Archive News from April 2004

Snippets of news and events from earlier months, as shown originally on the Rowing Service News Page.
Standard results/events/etc not shown.

There is a full Rowing Service archive index online.

Friday 30th April 2004

If you fancy a really long row on October 2nd in Australia (mid-spring, remember), try the Murray River Rowathon, which is a truly estimable event. It is 92kms long, but participants can choose to row some or all of the approximately quarter-length stages, in all sorts of boat types, past historical aboriginal sites, and all for the most excellent good cause of raising money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. For more information see the homepage, while interested parties (especially possible overseas visitors) should contact Roger Boyce. They would be delighted to welcome entries from other countries.
A press release issued by the Skiff and Royal Canoe Club members doing the Celtic Challenge this weekend. I'm still after general (not team-specific) online information about the event, if anyone has published it.
Tuesday 27th April 2004
Dittons Punt & Skiff Club broke the Thames Meander record by eight hours: details from Reuters and This is Local London (UK).
Please change your links: The Rowing Service has had its own address for ages now, and yet people continue to list the "users.ox.ac.uk" address which will one day become obsolete. Please please please if you are a webmaster, will you check that you have the "proper" URLs listed for the Rowing Service. The main page is http://www.rowingservice.com/ and this news page is http://www.rowingservice.com/new.html. Could private users check their bookmarks too? The /users/ address is still valid, and hasn't been removed yet, but it would be better if as many people as possible could make the change now. Thanks.
Monday 26th April 2004
Kenya are sending their first rower to the Olympics - Ibrahim Githaiga of Kenya is amongst the qualifiers from the African Qualification Regatta held this weekend.
Meanwhile in Shanghai, the Asian Qualification Regatta saw 10 countries qualify extra athletes for Athens, including Vietnam making its first rowing appearance. Official live-produced results here.
(UK) - There is a Thames Regional Rowing Council meeting tonight at Dorney Lake boathouse, which all the region's clubs, officers, umpires and regattas are invited to. Agenda here (MS Word document). Start time 7:30pm. Note that the meeting is not intended to include discussion of the plans for reorganising competition, as that has a separate consultation process (5th May and 1st June).
FISA have started an athlete noticeboard on which they are putting details of all the things athletes need to know about - commissions, doping rules, etc.
Friday 23rd April 2004
Canottagio Vero has, amongst other features, a lengthy interview with Mike Spracklen, by Marco Bovo (in Italian and English).
Thursday 22nd April 2004
BIRO have announced their team for the Poznan World Cup Regatta (GB).
Wednesday 21st April 2004
A collaboration between Durham Sport and Sport UK is putting on courses and workships to develop local sports clubs and coaches. See http://www.durhamsport.com for more details (UK).
Another poll - this time for the BBC's greatest sporting moment.
Monday 19th April 2004
Last call for Old Monmothians to sign up to race Monmouth Regatta (UK) on Saturday 29th May 2004 for the reformed Old Monmothians B.C. - all interested parties should contact James Knight on 07887836100 or james at familyknight.co.uk by 14th May 2004.
News from Bedford (UK) - bad weather conditions on Sunday forced the Thames Challenge crew to abandon their record attempt at 4:30pm yesterday after reaching the Isle of Dogs in good time.
Thursday 15th April 2004
I have been told that the Defi Universitaire Européen de l'Arc Atlantique (France) is now open to clubs as well as student crews, and the entry deadline has been moved from 9th April to 18th. Information on the site linked above.
Wednesday 14th April 2004
From Simon Newton, a report on the Isis-Goldie race (link fixed and apologies for the delay).
A press release from Dorney Lake about the appointment of Nigel Weare as consultant (UK).
Monday 12th April 2004
Schuylkill Navy (USA) have announced that their Masters races at the Navy Day and Independence Day Regattas will be raced over 2km. The change is based on a poll of local masters competitors, and will revert to 1km in 2005 if unsuccessful.
Gravesend RC members of the record-holding Lechlade to Southend record crew (UK) have written an account of their three attempts (PDF format, 352 kb) - required reading for the nutters about to attempt to break their time....!
Saturday 10th April 2004
Dittons Punt and Skiff Club are doing a Lechlade to Southend Thames record attempt in a couple of weeks time.
The Head of the River Race (UK) has published its draw and entry arrangements for next year's race (Saturday 19th March 2005 at 10am), detailing who gets guaranteed and draw places for next year's race following the cancellation this year. Scottish and Welsh competitors note that registration instructions have changed for 2005.
Thursday 8th April 2004
Oxford rowers Matt Smith and Phil Fellowes are cycling across America to raise money for the African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF) which needs another £48,000 to complete its Somalian rescue project. Smith and Fellowes aim to do the 4000-mile journey in 60 days, unaided. Details and how to donate on link above.
While we're on the subject of charity endurance efforts, three Bedford RC (UK) oarsmen plan to row the entire navigable Thames non-stop (187 miles) in a sea-going coxed double scull. More information on their website.
Tuesday 6th April 2004
An article on NLRoei (Netherlands) about the Athens Contingency Scenarios information recently sent out to national federations.
Friday 2nd April 2004
Rowing Canada has announced the first appointment of a national adaptive team coach, Allison Sheard.