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Carmarthenshire seals its reputation for sport

Posted By Robert Lloyd

Carmarthenshire has sealed its reputation as a world-class host of major sporting events following its welcome of the Tour of Britain.

Stage One of the UK’s biggest road race took place in the county on Sunday, September 2, bringing 120 of the world’s top cyclists and thousands of spectators out on to the streets.

Cycling stars, including Tour de France winners Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome, were among those to star in the race, which started from Pembrey Country Park and travelled north through the county to Llandovery before continuing on the stage finish in Newport.

It is the first time the Tour of Britain has visited Carmarthenshire, and has been the biggest sporting event ever hosted by Carmarthenshire County Council.

With live televised coverage throughout the day, it was a major opportunity to showcase Carmarthenshire’s landscape and facilities which are perfect for a range of sporting events with its special blend of countryside and coast.

The event is also expected to deliver a £4million economic boost to the south Wales economy and add to the county’s growing tourism industry with thousands of today’s visitors likely to return to enjoy what Carmarthenshire has to offer.

The Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, Cllr Emlyn Dole, said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity for Carmarthenshire to shine on a world stage. I have spent the morning not only enjoying the race but speaking to people who are hugely impressed with what Carmarthenshire can offer as a host of major sporting events. I’ve no doubt that today’s race will mean many more exciting opportunities for us to bring the world’s top athletes to compete here on our doorstep.

“This is fantastic for Carmarthenshire, our growing tourism industry, local businesses and local communities.

“I am so very proud of the welcome Carmarthenshire has given to the Tour of Britain, and I thank organisers for putting their faith and trust in us to deliver a spectacular day of racing.”

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Latest Carmarthen Town match report by John Collyer (Cardiff Met, home)

Posted By Robert Lloyd

Match Report – Carmarthen Town v Cardiff Met (1 September 2018)

Carmarthen Town (2) Cardiff Met (0) 

Carmarthen deservedly secured their first win of the season thanks to a well-balanced display of resolute, stubborn defending coupled with frequent rapid and clinical counter-attacking – not only was this enough to comfortably subdue the  Met’s normally sharp attacking play, but on occasions their defence was made to look unusually fragile.

Yet the visitors began the match in their customary fashion, enjoying the greater share of possession and methodically making progress upfield.  However they were unable to make any serious early impression on the Town defence which, being well marshalled by the towering Lee Surman, remained disciplined and secure.

Despite that initial pressure, it was not until the 9thminute that the Met managed their first scoring effort when Dan Spencer, on the right flank, crossed the ball into the crowded penalty area where Sam Snaith hit a smart 15 yard volley that ‘keeper Lee Idzi carefully watched fly safely over the bar.

The Old Gold meanwhile were frequently able to break forward from deep positions inside their own half and on 13 minutes they fashioned a decent chance when Luke Cummings surged forward along the right-wing before delivering a searching cross deep into the penalty area where Greg Walters produced a close-range header that ‘keeper Esa Aalto was well-placed to gather safely.

And Town, usually through the craft and determination of Mael Davies, Walters, Ceri Morgan and Cummings, continued to launch penetrating counter-attacks which frontmen Luke Bowen, Liam Thomas and Jordan Vickers eagerly pursued.

While several broke down in the face of some solid Met defending, eventually the Old Gold took the lead in the 35thminute through a smart piece of goal-poaching by Liam Thomas – from the right-wing Cummings sent another fine cross into the penalty area where Town’s all-time top scorer neatly stole the ball off a hesitant defender then from close-range instantly struck an angled volley past Aalto and into the far corner of the net.

Stung by that setback, the visitors were quick to respond – on 37 minutes Spencer raced forward from midfield then struck a rasping 20 yard drive that Idzi, with an impressive full-length save, turned against the top of the post before the ball bounced safely away.

And in the closing moments of the first-half Spencer again surged upfield to reach the by-line then fired an inviting cross towards the far post but saw Snaith wastefully plant his close-range header wide of the goal.

After the interval the Met immediately pressed forward in search of an early equaliser – but through a combination of weak finishing and, more particularly, determined (occasionally desperate) Old Gold defending the home goal was never under serious threat during this spell.  The only notable effort arose on 64 minutes when Will Evans released a speculative long-range strike that Idzi, at full length, turned aside.

However the visitors’ commitment to scoring left them vulnerable to counter-attacks which Town, primarily through the pace and mobility of strikers Thomas and Bowen, were well equipped to exploit.  And in the 64thminute they fully capitalised on this in clinical fashion.

With Carmarthen breaking swiftly out of defence, Walters headed the ball forward to Thomas who sprinted determindely into the penalty area then, after shrugging off a defender, he struck a fierce angled drive that Aalto could only manage to force against the bar – as the ball fell loose Davies was the quickest to react and from close-range he gratefully stabbed it into the unguarded net.

The Met once more launched a series of attacks which, as before, the Old Gold defence successfully withstood – and just ahead of them the industrious midfield unit willingly dropped back to provide a further valuable layer of defensive cover whenever necessary.  As a result, only rarely was Idzi seriously tested and on each occasion the experienced ‘keeper, displaying his customary safe and assured handling, confidently resisted any threat to his goal.

