Friday 29th September 2006
- Rowing Canada Aviron have announced an 'evolution' in its high performance programme, with Alan Roaf no longer in the HPD position. Full details in this press release (Canada).
- Entries for the Cambridge Small Boats Head (UK) close on Monday 2nd October at 9am. 2600m upstream for all classes including juniors and veterans, for 1x, 2x and 2-. Email entries to headraces@gmail.com, or post to 82 Winstanley Drive, Cambridge CB1 3US. The Cambridge Autumn Head for 4-/+, 4x and 8+ will be held over the same course on Saturday 21st October with the same entry details.
- Entries for the Pairs Head close on Monday 2nd October (UK). Enter via OARA or email to pairshead [[at]] btinternet.com.
- Reading Rowing Club (UK) is now accepting entries for its 15th October Reading Small Boats Head (PDF poster).
- A special university rowing section has been set up on the Concept 2 website (UK) with details of the Freshers' Challenge and new University Indoor League. C2 UK also sponsor the BUSA Training Day, this year held on Sunday October 29th at Holme Pierrepont.
Thursday 28th September 2006
- Concept 2 (UK) are once again running their Winter Team Relay League based on the Danish erg league system. Entries are made online - full details on the link - and teams can enter at any point in the season.
- The Marlow Events page (UK) has details of the upcoming Marlow LDS (October) and Fours/Pairs Head (November) as well as a link to the start order of this weekend's Rowers' Revenge Triathlon.
- The Chinese Olympic cox selection programme already featured on FISA's site is going to be visiting the Head of the Charles Regatta (October 21st-22nd, USA), with the Peking University team also competing, for the first time.
Tuesday 26th September 2006
I hear on the grapevine that RoCats are starting to make appearances on the waters of various countries. See the news page for the details.
- Boat Race (UK) trial eights dates are fixed as Oxford 7th December 2:15pm and Cambridge 8th December 3:00pm.
Monday 25th September 2006
- A website www.rowinghistory-aus.info (Australia) which pretty much does what it says on the URL. A neatly-designed site clearly growing all the time, and a good repository of information. Please note the clear copyright notices on the site: reproduction of any of its original material without permission is not allowed.
- A teacher of Physical Education/Sports Science/Rowing is sought for a secondary school in southern Ireland. Must be in a position to coordinate and coach their aspiring rowing crews. Send CV immediately to principal@cco.ie for more details.
- A Rowing Service reader is looking for anyone who knows a Danish scull-builder called Carl Poulsen, who died in 1972 aged 72. He lived in Odense, built singles or doubles for at least one Olympic team, and the reader is looking for his story. Contact her directly by email if you can help. Thanks.
- Entries for the Northern Rowing Council Autumn Sculling Series (UK) can now be made via OARA. More details on this PDF.
- Three bits of rowing information on the BUSA website (UK), all in MS Word format. The BUSA 2006-7 season information (229 Kb), the regulations (24 Kb) and the BUR season information (3.2 Mb). General links to BUSA rowing can be found here.
Saturday 23rd September 2006
- Sad news (UK) that former Tyne RC member Dave Swan died recently. Since posting this yesterday I have heard that the cause was a sudden and massive heart attack last Sunday. The funeral will be held at the West Road Crematorium (in Newcastle, I think) on Wednesday 27th September at 1pm, and afterwards at the Fox and Hounds for those who can make it.
Friday 22nd September 2006
- Taking place tomorrow, the 2006 Eddystone Challenge (UK), a race from Plymouth to the Eddystone Lighthouse and back (40km sea rowing). Hope Hurricane Gordon doesn't cause any trouble. Amongst the entries are the Henley Whalers, who include several of the Regatta Radio team from HRR.
- A pile of new UK notices.
