Sport
Karting championship is ongoing success
ROUND 4 of the West Wales Pembrokeshire Karting Championship took place on June 28, with the opportunity for those involved to win a VIP trip to the F1 factory to see how a Formula 1 racing car is made.
The Pembrokeshire Karting Championship began in 2009 thanks to the entrepreneurial skills of local Karting enthusiasts.
Karting Championship Coordinator Royston Badham of Pembroke Dock, says: “I was always a keen motorsport fan and realised that there were no affordable opportunities for fans or regular Joe public to race in organised competitions. Fresh from university and keen to use my motorsport management degree we organised a few rounds and advertised in local media. We saw a large turnout from many local people keen to try their hand in a proper competition, which was the next step up from doing a few laps with their mates on a Saturday afternoon. The aim has always been to provide an affordable ‘turn up and race’ organised karting event where you will race in equal conditions with people of similar ability.”
Six years on, the Championship has grown and is now a hugely popular event, as Royston explains.
“We attract some talented competitors from all over south wales and because we have kept costs low we still have casual enthusiasts turning up and having a go for one or two rounds as a bit of fun.”
The Championship is held at two tracks in the county. Carew Karting is an outside circuit and is a keen favourite amongst the drivers as it also offers the uncertainty of the weather. West Wales Karting is the indoor circuit in Haverfordwest and has recently joined the calendar. One of the features of an indoor track is space is a premium meaning drivers are faced with a very challenging and twisty layout.
A typical round sees competitors taking part in a qualifying session which decides if they’re in the quicker group of drivers, or slower. Everyone will then take part in a sprint race, where their finishing positions are reversed for the feature race. Each event takes about 3 hours and offers a great experience for everyone who races
As the series has grown, costs are kept to an absolute minimum and they rely on sponsorship from local companies such as Folly Farm and Smith & Jones Electrical to allow the PKC to remain affordable for their competitors.
“We cater for many different categories to ensure every competitor has someone to race to keep things as fair and equal as possible. All karts are the same at each track and we have two different weight categories; the lightweights and the heavyweights. We also recognise the best rookie driver of the year and the best female and over 40. With the increased interest in recent years we have been able to arrange a visit to a formula one team factory for the champions to discover what goes into designing and making a f1 car.”
Sport
South-West Wales Athletes Aiming to Shine at the Summer Olympics
Two of the finest athletes in south-west Wales are dreaming about bringing home medals from the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Track cyclist Emma Finucane and sailing star Micky Beckett will head to France in a buoyant mood after enjoying a successful build-up to their respective events.
Welsh athletes collected a record-equalling 11 medals at the Tokyo 2020 Games and hopes are high that the tally could be beaten this year.
The Carmarthen-born rider cemented her rapid rise up the sprint ranks by winning a gold medal at the 2023 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.
She became Great Britain’s first women’s sprint world champion since Becky James in 2013 and is now on track to chase more medals at the Olympics across three events.
The 21-year-old has yearned to compete at the Summer Games since watching Team GB sparkle at London 2012 and she is eager to make her mark this summer.
“It’s a massive dream of mine and it’s pretty cool that I’m kind of living my dream,” Finucane said. “I’m just trying to enjoy the journey and hopefully I’ll get selected and compete for my country.
“And it’s exciting because as the Team GB women’s sprint. I feel like we’re in a really good place to do well at the Olympics, not just compete as Olympians.”
Pembrokeshire-born sailor Beckett will also head to Paris with his sights firmly set on winning gold in the hugely competitive ILCA 7 class.
He will renew rivalries with Australian Matt Wearn, who controversially claimed the World Championship title ahead of Hermann Tomasgaard and Beckett earlier this year.
Online bookmakers rate Wearn as the favourite to emerge victorious this summer, but Beckett’s recent form gives him every chance of turning the tables.
Several new sports betting sites in Australia cut the Welsh sailor’s Olympic odds after he completed a trio of World Cup successes at a recent event in Palma.
Beckett believes the hard work he has done over the past few months gives him every chance of toppling Wearn when the action gets underway this summer.
“There is still plenty of work to do and managing form is probably the most important thing of any athlete’s job,” Beckett said. “There is no point being the best in the world unless you are the best in the world when it counts.
Sport
Kilgetty and Carew Share Spoils in End-of-Season Showdown
In the picturesque setting of Kilgetty, under the soft glow of the evening sun, local football fans were treated to an enticing clash between Kilgetty and Carew in the Pembrokeshire League Division 1. With the season winding down, both sides took to the pitch amidst numerous squad rotations, following a hectic week of multiple fixtures.
The match kicked off in a leisurely pace, resembling more of an end-of-season friendly than a fierce competition. Kilgetty seized the early initiative, with the trio of Josh Bevan, Richard Tebbut, and Richard Cope causing headaches for the Carew defense, skillfully led by Gareth Lewis. It was Jac Waters who broke the deadlock for the home side, putting Kilgetty ahead 1-0 as the first half came to a close.
However, Carew emerged revitalised after the break, with Jonty Bennett, James Hinchcliffe, and Zac Rowell putting in the hard yards to level the score. The introduction of Harvey Drummond for the ineffective Sam Christopher added further depth to Carew’s attacking prowess, culminating in an equaliser courtesy of the excellent Hinchcliffe.
As tensions rose, the game took on a newfound intensity, marked by needless bookings, after a clearly offside goal and a few heated moments on the field. Despite the fatigue evident from their recent fixture congestion, both teams showcased their competitive spirit, treating the fans to an entertaining second half.
In the end, neither side could break the deadlock, with Kilgetty and Carew having to settle for a well-fought 1-1 draw. While neither team was at their absolute best, the match provided a fitting conclusion to their respective seasons.
Sport
The stage is set – Senior Cup Final
It’s the time of the year again, Saturday see’s Bridge Meadow host the senior cup final. The sun has been shining and both teams will be dying to get on the pitch. This year the final will be contested by Goodwick United and Clarbeston Road.
League champions Goodwick will go into the final as favourites, and most around the county expect a Goodwick win. It has been an outstanding season for Goodwick however cup success has evaded them so far. Clarbeston Road have impressed everyone this season and really deserve their place in this years final.
Neill Crawshaw will referee the game, with Tudor Walters and Stefan Jenkins running the line.
There will be a unique contest on the pitch as brothers Will Haworth and Laurie Haworth come face to face on opposing teams. Adrian their father was a great player in the county, and played in many cup finals himself.
The stage is set, Clarby will feel less pressure than Goodwick and will be a threat with Haworth, John and Davies in attack. Meanwhile Goodwick are also blessed with quality players in every department, there is no weak link in O’Sullivans team. Cup football and finals in particular never go as people predict. On paper Goodwick are firm favourites, Clarbeston Road will be happy the game will be played on grass though and not paper, anything can happen! Hopefully it’ll be a good crowd down at the Meadow for the show piece of Pembrokeshire football.
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