Wednesday 30th November 2005
- UK parliamentary news - Justin Greening MP has tabled an Early Day Motion asking that the new EU Boatmasters' Licence be made more stringent for Thames watermen as a special case, because (like the Rhine and Danube where this is already being proposed) particular watermanship skills are required. I suspect they may mean the Tideway or lower Thames rather than the upper reaches - perhaps this should be clarified.
- The start order for Rutherford Head is available in Excel format (UK).
- The 65th ARAE (Amateur Rowing Associatino of the East) Annual Regatta will be held at Madras Boat Club in Chennai (India) between 12th-17th December, and followed by the traditional dance night. The aim of the regatta, established in 1933 by ex-pat Britons, was "to imbibe a racing spirit amongst all the rowing clubs in and around SE Asia which they had established over the long period of their colonizing these countries". 150+ participants are expected to take part in the racing, and amongst those which have confirmed are - Madras BC, Calcutta BC, Lake Club, College of Engineering BC Pune, Bengal RC, Kodaikanal B&RC, CME Officers RC, Calcutta University RC (all India), Hong Kong Yacht & Rowing Club (Hong Kong), Colombo RC (Sri Lanka) and Karachi BC (Pakistan). Events include 1x, 2x, 2-, 4- all men and women, and mixed fours. Contact for the event is MV Sriram of Madras BC, Chennai, India.
Tuesday 29th November 2005
- The Atlantic Rowing Race start has been rescheduled for 11am local time on Wednesday 30th November in the Canaries.
- Results of the Marlow Fours & Pairs Head on the Marlow events site (UK).
- A plea from a travelling rower: "My sister and I will be visiting London and would like to find a way to row on the famous Thames during our trip. She is an experienced rower (in Boston and Atlanta) and I am an experienced coxswain. We will be staying with our cousin in Battersea and would like to find a boat to join on either December 10 or 11. Please let me know if you might have space for us to join you! Christen Hunter."
- The last Thames Region seminar of the year (UK) is "Back in Action" ie Alexander Technique, at the Henley College on Wednesday 30th November (tomorrow). A PDF poster gives more details.
- Also tomorrow (Wednesday) is the AGM of the Eastern Region Rowing Council (UK), at St. Neot's RC, start time 7:30pm.
- General and safety notes for competitors at Saturday's Rutherform Head (UK) are now available (Word format). Club officials from competing clubs are requested to print and put them on noticeboards, please.
- The Blockleys' Cold Water Survival document has been translated into German by Eberhard Nabel (proof-reader Henning Lippke, thanks to both). Available in both Word and PDF formats.
- Royal Sport de Nautique de Bruxelles (Belgium) is holding its first Fours Head on Sunday 12th February 2006, over a 5km still-water course. It's followed by the traditional Grand Winter Handicap in the afternoon, a slightly less serious event for C-class and recreational/training boats. Details on the fledgling RSNB website.
- Staffordshire University Boat Club (UK) have launched themselves into cyberspace with a well-thought-out website including a forum/discussion board and pix of their social events. Their aims are "to promote the sport of rowing to students and to the community around the Stoke-on-Trent area."
- Not content with the official GB long-distance trials on December 17th, British International Rowing held Squad Sculling trials for the fatweight men last Wednesday, before they whizzed off to Cyprus. 60+ scullers did the 2km head race at Dorney to establish who would race the small and main finals, with Steve Rowbotham winning that section. In the grand final Matt Langridge led by a couple of lengths at halfway before being overtaken by Alan Campbell and Ian Lawson. Lawson beat Campbell by around half a length to win overall, with Langridge third. Rowbotham finished fourth, Andy Hodge 5th, Rick 'the Edge' Egington 6th and Tom Stallard won the small final.
Monday 28th November 2005
- Details of the Gomera Cup, a 4-mile regatta designed to keep the bored Atlantic Race teams occupied and their supporters something to watch while they wait for the delayed start. Chris Martin won the singles, the Exmouth-based "All Relative" brothers/cousins team the fours, and highly experienced Danish marathon-rowers Christian Petersen and Soren Sprogoe (Team Scandlines) the pairs.
