This Saturday, 14 June, young people from local schools and colleges will be coming together for a mammoth Maritime Challenge at City College Maritime Technology Centre (MTC). This is the fourth consecutive year that the Challenge has been held and City College hopes it will be as big a success as previous years.
Over the past academic year, youngsters from twelve schools and colleges have been learning technical theory and building skills and how to put them into practice, by building wooden canoes to a design from MTC. This month, they will all meet up to race one another across the Itchen, in front of families and friends.
There are heats for double or single crews and everyone starts on the slipway at MTC's waterfront jetty. The canoes have to race across the Itchen to the City-side bank, round the Itchen Bridge support pillar on the opposite bank and make their way back to the MTC slipway as fast as they can. If it's anything like previous years, there will be a lot of wet youngsters at the finish line! Up for grabs are a trophy for the best singles crew, a trophy for the best doubles crew and one for the best dressed crew and canoe. For the first time, the public is welcome to come along; as well as the races, there will be a steel band, a surfboard simulator, bouncy castle, a disco and refreshments.
Pauline Pink from City College said: "I'd like to thank Aim Higher, without whose grant, this event couldn't happen. I'm also thrilled to announce that this year, we will be joined by the record-breaking polar explorer, Ben Saunders. He's been described as ‘the next Ranulph Fiennes', so I can't wait to hear his speech when he presents the trophies. I'm sure we can't fail to be inspired by his amazing achievements."
Ben Saunders commented: "I'm delighted to be in Southampton for the City College Maritime Challenge. It's great to be a part of an event that sees pupils from the schools and colleges of Southampton take on a real challenge and explore new limits. On my expeditions I've pushed myself to the limits to attempt to achieve my potential. It promises to be a great day."
If you would like to discuss how Carswell Gould could help, our team of experts are keen to chat. Fill in your details below and we'll be in touch shortly.
