January 2016 – JMBoulden

Women’s Rugby Growing in Wilmington

Women have came a long way in their struggle for equality. Today they can participate in most any endeavor that men can. The realm of sports has been a little slower to change. There are still some sports where some see it as taboo for women to play. One of these sports is rugby. Rugby is a very physical sport that is similar to american football played without any pads. For most of the history of the game, women were not thought to be athletic enough for such a rough sport. Now women all over the world are beginning to take up the sport in growing numbers.

Locally in Wilmington, there is a group of women who are determined to change these misconceptions. The Cape Fear Women’s Rugby club met today at the Flytrap Downs field for an intro to women’s rugby clinic. All women over the age of eighteen were invited to come out and learn the game. The girls started with a few warm-up stretches and then began some practice drills. The returning veteran players helped some of the newer members hone their passing, tackling, and scruming techniques.

Kettie Norton has been playing rugby for several years and is a long standing member of the Cape Fear Women’s Rugby club.

“Last year was our first year, so we are still gaining ground. We have been working with the UNCW women’s rugby to make sure their numbers grow and we grow so everyone can continue to see more growth.”

The event was a great success with several new comers showing interest in the sport. With women’s sports as a whole continuing to gain ground on the men’s, rugby is positioned to be a major new addition.

When asked why she liked rugby Kettie said, “You can as a woman, be a little rough in a game and you don’t have to be refined.”

For more information visit www.capefearwomensrugby.org

Racers Brave Winter Storm for Paddle Board Competition

This weekend a massive winter storm attacked the eastern part of the country. Record snowfall amounts and blizzard conditions crippled much of the east coast. The storm’s effects were even felt as far south as here in Wilmington, NC. Saturday’s high temps were around freezing with wind gusts up to thirty miles per hour. On a day like that most people would stay inside and curl up with a book. For others it seemed like a great opportunity to get out and do some paddle boarding.

The 8th annual Cold Stroke Classic paddle board race was held this Saturday morning at the Blockade Runner Hotel and Resort in Wrightsville Beach. The event was sponsored by The Coastal Urge outfitting company, with a portion of the proceeds going to Saint Baldrick’s foundation for cancer research. Paddle boarders from all over the state met to compete for cash, prizes, and bragging rights. The race consisted of a men’s and women’s division with each having a recreational category and an elite category. The recreational racers would complete a three and a half mile course while the elite racers would go seven miles.

Infographic retrieved from www.coldstrokeclassic.com

All races started and ended at the Blockade runner, paddling counter-clockwise around South Harbor Island. The Coast Guard was on hand to pick up any competitors that got too cold to finish. There were a few racers that had to be picked up to get their core temps back to the normal range, but no one was seriously injured.

Ben Roth won the men’s elite division with a time of one hour and twenty-five minutes.“It was probably the best time I have ever done in a seven mile race,” said Ben while warming up after the event.

The top three racers from the elite divisions took home cash prizes, but everyone who raced got a prize donated by sponsors. The awards after party featured draft beer, a live DJ, and warm chili. The Cold Stroke Classic is meant to be difficult, but this year’s conditions were the biggest challenge yet.

“This was probably our coldest, windiest year,” said race coordinator Katie Peters. “Considering everything that could have gone wrong, I think we had a very successful event.”

Paddle boarding is growing in popularity nation wide. It’s a great work out and a good opportunity to get out and explore nature. As the Cold Stroke Classic has proved, it can even be enjoyed year round.

StriperFest Helps Cape Fear Fishery

Wilmington is a port city situated at the mouth of the Cape Fear River where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The history of Wilmington is linked to the Cape Fear and all the industries that depend on it for survival. The Cape Fear River provides recreational fishing and boating opportunities as well as the water we drink and the seafood we eat. Since 1993 the Cape Fear River Watch has been dedicated to preserving the health and cleanliness of the river. Cape Fear River Watch is a grassroots, non-profit organization that is dedicated to improving and preserving the health, beauty and cleanliness of the Cape Fear River. They depend heavily on donations to reach their goals. Their biggest fund raising event of the year is the StriperFest Banquet and Auction.

StriperFest’s goal is to raise money to help improve migratory fish populations. The Striped Bass is a highly sought after fish for recreational anglers. It’s numbers are slowly rising due to the efforts of the Cape Fear River Watch to help the fish get past damns and locks to reach it’s spawning grounds.

This year’s event was held Friday night at the Coastline Convention Center in downtown Wilmington. The event featured live music, a catered buffet, beer and wine, raffle drawings, and a live auction. There was also a fishing tournament Saturday where local anglers competed for trophies and prizes. The event was a huge success raising well over 16,000 dollars. Towards the end of the night Cape Fear River Watch’s executive director, Frank Yelverton, addressed the crowd, “This is the biggest StriperFest we have ever had. With your help we will bring back the migratory fish populations.”

Ogden Skate Park Gets Much Needed Support

Ogden beer and wine store, Fermental, hosted a fundraiser Saturday night to raise money for the construction of an outdoor skateboard park planned for the northern section of Wilmington. Oskar Blues Brewery, who was on site to provide beer tasting and samples, hosted the event.

Local residents have long tried to get the project started but lack of funds has been a constant roadblock. Many in the area view a skate park as a great addition for the youth of the community. The park will give local teens a place to hang out after school and stay out of trouble. It will also provide a healthy outdoor activity to keep kids active. There have been many academic studies that have shown the positive physical and mental health effects of skate parks for a community and the low rate of injuries.

The event started slowly with a few guests trickling in, but really started to pick up once the rain slowed down.

“We had a good turn out and I think we raised a lot of money. As soon as the rain stopped more people came out,” said Fermental manager Steve Gibbs.

The music duo of Chasing Opal provided the night’s musical entertainment, while the Funky Fresh Food Truck was on hand to provide food for hungry attendees. Fermental provided the perfect setting for the event with its cozy atmosphere and eclectic selection of wine and craft beers. The event proved to be a success, and the skate park is one step closer to reality.