Archive News from January 2005

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

Monday 31st January 2005
• No Limits Rowing LLC offers sculling and sweep-rowing camps in Mexico City. Includes facilities at the 1968 Olympic course, tours of the city and pyramids, and coaching. Sounds appealing, not to mention the altitude training location already used by several national federations. The website includes a picture of the biggest Aztec pyramid, the Sun Pyramid, with over 600 steps, which the author suggests might make a rather solid 'stadium' test. Anyone want to try it? Harvard varsity? Dutch 2004 Olympic eight?!
• No sign of the Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships results from Toronto yet, but I'm sure they will be up later today. Nor are there signs of the Monster Erg results from Victoria: the two regattas were both held on Sunday, and the Canadian national champions are decided on the best of the two results.
• Results for the Warrington Head of the Mersey (UK, PDF download).
• And provisional results for the Stourport Winter Head (UK).
• Hampton Head (UK) final results overall and by event.
• Northampton Head of the Nene results (UK) too.
• The new secretary of the Welsh ARA (UK) is Sally Haines, email jaffa111["at"]btinternet.com.
• The provisional draw for Durham Head (UK) is up.
• A poster for the Kingston Head of the River (UK) can be downloaded here (JPG file).

  Friday 28th January 2005

• The new coach of the American School in London rowing programme (working out of Furnivall, UK) is Chris Clark (not the Wisconsin head coach). This one's email is Chris_Clark{at}asl.org if anyone needs to get in touch with the AS rowers.
• New South Wales's Lindsay Callaghan has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to rowing.
• Le Figaro discusses (in French) the attempt by Atlantic rower Maud Fontenoy to be the first woman to row across the Pacific, though they may have it slightly wrong since they seem to think she'll be just using arm-power (oh these rowing innocents). Links to the home websites, latest positions and news for Maud and Atlantic attempter James Little can be found on the Ocean Rowing Society website along with (I gather) the 2005 Ocean Rowing calendar (eek!).

  Thursday 27th January 2005

• Details of the Weybridge Veterans and Junior Head (UK, 5th March) now online. Veteran novice, junior maiden and veteran/junior coxed fours are amongst the inventive categories offered.
• The University of Surrey BC has shifted its official website location to www.usbcrowing.com (UK).
• Stories on FISA's site: Australia hosts Olympic hopefuls and The rise of FISA's Crew of the Year.
• The Lincoln Trophy Centre (UK) has some odd and some good rowing trophies - worth a look to see where your favourite medal/cup probably came from. Their PDF brochure is a bit of a nightmare to download unless you're on a fast connection.

  Wednesday 26th January 2005

• There's a piece in the Edinburgh Evening News (Scotland), Going the extra mile in memory of brother, about the sister of Tristan Hewins, a rower who died from a bike accident last year, running the London Marathon. Donations to the charity fundraising effort being made in Tristan's name can be done via http://www.justgiving.com/katehewins.
• Next Sunday's BBC Superstars (UK) features Olympic champion Ed Coode, competing against Jamie Baulch (athletics), Leon Taylor (diving), Matthew Stevens (snooker), Ralph Firman (motor racing), Jason Queally (cycling), James Gibson (swimming) and Marlon Devonish (athletics). I think this is different from the list they gave at the end of the last programme, but it seems to be correct.
• Ex-1st & 3rd Trinity/Cambridge rowers Rich Dewire and Dan Darley have launched a website for their Atlantic Rowing Race attempt: they're trying to be the first Brits to win the race, which starts in November 2005.
• Photos from the Thames Valley Trial Head are up here (UK).

  Tuesday 25th January 2005

• Sir Matt Pinsent (GBR M4-) and Barney Williams (CAN M4-) are doing a talk about their amazing Olympic final from 7-9pm in St. Catz College Lecture Theatre Oxford (UK) tomorrow (Weds 26th January). No advance bookings, payment on the door a minimum contribution of £5 towards the tsunami relief effort, all takings to the relevant charities. Maximum room limit of 250 people.
• Melbourne University' BC's Head Coach position has become vacant (Australia). See website for details.
• Draw for the Strathclyde University Small Boats Head (Scotland, 30th January) is online.
• And start list for Hampton School Fours and Eights Head (29th January, UK).
• Women's crew up for auction (Ebay UK).
• Entries for the Vet's Head (March, UK) can now be made via the OARA system.
• A press release from Monmouth School Comprehensive (UK) - Redgrave backs MCS rowing marathon (Word document).

