Archive News from May 2005

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.

Tuesday 31st May 2005

Regional round-ups. I would like to start a regular Rowing Service "shorts" page with news which will be of interest to specific groups/regions of people. To do this I'm going to need some help, as extracting local news isn't easy when you are not from the area. Please would anyone who would like to contribute as a regular stringer (local writer) get in touch with me. I'd want something at least once a month, and if successful or at busy times, more often. To start with I'm looking for a stringer from each of the ARA regions (UK), one from each of SARA and WARA (UK) and if anyone is interested in stringing from non-GB countries, that would also be great. You'd be providing very short news snippets (typically 40-80 words each), be responsible for checking the accuracy of the information yourself, and anything I think the world would be interested in I would move up here onto the News page. If you can help, let me know. Rachel Quarrell, Rowing Service editor.
A website for ZSR Boreas, a student rowing club named after the Greek God of the North Wind. In Dutch.
Monday 30th May 2005
The National Schools Regatta website (UK) will be updated tomorrow on its own pages with results. In the mean time, the Holme Pierrepont page has Friday races and Sunday up until about midday, including the re-run Boys Championship 8+ which was done semi-officially by agreement between the organisers and most of the schools concerned (Radley and King's Chester did not join in). Saturday's racing was first dropped to 1km and then cancelled in the strong wind, and no other events re-run.
NLRoei's Sybrand Treffers caught the infamous GBR M4x crab during Thursday's racing at Eton. To be fair, after that they did clean their act up brilliantly, and were unlucky to have the worst possible lane in the final.
Friday 27th May 2005
A bit of news about the Australians coming to row the Legends Sprint tomorrow at Dorney (UK). Article is in Word format.
The official press release about the new Camelot sponsorship of the W4x and M4- and British rowing.
National Schools results (UK) will go up here during racing (probably in batches).
News that a 65-year-old man died yesterday when his scull capsized in the Schuylkill River near Black Road and Martin Luther King Drive (USA). No more details as the newspaper is subscription only.
On a lighter note, there's a bit about rowing in this article (do find on page for 'regatta') which is amusing and impressive.
Thursday 26th May 2005
At Eton for the day, for the start of the Dorney World Cup, and there's been some good racing already. Brief quick-load results from the morning here on the Rowing Service and the usual racetracker from FISA.
Message from Tideway Scullers (UK): "Someone left a newly painted Carbocraft/Ayling 4 on the top rack of the outside racks at Tideway Scullers over a month ago. It blew off in the winds the other week and this put a hole in it. Does this boat belong to you? If so can you move it and do the necessary. If no one confesses to owning it then I think all we can do is to repair it and press it into service. If its yours and you want it back please come and take it away. Please contact me to claim it! Chris Williams".
A notice about Henley Veteran Regatta (UK): "If any rowers with Classic and Sports Cars would like to meet at Henley Vets regatta on the Saturday, please e-mail me. So far we have about 9 or 10 and would like to see others there. Hopefully we will have our own parking area and it would be great to get a collection together and watch some racing too. Andrew Wilson".
Wednesday 25th May 2005
The draw for Northwich Regatta (UK, Excel format).
A proposal to form a new 'Scullery' society in Britain (Word document).
Oarsome Foursome champion Nick Green has been appointed to the Australian Olympic Committee's Executive Board (Australia), and has been warning his country it faces a health problem if kids don't become more active.
Canadian Olympian Buffy Williams won the women's individual gold at the Oxford-Cambridge Varsity Triathlon match ten days ago.
Tuesday 24th May 2005
The draw for draw for Doncaster Regatta (UK) is up.
A message from Barnes Bridge Ladies RC (UK) - "BBLRC attended Twickenham regatta on Saturday 21st May. In short, 4 smoothies were left behind on the bank where crews go on and get off the water. They are club colours - largely royal blue, with a single white stripe on the far end. They have cream coloured handles. Of course we'd be hugely grateful if anyone can either provide any information on their whereabouts, or if you have kindly picked them up for safe-keeping, then please get in touch so we can arrange to come and collect them from you. Any news is much appreciated. Tammy Davis, Captain, BBLRC."