- Of the several crews raising money for charity while they do the race, Making Waves are raising for the Sir Steve Redgrave Charitable Trust.
- The new UK supplier for Jonathan Cantwell's RowingBoatLights will now be Ali Elliott of Barnes Bridge Ladies, who has set up a UK website. She will be able to supply lights as soon as the first delivery wings its way across from Australia.
- Results of the Glasgow RC Fours Head (UK) are online in PDF and Word format.
- Results of the Head of the Yarra (Australia). Pennant-winning crews included two expat Brits, Mark Watkin and Simon Wilson. Nice to see them continuing winning ways.
- Results from the Evesham Head where conditions sound good as several category course records were broken. The winning S3 Bedford quad was quickest, just three seconds outside the 14:48 overall record Redgrave and Pinsent set in 1994.
- Division draws, safety instructions and race rules for the Wycliffe Small Boats Head (UK, 3rd December) are online. Competitors please read.
- Greg Thurtle (UK) has shifted his rowing photos to a dedicated website.
Sunday 27th November 2005
- The 2005 Atlantic Rowing Race was due to go off today, leaving at noon local time from La Gomera in the Canary Islands, but has been postponed due to bad weather. Latest positions can be found on the official race website and news either there or on the Ocean Rowing Society website.
- The Scullers' Head (UK) was won by Tom Gale of Tideway Scullers (UK) over Mahe Drysdale (NZ) - full results here. Amongst photos from the usual sources is a winners gallery from BigBlade.
- The Port of London Authority (UK) is putting out two new Tideway buoys to help separate crews rowing with the stream from those working the slacks. See the notice to mariners on the PoLA website and the positions of the buoys as black blobs on two PDF charts: one approximately halfway along Riverview Gardens and the other 100 yards downstream of the Milestone.
- Results from the Agecroft Small Boats Head (UK) were posted online within 35 minutes of the announcement at the boathouse. Good work.
Friday 25th November 2005
- Rowing Christmas cards from Rock The Boat (UK) are being sold to support GBR Adaptive Rowing. The donation from the 2004 sales raised enough to fund the purchase of a special seat to enable access from a wheelchair to the rowing tank at the London Regatta Centre. Sales this year will go to similarly worthwhile adaptive rowing causes.
Thursday 24th November 2005
- The draw for this weekend's Scullers' Head (UK) is online, together with instructions to competitors (PDF format) and also a 'handy cut out and keep guide'/checklist.
- The 2006 World Championships (at Eton) has designed some website banners to provide a link and allow clubs to show their support. Download the picture and code to incorporate. There'll be one on the Rowing Service as soon as I've figured out where I want it.
- The Auckland University of Technology (NZ) video goggles (or are they AIS?) are pretty well-known now, and in use by several national squads, but Monash University and the Victorian Institute of Sport (Australia) have developed a new variant using an onboard video camera. I will be surprised if the NZ patent doesn't already include the option of an onboard camera, although they've mostly been used with a launch-based or land-based video to date. The patent wars could get interesting - watch this space.
- Nereus Amsterdam (Netherlands) is holding an auction this Saturday (26th November) as part of their lustrum celebrations to benefit the club's coaching fund. Among the donated items: Diederik Simon's Olympic gold medal from the men's eight in Atlanta. "Holy shit!" (says Ewoud Dronkert, who drew my attention to the NLRoei article on it). "He's cool with it, apparently: 'No problem, the thing hides in a safe anyway'." Also under the hammer: a 2-piece lingerie set (aka bra and knickers) worn by the first female club president during their 'Varsity' victory celebrations, an OUBC/Aberdeen shortsleeve worn by Gerritjan Eggenkamp during the 2002 Boat Race and matching T-shirt and cap. (I hope they attract a hell of a lot of interest and get thousands for the medal: it's pretty well unique to have an Olympian give one away - RQ.)