  Monday 24th January 2005

• Concept 2 UK have a new promotion: if you spend over £1000 on their website, you get a free trip to one of four American cities (Boston, New York, Atlanta or Washington). See further information on the C2 UK website. You can also get a free heart-rate interface if you buy a machine online at the moment.
• The HORR (UK) is open for online entry business via OARA.
• It's been announced that celebrated Dutch oarsman Michiel Bartman is to become head coach of Vesper Boat Club in the USA. Bartman, who won three Olympic medals, has more information on his website.
• A website for the Cardiff Head of the Taff (Wales).
• On 29th January, the juniors from Wycliffe Sculling Centre (UK) will be attempting to set a new world record for a team 24-hour erg row. Part of the money raised will go towards the rebuilding of a school in Sri Lanka following the tsunami.
• Provisional results are out for the Thames Valley Trial Head (UK).

  Friday 21st January 2005

• The Head of the Taff (Wales) is definitely on 12th March and not on 26th February as in this month's Regatta magazine. Until the formal link goes up, here is the PDF poster (with a picture of a cox trying to line up the route through the awkwardly located railway arch ahead...)
• A press release for the Ergomania event (29th January, USA). Event details on the George Pocock Rowing Foundation website.
• Good to see - next Wednesday (26th January) the Loyola College rowers (USA) will be doing a 7am-7pm Row for Humanity, with proceeds going to build Habitat houses in partnership with low-income local families.
• The Slug has finally put up the much-awaited Slade rip-off "Here's Regatta everybody" on her Top of the Pots page (courtesy of an RSR poster), together with other tunes including the immortal season's favourite "Do They Know It's Walton Head".

  Thursday 20th January 2005

• A message from Henley Women's Regatta (UK) to potential competitors:
  "After due consideration the HWR Committee has decided to remove the requirement regarding the finishing position at the Women's Head of the River race as a condition of entry into the Senior and Intermediate events at the 2005 regatta. However, the committee would like to draw the attention of competitors and coaches to rule 1.4 i.e. - 1.4) The Committee reserves the right to reallocate a crew to the appropriate event if it considers an unsuitable category has been entered. Performance in events in 2005 will be taken  into account. Enquiries to enquiries@hwr.org.uk."
• The Australian Youth Olympic Festival website has results from the first days of competition, including this report on the first day's rowing, and general background on the sport, including a sponsorship by DHL for Australian rowing. Results in the Brisbane Courier Mail too.
• A report on the recent presentation of the ARA's Medal of Merit to Mortlake Anglian & Alpha President Nina Padwick on the club's website.
• Durham Head entries (UK) open online today at 4pm on the OARA website - for ARA-registered competitors only. There is no mechanism for day tickets so those entries will have to be made on paper forms as normal. The organiser asks that entrants put their division in the Notes field, or she will put you in the one with the most space, and to specify veteran age categories in the Notes field too. She's included a generic multiple boat-type event to allow any events she's forgotten - again use notes to specify. Contact/help details on the Durham ARC webpage.
• It looks as if Summer Storm is getting another airing - look at this explanatory mention in SSONET (Australia).

  Wednesday 19th January 2005

• Sad news in Canada, that long-time RCA Executive committee member John Anderson, died yesterday after a multi-vehicle pile-up on the 401 near London, Ontario, as he was returning from the Detroit Auto Show. "We are just shell-shocked. John will be missed by his many friends in rowing", said RCA Executive Director Alan Roaf.
• Online entries for the Warrington Head of the Mersey (UK, 30th January) should be active today - link to OARA and more information on the Warrington website.
• I really thought I'd posted this already - the Gay and Lesbian Rowing Federation (US-based with global links) has started a partnership with the Craftsbury Sculling Center. They're kicking off their new "HitTheWater!" campaign with a sculling weekend at Craftsbury, Vermont in June to celebrate Gay Pride month.

  Tuesday 18th January 2005

• Apologies - was online with a terrible connection for just 3 minutes yesterday, and didn't have time to check the link I'd been given for the Worlds 2006 site (UK, now correct).
• Another UK rower using the facilities at Dorney Lake has had his car broken into. He would like to tell those who may also be using the Lake car-park that according to Dorney's reception, this is a common problem as there are many accesses between the river and the parking area, so people should hide/remove valuables, and use car-alarms where possible. Rowers might like to publicise this more widely in their clubs...?
• The Crewroom (UK) is advertising a job.
• Provisional draw for the Scottish Indoor Rowing Grand Prix is up (UK) and the SARA news page has details of check-in etc. On the same news page it notes that Scottish (SARA) clubs intending to enter the (Men's) Head of the River should not use OARA but instead enter on paper - forms have already gone out to those clubs which have entered recently and can be requested for any newcomers.
• The Head of the Trent website (UK) has been updated. Competitors should note the slight change in division order - Div 1 is long (M8s, W4s); Div 2 is short (Novices and Senior4); Div 3 is long (W8s, M4s). They have also gone all hyper-technological; crews will be asked to provide mobile numbers, which will be used for SMS announcements/instructions during the day, as the two main boating areas (Trentside and NWSC) are 3km apart. Brief top results will also be sent to these mobiles, and for privacy the numbers will be deleted from the Trent database during the week after the Head. Cunning plans....
• Results of the Remenham Head (UK) on the Twickenham website. London won the men's and Thames the women's elite categories (would that be 'again' by any chance?!)