Entries for Durham Regatta (UK) are now open - OARA preferred, please email or call (07817-223485) if you need to use another method. Note that WE4x is included on Saturday (was omitted originally), and that there are guidelines for doubling up.
Monday 23rd May 2005
Draw for the National Schools Regatta (UK) is now up.
Leander Club (UK) has some surplus stock for sale.
The annual appeal to clubs (including those in the UK) planning to compete at Henley Women's Regatta or Henley Royal Regatta. Please would any club who has changed blade colours recently or is planning to compete at either event for the first time send their blade colour details to blades@rock-the-boat.co.uk so that Rock The Boat can get as many as possible right on their souvenir shirts.
There is a Head Coach job going at the student club WSR Argo (Holland). File is in PDF format.
Cahersiveen RC (Ireland) will be taking part in the 15-mile "Ocean to City" race in Cork on 4th June, part of the European City of Culture events. Details on their website.
Information, the poster and contact details for Hexham Regatta (UK) can be found here.
Saturday 21st May 2005
The Oxford University Women's Lightweight Rowing Club is looking for an assistant coach local to Oxford, from September. The appointed person will work under Head Coach Ian Shore, to help prepare the crew for the Henley Boat Race against Cambridge at the end of March 2006. Coaching duties involve up to six sessions per week, including some early mornings and double water sessions most weekends. A minimum IA coaching qualification (or equivalent) is required. Payment will be per session by mutual agreement. This position is a great opportunity for anyone looking to gain experience in coaching a high performance squad. All interested individuals please submit a CV and covering letter to OUWLRC President Annemarie Grandke, New College, Holywell Street, Oxford OX1 3BN, by email or snailmail, by May 31st 2005.
Friday 20th May 2005
Walton Amateur Regatta (UK) is open for OARA and paper entries - details on the link.
Godfrey Sports (UK) are bringing out a limited edition range of Union Flag clothing, details on the website.
The National Schools website (UK) has entries now listed. Note that the regatta asks for no more than one following bicycle per crew, and no cycling in crowded areas at the waterside.
Thursday 19th May 2005
Today Canadian Olympic champion Marnie McBean is "going deaf for a day" in aid of the Canadian Hearing Society. She'll be artificially deafened by silicone ear-plugs and then given a task to achieve. More on the website here.
There's a note in the Bucks Free Press (UK) that Princess Anne is coming to the second day (Friday May 27th) of the Dorney World Cup.
The River Tees Watersports Centre (UK) now has funding for a part-time Community Sports Coach (Rowing) and is advertising for the post now (Word document).
And the draw for Tees Regatta is on the website (UK).
Wednesday 18th May 2005
Late update, just announced - Pinsent to be awarded Thomas Keller Medal. More on FISA's website. As a result he's going to be presented with it after the M8+ final on the last day (28th May) of the Dorney World Cup, rather than at Lucerne where it is normally given. Congratulations Matt!
Olympic medallist Buffy Williams has lost a lot of hair and raised a lot of money for charity. The funds raised so far are Ł940 in the UK plus $3250CAN in North America, totalling $5340CAN. The highest donor of the evening was St. Hugh's BC which then took responsibility for the shaving. Pictures of the gory process here, here, here and the final result here. Donations can still be made, to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation directly, or to Buffy at St. Hugh's College, Oxford before the end of the week.
News of the opening of the Burrough Building at Thames on Sunday (UK).
The 20th Sparrows Offshore Aberdeen Inter-Company Row on 25th June (UK) is now oversubscribed, with a few crews on a waiting list. For more information talk to Aberdeen Boat Club captain Bill Burnett.
Tuesday 17th May 2005
News about limited availability opportunities for training to be an umpire at Marlow Regatta (UK) - note doc is in Word format.
Entries for Egham Regatta (UK) close at noon on Sunday 19th June. There's been a slight change in events (S3 out, J16 in) together with some new entry conditions this year.
Monday 16th May 2005
Dreadful news - Boston College rower dies at Dad Vail Regatta (Boston Herald, USA).