- Yesterday's Russian update threw up more suggested links, including http://www.rowingru.com (which includes some gorgeous pictures from the FISA rowing tour earlier this month). This site also includes a large rowing gallery and Hot in Russia which as my correspondent points out, hardly needs language skills to understand. Anyone know who that is? Full 'Hot in Russia' gallery (not for the faint-hearted) at this link. (Thanks MvE).
- And there's also http://www.ukrrowing.com.ua/ for Ukrainian rowing - although the site is in Cyrillic only, emails to them can be written in English, as apparently some of those involved can translate and answer. It's an independent site set up by former UKR champion Vitaliy Klyshko, not to do with the federation itself.
- This year's RowSab for the Oxford University Rowing Clubs (OURCs, alias the colleges) is creating a timeline of what's happened when in Oxford rowing (UK). To add information (anything to do with people, clubs, crews or stories) then click on a year. Please do your best to ensure it's accurate or contact the webmaster if you have incomplete information which OURCs could try and verify.
- Details of the Clyde Head (Scotland, UK) entry details and safety information are now up on the Scottish Rowing newspage.
- The Leo Blockley Memorial Campaign website (UK) has news on the DCMS-proposed rowing safety inquiry. The Blockleys have also now published new Hypothermia and cold water immersion guidelines designed for rowing coaches and clubs.
- An announcement of Marlow Regatta (UK) being over two days in 2007. I have to say I think this is a retrograde step, since it competes directly with HWR's finals taking place on Sunday 24th. While men aren't racing at HWR their support for the finals is important and it would be a shame to dilute it. Hopefully the women's regatta won't be too badly affected.
Thursday 21st September 2006
- The new Tideway Code of Practice document is out (UK, and for any planning to visit and row on the Tideway in London). A well put-together document: once you're past the introduction it's written in clear simple language and with plenty of diagrams. I hope they have permission to use the picture on page 27 which if I recall right is John Shore's, but at least it's in a very appropriate place. Note particularly that coxes still need to know where the navigation channel is (ie the main stream area), since they need to keep to one side of it, or outside it, depending on whether they're moving with the tide or not. One omission I think is important is that there's no clear diagram of where boats should be with the flood-tide between Putney Bridge and Hammersmith. 'Edge of the navigation channel' is fine, but not everyone knows where that is round the Fulham Flats. And the Hammersmith with-low-flood-tide diagram does suggest that boats moving in the navigation channel should be right up by the Middlesex water's edge, which I've already pointed out can cause considerable trouble to those trying to land/boat at AK or the ARA. (Unlike landing/boating at St Paul's, Civil Service etc, this is an odd case where boats barging upriver by the edge are in the main stream and pointing in precisely the opposite direction from those using the rafts/hards, so they can converge into an accident much faster than normal. The PLA should be encouraging all boats going with the tide to leave at least a full boat's width between themselves and the bank in areas where navigation along that bank is common.) Anyway, the document also includes the full rules on lights, launch speeds and warning signals, it's well worth a read, and can be downloaded as a full PDF or in smaller chunks.
- Ten days ago Sportsbite formally launched (UK). To mark the occasion Sir Steve Redgrave, Lord Sebastian Coe and Lord Colin Moynihan, three of the biggest names in British Olympic sport, signed an Olympic athlete's vest from the 1984 LA Olympics, the one all three attended. The shirt is now being auctioned for charity, and the auction has a month to run.
- A website for Russian rowing news, albeit fairly useless unless you have Cyrillic displays and can read Russian. I haven't yet found a Russian site which is also translated into English, nor one which is massively up to date - most seem to be stuck on 2005 or early 2006, or before.