  Monday 17th January 2005

• The Worlds 2006 website (UK) should be going live today, including information about the Dorney World Cup this coming May.
• (UK) - A one-day delay to the OARA online entry system means that Wycliffe Big Head entries will not open until tomorrow (Tuesday 18th January). More details on the link.
• The Windsor Boys' School BC (UK) are once again running the Thames Valley Oarsmen's Cross Country Race, on Saturday 22nd January. Entries are supposed to close today, but I'm assured they can be a bit flexible. Details on the linked website.

  Friday 14th January 2005

• Belvoir Amateur RC (UK, for the alumni of the Leicester Universities) has gone online with a website at www.belvoirarc.co.uk.
• Details of Reading Eights Head (26th February, UK).
• On FISA's site, Dubai uncovers rowing and Australia lines up the next generation.
• On the ARA (UK) website recently, a statement from Reading RC on the death of Sakinder Farooq, related advisory notes from the ARA, an update on the Peterborough Indoor Rowing League, Tutor Training, and a vacancy for a community rowing coach in Devon.

  Thursday 13th January 2005

• When I mentioned NoLondon2012 yesterday and the online poll it's running about the British Olympic bid, the Noes were in front (winning by about 270 No to 235 Yes at 10am 12/1/05, when the site and poll started in November 2004). Since that time yesterday, the number of votes cast has shot up to 863, with Noes languishing at 323 and Yeses winning with 540. Tee hee.... I don't know what else happened yesterday to spark interest in the site, but perhaps everyone who voted 'Yes' would check that they have also backed the official bid, for a double pro-Olympic whammy. I'd like to see the No-site webstats - they could be interesting.
• Several questions about rowing have been posed by the All-Party Parliamentary Rowing Group (UK) to the Government. Some answers have recently been published - transcripts here.
• Scottish Rowing has just published its Senior selection policy for the Home International Regatta of 2005 (Word document). The junior policy will be published shortly but in the meantime interested juniors should email Jim Ferguson. Queries over senior selection should go to Scotland Team Manager Gary Bain.
• Details, entry forms etc. for the Scottish Indoor Rowing Grand Prix on the SARA newspage. Entries close tomorrow (Friday 14th January).
• Poster for Durham Head (UK) now on the Durham ARC website.
• BUSA (UK) has added information on the BUSA Head and EUSA Regatta to its pages - visit the weekly mailout page and look under rowing in section b) for the downloadable Word documents. Note that Alumni entries are now allowed at the Head (February 27th) as well as the May Sprint Regatta. More general info on the BUSA Rowing page.

  Wednesday 12th January 2005

• One for the British readers - there is a new website out called NoLondon2012, opposing the British Olympic bid. As a dyed-in-the-wool supporter of the British effort, I'm pleased to see they're running a fair online poll, and that the "yes" votes are only just behind the "no" votes (given that the site should be attracting a lot of Noes). May I encourage Rowing Service readers to visit - of course it's up to you who to vote for or whether to, but wouldn't it be amusing if the poll on NoLondon went the way of the Yeses? (Thanks NF).
• For those that read the sculling equipment comparison article in Rowing News (North America) last year, there is a rec.sport.rowing newsgroup thread which may interest. One of the scullers taking part in the experiment, Marc Gwadz, has posted several comments in a recent thread which give more insight into the trial - fascinating stuff.
• After consideration, Knight Frank in Kingston (UK) have decided to offer a girls' scholarship late in 2005 to match their boys' scholarship being offered now in connection with Kingston Rowing Club. The PDF document linked above is an update, asking girls of the right age-group to apply now for their award, decisions for which will be made later in the year.
• The town of Schuyler in Herkeimer County, Albany (USA) has been awarded a $20,000 local grant to do a study for a rowing course (multilane, I presume).
• Notice for the Durham Small Boats Head (UK).
• From Monday's Telegraph (UK), Kate Hoey writing about the 2003 Licensing Act which will affect clubs' bar licenses.