But the really amusing story is James Cracknell KOs partygoer (This is London, UK), no doubt bringing back memories of 1998 quite forcefully for a certain coxless four. I wonder how long Tim's going to send Crackers to Coventry for, in a reverse of the treatment he got when he slashed his own hand.... um, while acting recklessly during a party.... Well, they've got 12 days to get James rowing before the Legends Sprint on May 28th - loadsa time. Meanwhile in a beautiful bit of timing, Phoenix Books have released the paperback version of Four Men in a Boat by Rory Ross and Tim Foster, TF's story of what happened during the Sydney Olympiad including that fateful party. It's a harder read for non-rowers than MP's book, but digs quite a lot further into the stories and characters involved.
From the Calcutta Times, "A nine-member army rowing team, lead by Major D. Choudhuri, has set off for Calcutta from Farakka on fibreglass boats on Saturday as part of an endurance exercise. They are expected to reach the Man Oš War Jetty on May 20. The team is practising for an attempt to row 3,600 km through Sudan and Egypt on the Nile" (India).
Result of the Edinburgh-Glasgow University Boat Race was 5-2 to Edinburgh on Saturday (UK). Description and individual race results on the Tideway Slug. Glasgow have their own sub-site about the event.
Full results from Essen Regatta on Rudern1 (Germany), all in PDF format.
Docklands results online here (UK).
And Poplar results (same venue, Sunday) in Word and as a PDF (UK).
Friday 13th May 2005
Godfrey (UK) are still able to take kit orders for Oxford and Cambridge bumps.
Full Munich results on the course's website (Germany).
A report on the GBR J16 sculling camp from Jo Atkinson on the ARA website (UK).
From the "Great Reporter" online journal, Cambridge rowers beat Oxford in Croatia. Nice phrasing to call them "the two revered rowing teams"... According to my source, "we were lining up for the start vs the Oxford and Croatian old boys crews in fairly nasty conditions when we took on so much water we broke the hatch seal for the stern section of our old Filippi eight (due to the weight of water rolling around) and went down like a stone. Rick D did the honourable thing, as attached" (large Word file).
News from the Camtoo project (UK).
Thursday 12th May 2005
BigBlade have got pictures from the 2005 Regatta de la Sensa (Venice, Italy, on 8th May).
Details of Hexham Regatta (UK).
Entries for Marlow Regatta (18th June, UK) open today and will close at 8pm on 11th June. Payment before the closing date is essential to ensure acceptance, and cheques are OK if you can't pay online.
And Marlow Town Regatta (11th June, UK) is open for entries this coming Sunday ie 15th May.
Wednesday 11th May 2005
The US-run Gay & Lesbian Rowing Federation is running a 4-day rowing clinic in Tuscany, 22nd-26th September. More information on the website.
RowTV is streaming most of the finals from Gent in broadband and modem.
Cardiff University (UK) - did you leave a pair of "old style concept sculls" at BUSA? Unpainted, faded black writing on the collars. If you want them back please email Curc_Rowing@Yahoo.com.
Putney Town Regatta's website (UK) has its draw up.
Draw for Shrewsbury Regatta (UK).
Staffordshire University BC have their own webpage at draw for Bradford Spring Regatta, running for the first time as an ARA Primary event (UK) is now up. Link on the left, PDF format.
The draw for Poplar Regatta (UK) is up in Word and PDF formats.
The timetable for London Docklands Regatta (UK) is up and paper copies are being sent out.
Entries for Doncaster Regatta (May 28th, UK) close on 22nd May. Details on the link.
Sportsbite (UK) updated with general Olympic sports news.
Marlow Regatta tell me with a quick log-in to a separate bit of their site (UK) you can buy Regatta enclosure tickets, lunches and teas, and course-side reserved parking.
There's a new website (ITA) called FMR16 - the Internet Rowing Club, aka in its native Italian, "Libera Associazione Sportiva Amatoriale di Canottaggio". A variety of things including technical material scanned in from books, the author's trying to create something he says doesn't exist yet in Italy, and yes I have warned him about copyright, so if any of your creations (esp. photos) turn up on there, start yelling. Readers may find Babelfish useful for roughly translating it - if you can't get a particular page, trap its URL and paste that directly into Babelfish.
Club Esportiu Universitari Rem de Barcelona (Spain) has a fairly Flash-heavy new URL at www.ceu-rem.com and currently available in Catalan, Spanish and French. English and German are planned to be added within weeks.