While the play in the closing stages was largely confined to Carmarthen’s end of the pitch, they did produce one notable late counter-attack when on 80 minutes the ball reached Walters just outside the penalty area but he saw his smart 20 yard volley fly narrowly outside the post.

However Town’s primary concern was to protect their lead and secure three valuable points which they comfortably managed.  And it has to be hoped that this encouraging performance, against one of the stronger teams in the WPL, can be repeated and ideally improved on in forthcoming fixtures as Neil Smothers’ new-look side further settles and progresses.

Carmarthen’s next fixture is on Saturday September 8th(k/o 2.30pm) when Newtown visit Richmond Park.

Team:

Lee Idzi;  Luke Cummings;  Lee Surman; Jordan Knott;  Sean Hanbury (sub Dave Vincent 71);  Jordan Vickers (sub Declan Carroll 68);  Greg Walters;  Ceri Morgan; Mael Davies (sub Craig Hanford 87); Luke Bowen;  Liam Thomas;

Unused sub:  Jay Woodford;

Goals:  Liam Thomas (35);  Mael Davies (64);

Cards:  (Y)   Greg Walters (43);  Lee Surman (60).

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Baby remembrance service at Withybush Hospital Chapel

Posted By Robert Lloyd

The annual Withybush Baby Service will be held at St Luke’s Chapel in Withybush Hospital on September 11th at 6.30pm.

The service will include hymns, readings and poems, and little ones will be remembered with memory cards, which will be given out to be placed on the altar.

Gill Llewellyn, Bereavement Officer at Withybush Hospital, said: “Acknowledgement of the death of a baby, regardless of when the loss occurred, is very important. We hope that this will provide parents and family members the support and space they need to remember the baby or child that they have lost, and ease some of the pain that they feel.

“The service will also provide staff who have provided support to families, with the opportunity for peace and reflection.”

All are welcome to attend this service which will remember loved and lost babies from Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire and further afield. Refreshments will be provided after the service.

If you are unable to come and join us then you can still have a memory card placed on the altar on your behalf by contacting:

Gill Llewelyn –  Gill.Llewellyn@wales.nhs.uk Tel: 01437 772347  or
Sarah Horsley – Sarah.Horsley@wales.nhs.uk   Tel: 01437 773931 

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Scarlets

Press releases

“One that we let get away,” says Scarlets coach Pivac

Posted By Robert Lloyd

The opening round of the Guinness PRO14 was a tense affair at Kingspan Stadium with Scarlets narrowly missing out on a victory over the homeside Ulster.

The only try of the afternoon came in the opening minutes from outside half Rhys Patchell with scrum half John Cooney claiming all of Ulster’s fifteen points.

Speaking after the game head coach Wayne Pivac said; “We didn’t expect it to be perfect rugby in round one. I don’t think either side played particularly well, there were a lot of mistakes but we made the costly ones.

“At half time we talked about staying in the arm wrestle, we knew it was going to be a tight affair. To lose the man and go down to 14 wasn’t helpful and then I thought we had the opportunity to put the game to bed at 13-12 in their 22 with about four minutes to go.

“The message was to keep the ball in hand and build the phases bt we chose to kick the ball away and they had one last go, got down there and kicked the penalty to win.”

Cooney’s penalty in the closing minutes was enough to claim the victory for the homeside breaking Scarlets hearts in the process.

Pivac went on to say; “We defended reasonably well throughout the game so they didn’t really threaten the try line itself. We paid the ultimate price for kicking the ball away. It’s one that we let get away unfortunately.”

Scarlets lost centre Jonathan Davies in the warm-up adding to the side’s injury woes. Commenting on that Pivac said; “Every team picks up injuries, the side that we put out was good enough to win that game.

“Those points are vital eventhough it’s round one, it’s bitterly disappointing but hopefully we’ll learn a lot from that.”

Scarlets welcome Leinster to Parc y Scarlets on Saturday 8th September, kick-off 19:35.

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Press releases

Five new road cycling routes unveiled for Carmarthenshire

Posted By Robert Lloyd

Five new road cycling routes through Carmarthenshire’s breath-taking countryside and coast have been unveiled today ahead of the Tour of Britain Grand Depart at Pembrey Country Park.

Carmarthenshire County Council has launched its Cycling Hub of Wales destination guide showcasing the county’s new routes and incredible cycling terrain, including tracks, trails, circuits and traffic free paths.

Some of those have been experienced today by world class cyclists including Tour de France winners Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome as they rode the Tour of Britain from Pembrey to Llandovery.

The first time the tour has visited Carmarthenshire, it allowed the county to showcase its stunning landscape and scenery to cycling fans across the world.

The new cycling guide shines a spotlight on five new routes, totalling over 450km of quality road cycling terrain.

The largest – the Big Wilderness Adventure Tour – clocks up an impressive 105km with a 7 out of 10 difficulty rating taking in breath-taking views north of Llandovery and crossing in to neighbouring Ceredigion.