- Today's headlines - Three golds for Phillips (Maidenhead Advertiser, UK), Atlantic record-breaker says thanks (Yorkshire Post Today, UK), Ex-UI rowing coach suing school (Iowa City Press Citizen, UK), Rower Shaun's Olympic dream (Barking & Dagenham Recorder, UK - about a great guy coming along very fast in Paralympic rowing), Rowing not-so-gently down the streams (Upper Cape Codder, USA), Eatery payments to be used to upgrade lake (Knoxville News Sentinel, USA), Coming together with a few major muscle groups (Somerville Journal, USA), Aussies need time-trial overhaul: coach (The Age, Australia, about cycling potentially pinching rowers), Swapping oars for the Pole (Auckland Times, NZ), Conway rows to gold medal in Seattle (Roxborough Review, USA), City man hurt in gym mishap (Brookhaven Daily Leader, USA), Forever on water (Ivy League Sports, USA), People with spinal cord injuries get fit with electrical stimulation rower (CBC News, Canada), Colonnade scheme ticks all boxes (Bexhill Observer, UK), Dubai set for relay (Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates).
Wednesday 20th September 2006
- A reminder about Notts County RA's 25th anniversary dinner (UK) which is being held at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground on 25th November this year. For full details please call Margaret Marshall on 01332-673619 or email mmstroke@ntlworld.com. This is an open invitation to any athlete who has represented NCRA at any level.
- Snapper Rogier van Steennis (NED) has put up a bundle of World Champs photos on his website, ProShots.EU. He apologises for the site being written only in Dutch, but says this can be changed if necessary (or use the Babelfish site to get a rough translation). Other pictures include the Dutch Championships and various summer regattas.
- NZ 'salt of the web' Rob Bristow has put up pictures from the World Coastal Challenge on his summer Worlds-trip webpage.
- A review of My Brother's Keeper, a new (?) film which majors quite heavily in rowing and twins (no, not those ones). Pretty sure it's gone straight to DVD in the States, not certain about availability or worth.
- The Ocean Rowing Society announces that a collection of Guinness World Record certificates have been presented to ocean rowers recently.
- The ORS also announces a couple of film opportunities for those interested in ocean rowing - the documentary 'Row Hard No Excuses' is being shown in New York (USA) on Thursday 21st September (see link for details) and a short segment about Team Vivaldi's Atlantic4 effort as part of 'Inside Out' on BBC 1 North-East (UK) on Monday 25th September at 19:30hrs (different times in other regions).
- For those struggling to find something even weirder to do, there is the re-enactment of the voyage of the Argonauts (Zee News) which apparently anyone can volunteer for - no, I can't find a link to contact them, but the project director's name is Apostolos Kourtis and he's quite an expert at ancient-boat recreation. Let's just hope they don't suffer some of the trials and tribulations of the original crew.
- Rowing news - latest headlines include Vancouver crew shines at Olympia event (The Columbian, USA), Son's death inspires record Atlantic feat (Wrexham Evening Leader, UK), Olympic rowers, Tulalip paddlers help raise $40,000 to fight breast cancer (Row2k, USA), Down to the sea in skiffs: century-old tradition revived on Little Cranberry Island (Bangor Daily News, USA), Outdoor athletes can find satisfying training alternatives for winter (Anchorage Daily News, Alaska, USA), Girl rowing opens doors for college scholarships (Asheville Citizen-Times, USA), a chunk of Janet Street-Porter's memoirs that has a 'spot the rower' mention halfway down (Daily Mail, UK), Regatta attracts 200 rowers (WLUC-TV, USA), Tacoma rowers win first cross-Atlantic Ocean rowing race (KING5, USA, they mean the first North Atlantic race), Across the Atlantic in 68 days (Lumberjack Online, USA), Oarsmen eager for race (International Herald Tribune quoting its Washington newspage of September 18th, 1906), Rochester boats master the world of rowing (Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, USA), Sarasota's Liwski wins bronze medal (Sarasota Herald-Tribune, USA), Dirty college admission secrets (a review of a book claiming USA college admissions tricks include rowers, Miami Herald, USA), Manjeet dominates Sukhna water channel (Punjab Newsline, India), Future boat house considered for city (Beloit Daily News, USA), Outdoor centre celebrates first birthday (Norwich Evening News, UK), Major sports scheme under scrutiny (East Anglian Daily Times, UK), Row, row, rowing their boats (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA).