  Tuesday 11th January 2005

• The new series of the BBC's Superstars is off and running from this coming Sunday (16th January) onwards (UK) - 5:45-6:45pm on BBC 1. It was filmed in La Manga last October, and features rowers in four of the five heats, with Tim Foster kicking off against John Barnes, Bryan Robson, Martin Offiah, Ellery Hanley, John Regis, Jonathan Davies and Barry McGuigan in the Masters programme which is the first to be shown (the order of programmes is not quite what's on the Superstars webpage linked above).
• Enterprise Consulting Inc (USA) sell the SMART - Sports Motion Analysis and video Review Tool - software which will capture video footage and generate motion-analysis data from it which can be used for in-depth analysis of sporting technique. Their examples include rowing, and they both sell online and allow request of a demo version for potential customers to try out. Sounds very interesting, especially now that so much digital footage of top-class rowers is available to compare your crews to....
• New outfit Trentham Boat Club (Staffordshire, UK) would like to thank Upton RC and Warwick BC for their help obtaining equipment to get started. They now have two 4+ and an 8+ in constant use, and three crews already formed. They're also after a 2x/2- and a 1x (both men's) so if anyone has surplus stock, please contact D Barton on 0781-391-1998.
• Entries for the Wycliffe Big Head (5th February, UK) will only be taken through the ARA OARA system, and during the period 17th-28th Jan (inclusive, I presume). More details from the host link above.
• Poster for the Tyne Head Race (18th February, UK), which includes new College Eights prizes for men and women.

  Monday 10th January 2005

• The Imperial College School of Medicine students (UK) are doing a sponsored row on Wednesday 12th January at Paddington Station in aid of the Red Cross Tsunami Relief Appeal: distance from London to Penzance on RowPerfects in one day. Donations and comments can be made online via their JustGiving site.
• Details for the Stourport Winter Head (UK, 30th January) are online.
• The South Yorkshire Head which was to be on 12th February cancelled due to circumstances out of their control (UK).
• PDF poster for the Strathclyde University BC Small Boats Head (Scotland, 30th January).
• A link to Fanatic Sport & Leisure (UK), who sell a wide range of rowing clothing and accessories, including bringing in Regatta Sport lycras and other customised kit from Canada. They have a licence to supply RedHead branded clothing, and also sell useful items like waterproof mobile phone/key/wallet cases, SealSkinz waterproof socks (vg for coxes, I can vouch) and Buff headwraps.
• A website for Castle Dore Rowing Club (Cornwall, UK).

  Friday 7th January 2005

• Entries for the Thames Valley Head Trials (23rd January, UK) are being accepted online.
• Bideford Amateur Rowing Club (UK) has a new website.
• Kingston RC (UK) are starting a Knight Frank Rowing Scholarship for boys under 14. The full brochure, including application form (deadline 11th February) can be downloaded as a PDF file. FYI it's being offered to boys first because the club has many more junior girls than boys at the moment.
• Some good articles on FISA's website - Eights in his veins, Adapting to rowing blind, and Fitting Christmas into training.

  Thursday 6th January 2005

• Ed Hewitt has put up his (US-orientated) Row2k Best and worst of 2004 which makes for excellent reading. A highly commended to the awful ARCO tash-boys, and a shiver down the spine for the Norway vs USA M2x semifinal result. See also the did we do it shot and, a few minutes earlier, the crews racing for the line (all EH pix on Row2k). I note that Ed doesn't have a picture of the scoreboard a couple of seconds earlier, which showed them at identical times, or the first version of the official Racetracker results, which had them split by 0.005 seconds (less than the FISA minimum). I can't remember which way round it was, unfortunately it was removed rather quickly, and the rest is now history.
• There is a certain synchronicity in updating this site: similar items do tend to turn up together as if by arrangement. So first there's been a newsgroup mention of the Gig Harbor Works Forward Facing Rowing System, a reciprocating hinge oarlock which works well in wide-beam dory-style boats, though there's no information about using it in fine shells. And at the same time I've been emailed by Ron Rantilla about his FrontRower cable/pulley system (company also called AquaMotion). His extensive notes describe how to fit this into canoes and recreational boats such as Aldens, and the variable arm/leg use suggests it might work for adaptive rowers. There's a useful page with mpeg video clips to show you what happens - for sheer giggle factor click on the hands-free version, which looks far too much fun not to try.
• And even more tattifilarious, the ForwardFace ZRower uses a typical erg rowing action to drive a propellor which shoves the boat along very smoothly forward, with a hand-steering mechanism (see the big mpeg clip to watch it in action). Brilliant - almost makes those infernal machines look fun (and by the way, disproves the old adage that ergs don't float....). Ha!
• A quick net-surf also gives us the ReelFoot Boat, and C Johnson's dissertation on forward rowing.
• Please note that none of this is anything to do with the Forward Rowing Club Morges, a standard competitive rowing outfit in Switzerland (website in Swiss-French).
• The indefatigable Tideway Slug has pointed out the useful UK site www.stolenboats.org.uk, handy for reporting loss of boat/trailer/launch/engine and other nickable items. I'm not sure whether the persistence of some 2-year-old thefts on the list is testament to the items not being recovered, or the site not being updated.
• Ravens Rowing, the homepage of the Carleton University rowing team (Canada).

