Awards
A number of awards are handed out annually to our current and past students. The vast majority are awarded at our annual Palatinate Dinner. Durham is lucky to have a number of athetes who compete at the very highest level every year. Similarly, we are just as fortunate to have students who are prepared to commit and give so much of their time to developing the sport structure at Durham. As such, the awards on offer are in place to recognise both.
Palatinates
We honour our top sportsmen and women each year, awarding Half and Full Palatinates to those who have contributed significantly to sport at the University.
The highest award given is the Full Palatinate. It is awarded to those who have represented their country whilst at University and have, at the same time, also made a significant contribution to their club.
Half Palatinates are awarded to those that have either competed at a very high level, but not made a significant contribution to their club, or held a position of responsibility but lacked the necessary standard of sporting ability.
The awards are notoriously difficult to achieve, and differ from the awarding of colours by other Universities in that a Palatinate is not awarded merely for representing the University. The awarding of Palatinates is decided by a committee which is appointed each year.
2009 Honorary Palatinate
These awards recognise the success of ex Durham students who have gone on to greater things within the field of sport. Honorary Palatinate awards are presented by the Vice Chancellor at the Annual Palatinate Dinner. In recent years, Honorary Palatinates have been awarded to sportsmen such as Nasser Hussain, Jonathan Edwards and Will Carling.
Bob Hesford: Rugby
2009 Sportsman of the Year
This is awarded by the President to the male athlete who is deemed to have achieved the most within the past academic year. The award is based on performance and the success of the athlete for the University and beyond is taken into consideration.
Jamie Cachia: Hockey
2009 Sportswoman of the Year
This is awarded by the President to the female athlete who is deemed to have achieved the most within the past academic year. The award is based on performance and the success of the athlete for the University and beyond is taken into consideration.
Emily Taylor: Boats
Kira Roberts: Fencing
Team Durham Life Membership
Team Durham Life Membership awards are in place to recognise the success of our international athletes. All athletes who represent their nation at non-student international level whilst they are studying at Durham will receive this award. They are awarded annually at the Palatinate Dinner.
2009 Director of Sport Award
This is awarded by the Director of Sport at the annual Palatinate Dinner. The prestigious award is given to the student who has contributed the most to University sport within the past academic year. The award cannot be received by a member of the current Student Sport Executive.
Mark Gregory: Tennis
Toby Betenson: Fencing
2009 Bailey Club of the Year
Bailey is our own unique brand of sports clothing, and the Club of the Year award includes a generous £500 donation by our clothing supplier. The award is in place to recognise the Club that has contributed the greatest amount to Durham sport within the past academic year. Performance is a consideration, but the emphasis is on the contribution and impact that Club’s have made upon Durham sport.
Hockey Club
2009 Official of the Year
This award is in place to recognise the individual that has made the greatest progress, or contributed the most, in a refereeing or umpiring capacty. To be eligible for the award the student must have officiated regularly within the University or College programme.
Craig Douglas: Lacrosse
