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2000s Articles
Former pupil James Cole is a rising racing star

Article from 'Your Move' magazine yourmovemagazine.com

James-Cole-the-move-2010

 

OCR Transcript:
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Cole Position

Just one weekend of racing success at Brands Hatch stands between Southport-born James Cole and British Formula 3 success in the driver's inaugural season in the championship. The man from a musical background lies just five points behind arch-rival Menasheh ldafar as he sets his sights on the title and ultimate motor racing dominance. 

INTERVIEW BY JONATHAN KEARNEY 

What are your thoughts as you enter the season finale at Brands Hatch?
It's going to be a close finish. It's been tight between the two of us (Idafar) all year - but I wouldn't want to win it too easily.

The rivalry must be pretty intense at this stage?
It started out as two team mates helping each other out but you have to have the mental approach where you hate each other. If you're friends with the person it's very difficult. As the season has drawn to a close both of us are becoming increasingly on edge about it. It's got to the stage where we're not talking to each other. When you're a boxer I'm sure you can't be friends with someone when you're going to go and punch their lights out.

And a great track to conclude the season...
Yeah Brands Hatch is one of the most historic tracks in the UK. It's a very technically difficult circuit for F3. It's very fast. We haven't been there at all this year, so it's going to be interesting.

What's next for you after this season?
It's all down to budget. The thing with motor sport, as long as you keep winning, the budget shouldn't be an issue, but just because you win the championship doesn't necessarily mean that you'll go onto the next stage, especially because of the economic situation at the minute. Finding sponsorship is extremely difficult and nothing is ever secure. You never know where you're going to be or what you're going to do.

What would winning the F3 title mean for you?
It's my first season in F3 and I've been racing since 2007. So far I've won three championships. This could potentially be my fourth in four years, which would be a great achievement. That's why we have to make sure that we do it. For it to be as close as it is and with both being teammates it's probably going to be the hardest championship to win as well. The next stage is to do the main class of F3 which has already been won this year by a Frenchman called Jean-Eric Vergne. He's backed by Red Bull and will probably be in Formula One next year.

Do you look at some of the Formula One guys and think "I could be as good as that"?
I know a few on the edge of Formula One and GP2. Karun Chandok who's in Formula One this year with HRT drove for T-Sport, the team I'm with, a couple of years ago, so I know him really well. He's done some of the driver coaching for us earlier in the year. His experience is that Formula One is not that different to F3. The cars are very similar, just a lot faster and more unpredictable. That's why F3 is such a good platform. It's the best competition because it's the closest thing to Formula One.

What's your ultimate ambition in racing?
Everyone wants to get to Formula One and to win that championship. That's definitely my aim. A lot of people think that's not very realistic, or that's not going to happen, but you've also got to think that if you carry on winning , you've got to hope that you can carry on that way. Seeing Karun in Formula One and seeing a few other drivers right on the cusp of Formula One who I know very well and seeing how they drive and how I compare to them in the same car just a few years later, I know that I have the capability and talent to get to Formula One.

You're also an accomplished musician. Is music a fallback for you?
Music is something that I love. I still have one year to go at LIPA. I'm taking a sabbatical at the moment. I can take up to five years out before going back into third year, or I can just re-audition if it's any longer than that. They've been very supportive about how I do this. My background is in music. My Dad Chas Cole has run CMP Entertainment and the Summer Pops for years, so I've been going to gigs for as long as I can remember. Music is something that I'll always have. I don't want to ever get to the stage where I don't want to play music or I hate it. Sometimes I have a had day racing and all I want to do is come back and just listen to music or play the guitar to calm me down. 

The 2010 British F3 International Series concludes at Brands Hatch on the weekend of 25 September. 

 

COLE FILE

BORN
Southport, August 1988

EDUCATION 
Sunnymede School, Southport; St Mary's College, Crosby; LIPA 

RACING HERO
Damon Hill

FAVOURITE TRACK
Oulton Park

MUSIC
"Everything from Pink Floyd to Folk and stuff you'll hear in the charts today" 

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Star role in pantomime
Crosby_Herald
OCR Transcript
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Crosby Herald, Thrsday. August 2010

Singer is hailed as the next Katherine Jenkins

By LYNDSAY YOUNG

Star role in pantomime

A FORMER St Mary's College School pupil has won a starring role in panto. Rachael Russell, 28. who is dubbed as the new Katherine Jenkins, has secured the starring role of the Princess in Aladdin at Barrow-in-Furness in December. The starlet, who is a classically trained singer, is delighted at the opportunity to star in her first panto. Her dream is to secure a record deal like solo artist Katherine or Charlotte Church. Rachael who lives in Downing Road in Bootle, said: "It's brilliant. I've never done panto before so it will be in-teresting. "It will be nice to be part of a cast because I usually per-form solo." Starting out in the school choir at St Mary's and her church choir at St Francis De Salles in Walton. she has always had a passion for singing. Her talent has secured her work on a number of cruise ships over the next year and she is due to set off on a liner to Crete today. She said: "I have always been singing. "It's great to have the opportunity to travel and work at the same time. It is definitely a perk of the job being able to travel.