  Wednesday 5th January 2005

• "True Blue" (now retitled for the USA DVD market as "Miracle At Oxford", see yesterday's news) can also apparently be obtained in region 2 DVD format under its own title here as a Cinema Club issue for Play.com, cost currently £4.49. Thanks very much RB. It appears that Amazon UK also now have it for sale and are including a rental option which may be useful for clubs wanting to show it once or twice.
• The Norwegian fjord rowing bunch (see yesterday's news) are also active in Viking history and re-enactment. There's an event coming up this June which they describe as "Viking ships, Viking camp and Opera" (sounds utterly unmissable). See www.hafrsfjordspillene.no for details.
• Details of the Indoor Cup in Essen-Kettwig (Germany) on January 29th. Foreign participants have free entry, and there is apparently a stonking party afterwards. Not all web details are in English, but Karon Phillips at New Wave UK has offered to help anyone interested with information/advice on travel or accommodation.
• Glasgow University Boat Club (Scotland) are using an online entry system for their Western Eights Head of the Clyde, coming up on 29th January. The system is now active. BC name changed after typo this morning.
• Entries for the Harpur Trust Biathlon (UK) close this coming Friday.
• The boy has just been identified (Wednesday morning) - apparently he is Sakinder Farooq and was, after all, 15. This follows some confusion over who he was and how old which occurred during Sunday. I was told that the family had three sons - 18, 15 and 12 years old - and originally it was thought that he was the youngest son, but he must be the middle boy. Here is the full PA newswire release.

  Tuesday 4th January 2005

• An interesting twist on rowing holidays - new company Fjord Rowing Norway (information in English, Norwegian and German). The scenery looks spectacular.
• It seems that the film of "True Blue" (the story of the Oxford Boat Race mutiny in 1987) has been retitled for issue on DVD, as 'Miracle At Oxford'. It's released today, but before rowing-fanatics get their hopes up, the new DVD (Amazon.com link) is only available in Region 1, which will normally serve for the USA and Canada, unless you decide to reprogram your player or have a multi-region machine. It is not available on other Amazon sites, but perhaps writing to publishers Buena Vista Home Video will prod them into action if there is enough demand.
• The organisers of the Swiss Indoor Rowing Championships on 28th-29th January are offering free participation for non-Swiss competitors. The event includes the 2000m championships, a 3hour marathon 120-erg rowing class on Friday evening followed by a party, and 300m sprints for anyone to enter. Attendance can be combined with a ski-ing holiday, they suggest.... Entry forms on this page (currently in German, will be translated into English soon).
• Unusual mentions of rowing on the wires - apparently the police in Venice are to introduce breathalyser tests for gondoliers, to tackle an outbreak of "drunken rowing". One veteran gondolier was quoted as saying there was nothing wrong with taking charge of a gondolier after a couple of glasses of wine. "Because we are physically active, we can easily work off the alcohol", he said.
• And oddity number two: carpenter Gordon Pipes is planning to prove by demonstration his unusual theory about how Stonehenge was constructed. He believes the huge stones were levered along a track by huge logs, rather than rolled or dragged as others have suggested. He has named the process "stone rowing" and is going to re-enact it with volunteers....
• Here's a new idea for anyone thinking of taking a late winter holiday - Crystal Ski Challenge - Can you beat Steve Redgrave?. If parties of less than 4 want to try and make up teams with other rowers, I'm willing to publish details here to help them link up.

  Monday 3rd January 2005

• Tragic news in Britain: - a 12-year-old rower drowned yesterday while sculling at Reading RC. He capsized (reasons unknown), swam to the far bank, but couldn't get out and submerged under the cold water (not yet freezing here but in the low numbers celsius). A rescue operation was scrambled by the local emergency services but they didn't find anything until three hours later, when his body was discovered by police divers on the river-bed. A post-mortem will be done on Monday, and he will be formally identified then, although his family already know - father and elder brother were called to the club as soon as the accident happened, and were there during the rescue services' search.