This time last year, gair rhydd Sport was celebrating a season of European and domestic successes.
The Men’s Hockey Club won the European Cup Winners Challenge Cup in Malta, while at home all three Men’s Cricket teams went undefeated throughout the entire season and the Women’s Hockey Firsts strode into the BUSA Premiership among many other notable achievements.
In another year of outstanding successes for the AU, the crushing Varsity Shield triumph is surely the jewel in the crown.
The 17 – 3 overall score-line highlighted the dominance and levels of performance that Cardiff’s sports teams have to offer, while the unlikely Men’s Rugby win demonstrated the determination and spirit brought to each encounter by all the teams that competed. The 19 – 9 defeat of Swansea at the Arms Park was a display of passion and effort by the Cardiff squad, and this performance was mirrored across the board as, in particular, Women’s Rugby, Men’s Tennis and Men’s Basketball all fought to victory.
The Welsh Cup provided successes for Cardiff as usual, with Women’s Rugby toppling Glamorgan, as Women’s Football crushed Swansea 6 – 1 in a Varsity re-match and the Men’s Football side beat Aberystwyth 6 – 1 to cap an impressive BUSA season.
The UPC 9-Ball Championship was added to the universities trophy cabinet by Cardiff’s Pool players, who swept aside Bristol as many of the Club’s talismanic figures signed off their university careers in style.
Captain Shaun Hill polished off the team victory with a fine individual performance in the Individual Championship, where he took the runners-up spot after defeat against Adam Shaw of Nottingham at the final hurdle. The Snooker Club enjoyed success in the BUSA Championships too, as a depleted squad claimed an unexpected Bronze.
Cardiff Medicals Rugby sealed the BUSA Premiership South B crown with a 22 – 0 win over bogey-team Oxford Brookes and will compete among the very best that university rugby has to offer next year as they were promoted to Premiership South A. In addition, the Medics took their 10th NAMS Cup victory in a row to top off a glorious season.
Many clubs tasted BUSA Gold throughout the year; in Rowing, the Novice Women’s Eight took the top prize in a hard fought BUSA Head competition, while Silvers were clinched by the Women’s Senior Eight and Women’s Novice Coxless Fours at the same event.
In Gymnastics, Matt Maletriot struck Gold three times in the Three-Piece Competition at the BUSA Championships in Newcastle, excelling in the rings and parallel bars as he continues to stride towards a possible Commonwealth Games appearance in 2010. Meanwhile, in Trampolining, the title of BUSA Intermediate Male Champion went to Cardiff student Craiger Solomons.
One of the most notable victories of the 2007/2008 season was achieved by the Ultimate Frisbee team, ‘No Frills’, who defeated Cambridge in a nail-biting final as they were crowned University Outdoor National Champions.
Finally, and most importantly, the AU’s ‘Invest in Sport’ campaign was relaunched, as the movement continued to emphasise the importance of improving sporting facilities for students at Cardiff University. 250 Fun Runners turned out to complete a 5km course around Bute Park to raise money for Sport Relief and awareness regarding the inadequacy of the facilities available for use.
With the Rubber Crumb pitch due for completion within the next year, the clubs that will benefit from the new facility could improve further still, leaving successful sporting pursuits at Cardiff looking likely to be built upon in 2008/2009.
