PRESS RELEASE

An Exeter team of students are celebrating having shown the Royal Navy and Marines, for the second year running, that they are the best in the west for fitness, team skills and leadership when they won the Royal Navy Annual Pier Cellars Inter-College Trophy Competition last week.

Not only did the teams of BTEC students beat fellow competitors from 8 other colleges, but one of the Exeter teams completed the 10K run/walk in one of the fastest times ever recorded in the history of the competition in 2 hours and 2 minutes – earning respect from the Royal Marines who organised the gruelling two day competition.

“The students were outstanding” said Andy Roberts, Public Services lecturer, “Not only did the Exeter teams come 1st, 2nd and 4th but we also gained considerable praise from the Navy and Marines about how the students behaved throughout the challenging course, giving 100% effort to what was a very wet and extremely difficult assault course”

The Pier Cellars competition, held in Cornwall at a small ex torpedo testing naval station, aims to simulate many of the activities in real life public services – minefield clearance, dummy grenade throwing, ski stretchers, tug of war, observation tests as well as the challenging assault course.

Our public services course is continually strengthened by the very strong links we have with all the armed and uniformed services, “said Rob Bosworth, Assistant Principal, “Over the years we have built up a very high standard of training – both fitness training and the leadership and team skills that equip our young students for their competitive careers. We’re delighted that, yet again, the tutors’ effort and training has paid off and we’re very proud of the sheer effort and commitment our students gave in showing they are truly ‘top of the class’

For further information, call Sylvia Jarman on 01392 205585 or sylviajarman@exe-coll.ac.uk