Wednesday 23rd November 2005
- A change to the winners of S34+(A) at the Fours' Head (UK) - see site for explanation.
- Introducing the rowing community to Quikky Games (UK), a series of dice/counter games which can be supplied in boxes, on cards/postcards or on beermats. They include an "Oarsome" game (basically 2 dice, 2 players and a sinuous Boat-Race-related printed course). Stocking fillers?
- The draw for Agecroft Small Boats Head (UK, its second year) is up.
- Draw for the University of Bristol Head Race (UK) is online.
- Picture of the week - Philips' new design for blades?. Who are the guys in the boat, then? (thanks AB).
- Applications are open for Sir Steve Redgrave's attempt to turn novices into Henley Royal standard crews. Must be from Liverpool, aged 17-25, and probably never have rowed before. No gender stated but most likely lads only....
Tuesday 22nd November 2005
- The start order for the Marlow Fours & Pairs Head (UK) is up on the Marlow events website.
- And the Glasgow RC Fours Head start orders for division 1 and division 2 (PDF format, UK).
- Kingston Small Boats Head (UK) has added some extra results for crews racing time-only last weekend.
Monday 21st November 2005
- Full results of yesterday's British Indoor Rowing Championships (UK) online.
- Information on Rowing Canada Aviron's job opening for a National Coach (Senior Women) (Canada). Deadline is 9th December.
- Nine days left to make nominations for the ARA Coach of the Year awards (UK).
- At the recent World Rowing Forum, FISA announced plans to have a definitive classification system for Paralympic (adaptive) class rowers in place by January 2006. There will be an eligibility test for all adaptive rowers before the 2006 World Rowing Championships in Eton. More information and discussion here. Also from FISA - Rowing and scientific research at the Forum.
- Results are up for the British junior trials at the weekend - junior men (J18) and junior women plus J16 men (UK).
- Courtesy of the Tideway Slug (UK), a new book of mild interest to rowers comes to my attention: "Dead in the Water" - a Daisy Dalrymple Mystery. Amusingly, this (real) book sounds just like the rowing romances La Slug has herself concocted, though possibly less convincing. Snigger. I'm with Mistress Slug on this one - friends and family are begged NOT to get it for me for Christmas, upon pain of retaliation with a singing Santa.
- Recent UK results - from Kingston Small Boats Head, Pangbourne Junior Sculls (on Mikrotime), Upper Thames Fours & Pairs Head (Mikrotime), Greenwich Fours Head (MS Word download).
- And from this weekend, Cambridge Winter Head (Excel download), Inverness Aberdeen Asset Management Fours Head division 1 and division 2, and York Small Boats Head. York have unilaterally awarded themselves the prize for snappy results-publishing - "up and on the web in under 2 hours from presentations, efficient or what?" to quote their website. Yup, good work. We're still waiting for online results from some heads which took place in the last few weeks.
- The Thames Regional Rowing Council AGM took place yesterday (UK). Minutes not yet available but a brief statement is on the TRRC website and draft minutes will no doubt be on the documentation page at some point.
- For those interested in general sport, Sportsbite, a sports news service which is part of Sir Steve Redgrave's websites (UK).
Sunday 20th November 2005
- Live-written reports and results from the British Indoor Championships 2005 (UK). We'll be updating this sporadically during the day.
Saturday 19th November 2005
- Entries for the Wycliffe Small Boats Head (3rd December, UK) are now closed because the event is full.
- A reminder of the British Indoor Rowing Championships (UK) this Sunday. If all goes well I'm hoping to be running live-online commentary for the majority of the categories, but if not then the commentary will be written live and uploaded later.
Friday 18th November 2005
- A letter/announcement from Ron Batt about a New South Wales fund-raiser for Guide Dogs taking place tomorrow (Australia).
