We were supported by an amazing group of sports leaders from Devonport High School for Girls: they greeted the teams on arrival and took them through some individual warm ups and some technique before we got started. The atmosphere was electric! So much excitement and energy, it was brilliant! Before we knew it we were underway and the results were coming in thick and fast.  Once all of the races were completed and the numbers were being crunched our sports leaders gave every child who participated their very own medal, certificate (kindly sponsored by Aecom) and a goodie bag (courtesy of Samworth Brothers), then they were able to spend some time exploring some of the other activities on offer, such as a taster of a Field Gun event and air-soft shooting range– there was so much to see and do. Then it was off to the main stage to announce our winners… Congratulations to Phoebe from Ford Primary and Olly from Old Priory Junior Academy for Rowing the 100m in the fastest times and to Kira and Caleb – both from Keyham Barton Primary for Rowing the greatest distance in 2 minutes. To calculate the overall winning team, we combined all of their teams’ individual distances over 2 minutes with their team relay distance. A huge congratulations to the team from Plympton St. Maurice Primary who were the overall winners on the day and the recipients of the coveted shield! Well done to everyone who took part today, I am thrilled that there were so many smiling faces. Our schools were then invited to stay for a packed lunch and to enjoy more of the activities laid on for them. I would like to say a huge thank you to some very special people who helped significantly to make this event such a success: firstly to the sports leaders from DHSG and their teachers – you were amazing and the children had the best time; to my colleagues Jan and Anna for all their help and support throughout the day; to Sophie for once again being my right-hand person doing the important job of working out the scores; for our very generous sponsor Aecom for their support and Samworth Brothers for their treats for the children and leaders; Plymouth City Council and the British Armed forces – thank you all so much. I’m so excited to do it all again next year!

Mrs Claire Cormack - Plymouth School Sports Partnership

Photo above: 2025 Spirit of the Games Rowing Champions Plympton St. Maurice