"It would be great to get a record deal down the line like Katherine Jenkins." She completed a degree at Royal College of Music in London and Manchester and is a postgraduate of the Royal Northern College of Music. She also has acting qualifications from LIPA giving her the a firm foundation for her road to stardom. Her talents have also just been picked up by agents Tony West Entertainments, who have celebrities including comedy entertainer Bob Carolgees on their books Tony West, owner of the company. said: "She has in credible vocal talent. The feedback has been incredible. "With the panto, I think it's another aspect of her career from which she will really prosper." She will star in Aladdin at the Forum Theatre in Barrow-in-furness from December 14.

• Singer Rachael Russell with Tony West
 
Bootle nightingale' set to take on the world
rachael_russell_article_Daily_post_2010_screen
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LDP arts

edited by Laura Davis

'Bootle nightingale' set to take on the world

by William Leece
LDP STAFF

FOR a performer described as Liverpool's Singer in Residence, Rachel Russell will be spending a lot of time out of town in the next few months. But for all that a globetrotting career lies ahead, the Bootle-born soprano re-mains rooted in the area, commuting to the Mediterranean and further afield with the ease that other workers find on Merseyrail. She has been a familiar figure in Mer-seyside musical circles for a few years as she has built on her music degree from colleges in London and Manchester with an acting qualification from the Liver-pool Institute of Performing Arts. Now her career has taken an inter-national dimension as she concentrates on the popular entertainment repertoire with dates at resorts in Tenerife and Crete and extended spells with cruise op-erators in the Mediterranean and Carib-bean planned for this year and next. "I have always wanted to try and bring the classic repertoire to a wider audi-ence." says Russell. 28. 1 don't want to be restricted in what I do. and just like to be able to put on a good show." She had aptitude for music from an early age, active in her choir at St Mary's College in Crosby and eventually taking her music degree and postgraduate qual-ifications at the Royal College of Music in London and then the Royal North College In Manchester. Student roles spanned the repertoire from Handel to Kurt Weill, but she has always played to a popular audience as well - earning the accolade of "the Bootle nightingale" from Ken Dodd after one show at the floral Pavilion in New Brighton. Now she has linked up with the Merseyside entertainment agent Tony West, best know as one of the most respected suppliers of performers in the interna-tional cabaret and cruise market. "Rachel is a little bit different." says West, whose wife Sandi has also concen-trated on bringing a classical repertoire to a popular audience. Under his guidance Rachel will be moving into pantomime later this year as the Princess in Aladdin at Barrow in Fur-ness. and has also done one session at Thomson group's five-star Sensatori resort in Tenerife. "That was such a success that she's been asked back later this year and also at Sensatori in Crete. with the offer of weekly booking next year," says West. "At the end of next month she's flying out to Palma for a Mediterranean cruise, and next year she'll be joining two saga ship in legs of their world cruises." P&O and Cunard have also made in-quiries. but for the time being Rachel still on a learning curve. "She's taking notes, taking advice all the time." says West. "She's so keen to learn - she can go a really long way"

Rachel Russell is now building an international career.
 
Oxford University awaits for two pupils with straight A passes.
2009_Oxford_Success
Crosby Herald Thursday 27th August, 2009
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Oxford University awaits for two pupils with straight A passes.

OXFORD is calling for two students following success in their A-level results.

Josh Williams, from Crosby and Sarah Leonard from Formby have both
secured places at Christ Church College at Oxford University. Josh achieved four straight As in biology chemistry maths and general studies.

He will go on to study biology at the college. Sarah Leonard achieved As in English literature, French, classical civilisation and maths. She has secured a place in the classics department at Christ Church College.

St Mary's is celebrating its overall results after 17 students, which is more than 25% of candidates, achieved at least three A grades. Of those, 11 achieved four or more A passes.

Emma Sharkey Anna Duenbier, Raymond Lee, Jacob Best, Daniel Wise and Ciara Murphy were among those who achieved four A grades.

St. Mary's College was founded in 1919 by the Christian Brothers.

Mike Kennedy principal, Said; "These are outstanding results which reflect all the hard work of our students and staff over the past two years and the support they have received from parents.

"Here at St Mary's we pride ourselves  on offering children and young people an all-round education and encouraging achievements in many fields.

"However this year's A-levels show once again that our academic standards remain very high and at the core of our work"

Caption: Josh Williams and Sarah Leonard who are going to Oxford University
 


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