- Here's a fascinating invention which helps you say goodbye to clammily waterlogged thighs when cycling/rowing/riding in heavy rain - Rainlegs™. Definitely a classy and durable alternative to any home-made solution. Hopefully if they take off and become popular enough, the price (which is on the steep side at the moment, presumably to help pay start-up costs) will come down.
Thursday 17th November 2005
- I notice that it's possible to donate to the various funds of USRowing via a secure website.
- A press release about the new USRowing reappointments (USA) announced on Monday.
- The Malaysian Rowing Association (MRA), also called PERDAMA as a contraction of its Malay name, can be found online at www.rowing.org.my.
- That led me in turn to the extremely helpful Asian Rowing portal, with a map showing contact details for all the Asian rowing federations.
- New Northern region (UK) development officer Rob Cree can be contacted via rob.cree[at]ara-rowing.org and urges contacts at the clubs in his new region to drop him a quick message to introduce themselves and tell him of the next club committee meeting dates.
Wednesday 16th November 2005
- Recent FISA news - Otsetova voted vice president (of the Bulgarian NOC), Tufte and Karsten hold the Silverskiff, Japan attracts variety to the Seta, and DPR Korea surprises at East Asia Games.
- Reading RC (UK) are erging for the Pakistan Earthquake Appeal tomorrow.
- Cambridge Winter Head (UK) - the Excel format draw and webpage of instructions for competitors are on the Cantabs website.
- From the ARA (UK) - the Welsh ARA has vacancies, Slough and Reading go for indoor racing, and the competition calendar has been updated to March 2006. Amongst other things.
- The 2006 organisers are also seeking volunteers to register to help with the 2006 World Championships in Eton.
Tuesday 15th November 2005
- Results of the SilverSkiff race (Turin, Italy) at the weekend. Tufte and Karsten were the men's and womens' winners.
- Davies RowTech (UK) are having a Christmas Sale from now until December 3rd - 5% off nearly all items.
- Draw and competitors' information for the Aberdeen Asset Management Inverness Fours Head (Scotland, November 19th) is now online.
- The British Indoor Champs schedule (UK, November 20th) is out. Competitors can also download a PDF about the start procedure.
- A website for Salcombe Estuary Rowing Club (UK), which does Cornish Pilot Gig rowing. It includes a very useful links page to other gig clubs.
- Results of the first Isis Winter League race (Oxford, UK), together with Autumn Fours. PDF format.
Monday 14th November 2005
- Fours' Head results - in time order, by event, alphabetically (all PDF files) plus webpages with the penalties, pennant results and mug-shots and names of pennant winning athletes.
- Photographers at the Fours' Head (UK) included BigBlade (also at the Vet Fours), Photo-Row, Eliot George, SportEpix, Nature's Images, Connect2Image and Jet Photographic. Many were also at the Vet's Head.
- Results of the Veteran Fours Head (UK) are now up - provisional.
- Star Club have come up with an inventive fund-raising opportunity: Tim Foster will lead a crew of former internationals over the Bedford Head on Sunday February 12th 2006, and a big-rollers raffle is being run to brand and name a new boat (UK). Open to companies and individuals, only 80 tickets will be sold.
- Details of the Welsh Indoor Rowing Championships (UK, 4th December).
- The Atlantic Prince team of Rich Dewire and Dan Darley (UK) finished their million-metre row last Wednesday morning at 10:36, in 72 hours, 17 minutes and 12 seconds, carving four and a half hours off the previous record, which was held by previous Trans-Atlantic Rowing Race winners Biggar and Donaldson. More from the BBC.
- The 2005 AGM minutes, 2005 Chairman's report, 2005 Safety Advisor's report and various other committee officers' reports for the Northern Rowing Council (UK) are available from the NRC website.
- A website for the Sound Rowers Club, located in the Pacific NW (USA).
- Details of the Schuylkill Navy Run (USA) online.