New URL for the University of Teeside RC is based on their student society pages.
Monday 9th May 2005
Latest Dorney World Cup (UK) news - their press release page includes a note about the volunteers, and ticket sales are going well.
A bunch from Southampton Amateur Rowing Club (UK) have decided to scull round the Isle of Wight in aid of the NSPCC and the club's junior section. There's a piece in their local paper about it, and more on the club website. A Justgiving site has been set up for it.
Results of the Borne @ Chiswick Bridge Regatta (UK) on the Mortlake Anglian & Alpha website.
Results and details of the 2005 Northumbrian Water University Boat Race (UK) in a press release from the organisers. Ken Hastie has also posted a few pictures on the NERN website.
The draw for Bedford Regatta (UK) is up. Some clubs and events had to be withdrawn due to lack of space: cheques will be returned shortly.
Marlow Regatta (UK) is celebrating 150 years since its first recorded holding, and are looking for any oarsmen who competed at the regatta 50 years ago to join the celebrations being held at the club in August this year. If anyone competed at the 1955 regatta, or knows someone who did, and would like to attend, please contact contact regatta secretary Tony Evans.
Marlow also have an excellent Marlow Old Men's website, with a particularly jaunty section entitled "The Excuses", which may come in handy for other exercise-dodging veterans/masters, and a damning "Fitness Index". Shame the news isn't entirely up to date.
George Watson's College (Scotland) are holding a 50th anniversary dinner on 24th September 2005 (Thistle Suite, Murrayfield Stadium, 7pm). Tickets Ł45, and cheques should be made payable to "George Watson's College" and sent to the Development Office, GWC, Colinton Rd, Edinburgh, EH10 5EG. Guest speakers are Olympic medallist Katherine Grainger and ex-Loch Lomond rower John Gill. The GWC boathouse will be open from noon on Saturday for tours and perhaps a paddle. Contact Jim Ferguson for details.
Friday 6th May 2005
On Friday 13th May 2005 (unlucky for some?!) Canadian international Buffy Williams will be shaving her head to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, at an event to be held in St. Hugh's College Oxford (UK) MCR in 87 Banbury Road from 6:30-8:30pm. Donations can be made by using this form - not sure if she has easy facilities for anyone not donating in $CAN. For those turning up on the night, the donor of the largest amount will get to shave Buffy's head. Overall goal $2000 Canadian.
And any minute now ex-GBR lightweight Giles Monnickendam will do the Kigali International Marathon to raise money for the Survivors' Fund which helps orphans and other bereaved survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Giles' employers Boots Co. will match the first Ł500 of donations as a bonus. Anyone wishing to pledge should drop him a note and he'll contact you to sort the details out when he returns. The course is 26.2 miles at an altitude of 1550m at about 20 degrees C, and described by the understated organisers as "quite hilly"....
A press release for the UWE vs Bristol U Boat Race tomorrow (UK). In Word format.
And another one, this time for the Northumbria Water University Boat Race (UK) on Sunday. HTML format.
An extremely good site - "Where Thames Smooth Waters Glide" - A punter's guide to the River Thames (UK). And credit to author John Eade how carefully he has got copyright permission to republish pix, maps, poems and prose.
Media accreditation for FISA now open (see 'register' button on LHS of homepage or visit this specific information page).
JAMCO Times (USA) are streaming the last four Windermere Cup races from Seattle on Saturday morning. Going online at 10:45am PDST (19:45 Czech Republic time). CZE's men's and women's internationals are racing UWash and Cornell. Comments from the three men's coaches are online.
Notice of the week, which the NERN mailing list received yesterday (UK) - Could the proud owners of a rather war weary looking grey Carbo four, which has been left on the grass at Durham ARC please come forward and claim their fine craft before it gets run over by a car. We would appreciate it if you could remove it before Saturday morning, alternatively if no one comes forward by then ,it may well be put up for raffle, as I believe we are running short of prizes. Apologies to Durham if the four has already been claimed, but the message made me laugh.
Websites for Virginia Boat Club and the Virginia Commonwealth University RC (Richmond, VA, USA).
Battle of the boats draws near (Scotland on Sunday, UK), Top bravery award for rescue hero (about George Parsonage, BBC, UK).