The most challenging route – Big Hills and Big Views – takes riders over 101km across some of the county’s best mountain trails taking in Ammanford, Llandovery and Llandeilo and skirting the edge of the Brecon Beacons.

More leisurely routes are the 90km Teifi River Tour taking in Newcastle Emlyn; the slightly longer 95km Tywi Valley Tour of the Castles from Carmarthen; and the 62km Carmarthen Bay Coastal Tour taking in Llanelli’s beautiful Millennium Coastal Park.

The guide also showcases two fantastic off-road cycling circuits launched during 2018 – the new National Closed Road Circuit at Pembrey Country Park and the newly renovated historic Carmarthen Velodrome; challenging mountain biking trails through the Brechfa and Crychan forests; and traffic free paths through Llanelli, Amman and Tywi.

Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Executive Board Member for Culture, Sport and Tourism, said: “We have been bold in our ambitions for Carmarthenshire to become the Cycling Hub of Wales, and today’s launch – coinciding with our hosting of the Tour of Britain Grand Depart – shows just how far we have come and the scale and variety of cycling opportunities Carmarthenshire has to offer.

“Carmarthenshire is already enjoying record-breaking tourism figures, and with the Tour of Britain introducing our wonderful county to millions of people around the world, we’ve no doubt that many cyclists are already planning their visit.

“We are raising our profile as a world class visitor destination and a county that’s well-equipped to host high quality sporting events.

“We look forward to welcoming new and returning visitors and to hear them spreading the word about our fantastic cycling terrain.”

Cyclists can download the guide, routes and GPS Plotaroute Map at Discover Carmarthenshire.

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Press releases

Landscape detectives meet at Aberystwyth University

Posted By Robert Lloyd

Geomorphologists from around the world will convene in Aberystwyth in September as Wales hosts the discipline’s top annual UK academic gathering for the first time in nearly 30 years.

The Annual Meeting of the British Society for Geomorphology (BSG), which takes place from the 10-12 September 2018 at Aberystwyth University, will see early career and more seasoned geomorphologists showcase cutting-edge research and discuss new collaborations.

Referred to as “landscape detectives”, geomorphologists study the history of a landscape and how it has been moulded over millennia by the action of running water, wind, snow, ice and gravity.

The focus is on Earth’s landscapes but increasingly interest is also turning to landscapes on other planetary bodies such as Mars and Titan.

And it isn’t only the gradual evolution of the landscape that attracts their interest. Geomorphologists also study the effects of fast-acting, disruptive hazards such as coastal storm surges, river floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis and landslides.

A key theme of this year’s Annual Meeting is communicating the relevance and importance of geomorphology in an era of rapid environmental change.

This includes going beyond university circles and developing approaches for improved communication of geomorphology in schools, among the general public, and with land owners and environmental policy makers.

Delegates will also hear from one of the UK’s most eminent geomorphologists and a Fellow of the BSG, Aberystwyth University’s Emeritus Professor John Lewin, who will deliver the meeting’s Frost Lecture.

There will also be keynote addresses from the BSG Award Winners for 2018, including Hervé Piégay (David Linton Award), Larissa Naylor (Gordon Warwick Award), Edwin Baynes (Dick Chorley Award), and Bradley Johnson (Wiley Award).

Delegates also have the option of staying on after the meeting for field trips on 12, 13 and 14 September that will take them to the uplands, valleys and coastline of mid Wales.

The meeting is chaired by Professor Stephen Tooth, from the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University.

Professor Tooth said: “This is the first time for many decades that the BSG has hosted such an event in Wales, and given the contributions of Aberystwyth-trained geomorphologists and Welsh landscapes to development of the science, it is fitting that the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences is able to host the Annual Meeting as part of its centenary year celebrations”.

As part of the conference, Professor Tooth and Dr Hywel Griffiths, also from the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, will release a booklet entitled 10 Reasons Why the Geomorphology of Wales is Important.

The booklet is based on a series of parallel blogs by Dr Griffiths (Welsh) and Professor Tooth (English), providing examples of Welsh landforms and landscapes that illustrate the 10 reasons.

Further details of the Annual Meeting can be seen on the BSG’s website www.geomorphology.org.ukand Facebook page www.facebook.com/geophemera. Developments can also be followed on Twitter @BSG_Geomorph #bsg2018.

 

Photo: Professor Stephen Tooth, Chair of the 2018 Annual Meeting of the British Society for Geomorphology (BSG), and Dr Hywel Griffiths, both of the Department of Geography and Earth Science at Aberystwyth University, who will launch their booklet 10 Reasons Why the Geomorphology of Wales is Importantduring the meeting.

Links:

British Society for Geomorphology http://geomorphology.org.uk/

British Society for Geomorphology2018 Annual Meeting
http://geomorphology.org.uk/meetings/bsg-annual-meeting-2018

Stephen Tooth’s Blog: https://stephentooth.wordpress.com/2015/03/

Hywel Griffiths’ Blog (Welsh): http://hywelgriffiths.blogspot.com/2015/03/10-rheswm-pam-10-reasons-why-1.html

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