Saturday 12th November 2005
- The website for today's Fours Head includes links to some of the photographers who will be present (UK) as well as a page where results will eventually be published. Do give it time - it would be surprising if provisional results were available before late afternoon today.
Friday 11th November 2005
- Following their successful sponsored row on Nov 5th, Curlew RC (UK) are holding another fundraising event - an auction and entertainment night on Saturday 12th November (tomorrow). Proceeds shared between the rowing club and Greenwich Hospice.
- The Thames Upriver (UK) seminar on "weight training for club level athletes" has been postponed until the new year, and may move to Oxford.
- A listing for Easyfloat, a company which manufactures lightweight pontoons suitable for rowing (and used in Sweden for the last 2 years).
- Clyde RC (Scotland) are planning a "New Year plod and naming ceremony" and want to contact former members to help them celebrate. If you're from Clyde and in Scotland for New Year, contact Graeme Dreghorn via graeme_d(at)hotmail.co.uk or see the club website.
- University of West of England RC (UK) have an infant website now started.
Thursday 10th November 2005
- Information, links and messages relating to last night's Putney Town RC seminar on the Tideway (UK).
- And a specific message: "If anyone has any comments/questions or indeed suggestions arising from last night's excellent lectures at Putney Town that they would like to direct towards the PLA, please could they email alex.brown@pola.co.uk. I would also be grateful if some of you could take the time to browse the section of our website aimed at leisure users of the Thames and send any comments to the above address."
- A plea for UK help - "One of our rowers has been in a car accident and has badly hurt her wrist. The cox is a rower and will take her place, but this means we are now short of a cox, for one of our Women's Sen 3 fours, for the Fours Head. It's a bit of a long shot, but the girls would be really grateful if someone would
be prepared to jump in on the day. They will be boating from Thames Tradesmen and bless 'em, they are crew number 550! If anybody is up for it, then please contact Will Baker on 0777 336 8907 or email: will at pestcheck dot fsnet dot co dot uk".
- Godfrey Sports (UK) have new kit and Xmas gifts including t-shirts and gift vouchers. It's worth checking back regularly as new items are going up all the time.
- Provisional start order and crew instructions for Kingston Small Boats Head (UK) are on the kRC website.
- The tale of an evolving news story - what Crackers did next.
Wednesday 9th November 2005
- A paper that author Michael Mann has given me to republish: "Erging to Music", first presented at the World Rowing Coaches' Conference of 2003 and then published in the magazine Ultrafit a year ago (MS Word document).
- Derek Clark is running a sports psychology seminar entitled "Develop Unshakeable Confidence" on Saturday 26th November at the Fosse Manor Hotel in the Cotswolds (UK). Tickets £60 for the day: see his website for more details.
- As a result of a change to the rules of racing at the recent SARA AGM (Scotland), the event list for the Glasgow RC Fours Head has been changed to allow Open Junior (M, F, Mx) crews. JU14-4x rather than JU13-4x is another alteration. Details on the web-link or on the PDF poster.
- Marshalling instructions etc. for the Vet Fours' Head (UK, and referring to masters rowers rather than horse surgeons...) are now available. Note that those taking part also need to have correctly-labelled boats (see Monday's note).
Tuesday 8th November 2005
- More trans-Atlantic nutters: Dan Darley and Rich Dewire of Atlantic Prince were (when I was told this earlier today) 64.5km into their 1000km (million metre) indoor rowing record attempt. They should be finishing around 9am on Wednesday morning, and would appreciate support from any Rowing Service readers - they're at St. Katherine's Dock in London (UK).
- Correct information for the Marlow Fours & Pairs Head (UK) is on the Marlow Regattas website. Entry costs and division events have been corrected from some earlier posted information.
- UK announcement: "The Organising Committee of the National Rowing Championships of Great Britain are pleased to announce that the 2006 National Championships will take place at Strathclyde Park, Motherwell on 14th-16th July. We are very grateful for the support of North Lanarkshire Council and Event Scotland, which means we can take this national event north of the border next year. We will offer at least the same range of events as in 2005, and plan to add a few new categories as well: further announcements will be made early in 2006."