Thursday 5th May 2005
A timely warning to those attending the Dorney World Cup (May 26th-28th, UK), that tickets and parking for Saturday finals day are rapidly selling out. Those visiting on Thursday and Friday may like to consult the provisional race/training timetable - if you are able to get up early or stay for the hour after racing, I can highly recommend hanging about to watch the crews training. The 6pm-7:30pm period is usually particularly good, because the best crews haven't had to race just before it, so come out for their evening paddle as soon as they possibly can.
The real provisional draw for Borne at Chiswick Bridge Regatta (UK) is here on the MAABC website. The link I made yesterday was to an incorrect/incomplete draft of the draw.
New in Scotland, the Rowing Beast, which when it at some point has contributions and news, promises to do what it says on the tin. Does it have claws, do we think? Bets please, Beast vs Slug in a celebrity death-match.....
Details of Loughborough Regatta (UK) on the LBC website.
A group of extremely mad buggers are planning to row the minimum 2110 miles around the British Isles in aid of charity. See their website for full details - the trip starts on 21st May and may take them about 2 months. Um - you'll probably miss Henley, guys.... Will de Laz, the Taurus BBQ won't be the same without you....
A bit about new Maltan book De Triremibus, which will entice the rowing historians.
A press release about RegattaCentral in the USA.
Wednesday 4th May 2005
This Saturday at the River and Rowing Museum (UK), "Women's route to the gold standard". Rebecca Romero, Olympic medal winner in Britain's quadruple scull at the Athens Games, joins her coach Paul Thompson on the lecture podium for his talk on Putting Women's Rowing on the Gold Standard at the River & Rowing Museum, this Saturday, 7 May (11 for 11.30). Thompson's ten years at the Australian Institute for Sport produced Australia's first world and Olympic champions, while last year all three of his British crews won medals in Athens. Essential coaching for any woman with ambition to excel. To reserve your seat, telephone Cookie Scottorn on 01491 415605, or just turn up at the RRM, Mill Meadows, Henley-on-Thames, by 11.30.
Results for Birmingham Regatta (UK).
Entries for Bedford Regatta (14th May, UK) close this coming Saturday. Events for eights, fours and quads only, plus plate events to allow first-round losers in some categories to claim a prize.
Details and entry form for Castle Semple Regatta (May 21, Scotland) is on the SARA website.
And details of the Veteran Championships (12th June, Nottingham, UK) are also online now. Entries in writing ONLY, accompanied by the right entry fee and received by the organisers before the closing date.
Tuesday 3rd May 2005
Online entries are now open for Henley Women's Regatta (UK).
Results from Marlow Spring Regatta (UK) online.
The Thames Regional Rowing Council (UK) council meeting to discuss the Salvage Association report on navigation will now be on Monday 16th May at Thames RC at 7:30pm. The TRRC encourages anyone who regularly uses the Tideway to attend, as well as local clubs.
A website I've managed to overlook for James Madison High School (Vienna, Virginia, USA). Good name for a crew - the Warhawks!
RowTV (UK) is now streaming most finals from Evesham and Wallingford Regattas in broadband or 56kbps modem speeds. Broadband clips are downloadable to play later offline (Windows Media Player format).
Details of Walton Amateur Regatta (UK) online.
Monday 2nd May 2005
The Bedford/UL Tyrian crew tilting at the navigable Thames record (UK) have broken it by just over 2 hours. Martin Hirst, Keith Janes, Edwin Howells, Richard Burdett and Dom Eaton set a new time from Lechlade to Southend Pier of 28 hours 54 minutes and 8 seconds, and "are now very tired...."
The Salvage Association Report on Tideway rowing (UK). Some interesting conclusions. PDF downloads from the PLA site.
Results of the 2005 Wallingford Regatta (UK) are now up.
BUSA results all online (UK).
And Head of the Cam results (UK).
Rowing1.com carries articles in English, and is linked to the Rudern1.de website in German. The same material turns up on Rudern1.ch and Rudern1.at in the appropriate translations. The suite of sites has two interesting stories on at the moment - Deutsche Telekom ends German sweep team sponsorship and Olympic rowing champion Olaf Tufte: going for two medals at Worlds in Japan.