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John Bright:

Birmingham's corporate ski challenge seems to have caught the imagination.
There has been a huge 82-strong entry, with plenty of Bright column regulars in the frame.

The event is being held in Villars, Switzerland, from March 6-9 with the competitors being based at the Hotel Bristol. It is being organised by Tim Clay, chairman of independent financial advisers Clay Rogers & Partners in Birmingham.
A couple of days of "networking" will be followed on the Saturday afternoon by a downhill speed challenge and slalom race, followed by a presentation dinner on the night.
The overall winner will receive the Clay Rogers Trophy. Though after two days of "networking" and a dinner they are, shall we say, going to need some strong constitutions.
Main sponsors for the event are BT Local Business, with Metlife UK and Snow & Rock providing support. There will be some funds raised for charity along the way – yet to be nominated. Tim is chuffed at the response.
He noted: "Judging by the speed at which places were taken, the event could run for years." The event has attracted remnants of the famous Arse First Club, an annual skiing bash held around the world by such luminaries as Sir Digby Jones, Richard Boot and David Totney. Boot and Totney are both on board.
Also on the list are Andrew Roberts, of Grant Thornton; Mike Ward, of Gateley Wareing, dealmaker Charles Cattaneo and auctioneer Peter Bache.
Put them in an empty room together and there'd soon be a party going.
Let's hope there is a Villars left at the end of all this.
And please, please, someone send me a report and pictures.
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Off to Moseley rugby club for the 30th anniversary of the Sam Doble memorial dinner. The Wolverhampton school teacher played for the club during the Seventies and won three England caps.
He was part of an 18-9 victory over South Africa in Johannesburg, and also took on New Zealand. But his life was tragically cut short at the age of just 33 – he died of a rare form of lymphatic cancer.
The memorial match between a Moseley team and British and Irish Lions squad saw some of the greats turn out – Gareth Edwards, Phil Bennett, Bill Beaumont, Gerald Davies, Fran Cotton, Peter Wheeler, Tony Neary, the list just went on and on.
Incidentally, Davies, one of the finest rugby players ever to have played the game, even graced the now home of Moseley at Billesley Common during the 1970s when returning from injury playing for London Welsh Third XV against Moseley Nomads. Anyway yesterday members of the Moseley team which the Lions side opposed that day were back paying tribute to Sam's memory.
Played at Moseley's then ground, The Reddings, people were packed in like sardines for the big game. Allegedly 8,000 got in, goodness knows how.
Bright, or rather his vicar on earth John Duckers, business editor of this organ, then living in the north of Scotland, watched the highlights on Rugby Special on the television.
But for those who were there it was legendary.
Stalwart Moseley supporter Norman Johnson viewed the game from a perch in an oak tree.
"I had driven down from Dundee that morning and just about made it," he recalls.
He wasn't the only one hanging out of trees just to get a view.
And I particularly like Moseley scrum half Jan Webster's memories of the game.
The England player was on the bench for the international side, but never got on. Not that he minded particularly.
Edwards was only supposed to play the first 20 minutes as he had been injured the day before while playing for his club. He came onto the pitch with his leg heavily strapped.
But he was enjoying himself so much he just stayed on. It was that sort of match.

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on November 26, 2007 6:02 PM.

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