Monday 7th November 2005
- The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has a new URL for Luxembourg International RC (LUX), its only club. The site includes a helpful English/German/French glossary of rowing terms, and its own wine list (very classy!)
- Results of the Tees Small Boats Head (UK) are up.
- And results for the Tees Sculling Head (UK).
- Full report on the Wingfield Sculls race last week (UK).
- A reminder of the ARA club codes for all crews coming to London for the Fours Head (UK) this weekend. Remember you have to have all boats on the Tideway properly labelled (whether racing or not).
- A page about ex-England champion sculler Robert Watson Boyd (UK) on the Northern Rowing history pages.
- Details of this year's Glasgow RC Fours Head (26th November, UK) are online.
- From World Rowing/FISA, World Rowing Forum looks to future challenges, More floats than just the boats, Junior coaches discuss Latin American rowing, and FISA's final award to Werner Konrad.
Sunday 6th November 2005
- Rock The Boat (UK) are the official supplier for souvenir Head of the River Fours t-shirts. Pre-order yours to avoid the queues or go and see them on race day at Vesta (Putney) or Emanuel School (near Barnes Bridge).
- Bedford news (UK): - last weekend Tim Foster's father Brian stepped down as Star Club supreme Chairman in favour of Simon White. Brian said "It is now time to let younger blood take over. I wish Simon well in the role and know he has the vision and drive to build on the last 14 years and take the club forward."
Friday 4th November 2005
- A poster for the ARA Tideway seminar which will be held on Wednesday 9th November at Putney Town Rowing Club (UK).
- The Regional Safety Advisor's report to the Northern Rowing Council AGM (UK) is online on NERN.
- Details of the Malta Open Indoor Rowing Championship (12th November, Malta).
- Results of the Wingfield Sculls (UK) - Matt Wells won in 23 minutes 14 seconds, with Steve Rowbotham a valiant second after flipping at St. Paul's, getting back in, and finishing in 24:19. The Telegraph got generous with space to report it - Wells survives bumpy ride (RQ), and the Times allowed it space in Sport in Brief (Mike Rosewell).
Thursday 6th November 2005
- The notice for the Rutherford Head (UK, 3rd December) has been posted. Entry fees must be received before the close of entries this time.
- Minutes of the latest Eastern Region Rowing Council (UK) are online on the ARA website.
Wednesday 2nd November 2005
- Jim Wallis, ex-ULBC (1970-77) and University College Dublin boatman (1977-2004) died on Sunday of a brain tumour at the age of 66. His funeral was yesterday in Moat, Co. Meath (Ireland). He was originally with Gladstone Warwick, now Lea RC, and took his illness with his usual East End humour, typified by "I have a tumour, but don't worry, it only affects my brain". He will be sorely missed. At Trisha's request, please send anecdotes and tributes to Chris George who will put them on a memorial webpage. UCDBC sends its deepest sympathies and condolences to his wife and his family.
- Results for the Dee Autumn Head (UK) are online.
- News on the Wear river, UK - arch 2 on Old Elvet Bridge has been blocked by a tree for a week and how fast the EA removes it will depend on how many calls they receive. Wear users can ring the EA incident line on 0800-807060 and ask for it to be removed as it is a navigation hazard forcing rowers to be restricted to just one arch.
- Start order and safety information for the Tees Small Boats Head (UK) is online, including guidance on steering the best course. The Stockton Fireworks display begins at 18:00, with food and drink available at the River Tees Watersports Centre.
- Eton Excelsior (UK) have a new website.
Tuesday 1st November 2005
- Pro-Athlete has started a "Your Picture" feature on its website, where readers can email their own rowing pictures in and the best will be featured on the Pro-Athlete homepage. More on the link above.
- Closing date for the Scullers' Head (UK) is this Saturday, 5th November.