Tuesday 19th September 2006
- Sad news (UK). Henley RC and HWR stalwart Cathy Cruickshank has died, after a short illness. Her funeral is to be held on Monday 25th September at Reading Crematorium, All Hallows Road, Caversham, Reading, Berks, RG4 5LP at 11am. All are invited to join family and friends for light snacks and drinks at Leander Club after the service: blazer and club tie preferred. Family flowers only. Donations if desired to the Harry Mahon Cancer Research Trust, c/o Tomalin & Son, Funeral Directors, Anderson House, 38 Reading Road, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 1AG. Please publicise to help the family avoid being snowed under by enquiries at such a difficult time.
- A website for Kijkom (Netherlands, in English, Danish and Dutch), which sells lightweight mirrors for cyclists, rowers etc.
- The same bunch sell the Majik gates (website in Dutch, English and French) as well as other products.
- A vacancy for an online ARA project officer (UK). It says it's to organise an online community but in the full description (PDF) there is a lot of basic legwork hidden behind a funky-sounding job title. There's a worrying mention of "club management" which sounds as the ARA's getting keen on interfering in the next level of bureaucracy down. Plus they've got the poor sod who gets the post 'administrating' the telecomms system, which doesn't bode well for the ARA's entry in the latest Plain English anti-jargon competition. Lovely.
Monday 18th September 2006
- Provisional results for the Great River Race (UK).
- Results of the World Coastal Rowing Challenge on the Guernsey RC website (UK) - see the RHS of the page for the links to both results and photos. Not, it has to be said, a massive number of international entries, though it was widely publicised. Let's hope more countries start entering as it is to be an annual event.
- Results for Bradford ARC Autumn Regatta (UK, PDF format) are online.
- Those who trialled for the Scottish senior team in 2006 are requested to fill in a feedback form (Word download) and email it back to Gary Bain.
- Rob Roy (UK) are holding the Cambridge Small Boats Head on Saturday 7th October this year. Entries taken for all classes of 1x, 2x and 2- as well as novice 4x+. 2600m upstream with four divisions at 10:00, 11:30, 13:00 and 14:30. Email entries to headraces@gmail.com.
- The new University of St Andrews Boat Club (Scotland) website is up, and the club is particularly keen to hear from its past members.
- A website for Alchemy Sports Consulting Ltd (UK). No idea how useful it is.
- On Thursday 21st September Durham city council (UK) will have an exhibition up at the Gala Theatre between 3pm and 7pm showing early designs for the redevelopment of an area beside the river (the old bowling green and swimming baths). Those with an interest are encouraged to go and look, ask questions and make their views known. More details on the NERN rowing mailing list.
- A public meeting for Tideway users (London, UK) on 12th October at 6:30pm, Sons of the Thames.
- The poster for Berwick Long Distance Sculls (UK, PDF format) is up, in fact for the whole Autumn Sculling Series in the region.
Saturday 16th September 2006
- Tomorrow, the Boston Rowing Marathon (Lincolnshire, UK).
Friday 15th September 2006
- The Great River Race (UK) takes place tomorrow, from Richmond to Greenwich, in traditional boats. The rules stipulate no sliding seats, a minimum of four oars, a cox and a second non-rowing passenger per boat, and every crew must fly a flag of minimum 3x2 foot size throughout the entire race. See the website for details, and the 'course' link for approximate timings at each bridge.
- I thought I'd mislaid this link and was finding it very hard to search for on the byzantine Webshots website, but have retrieved it. A collection of pictures from the World Championships finals weekend, starting where the GBR men's 4- come in to the spectator grandstand side after getting their medals. The collection includes this picture of a rowing blast from the past subbing in when the four carelessly mislaid their three-man Alex Partridge for a few minutes. Answers on a postcard? No, I can't be bothered. If you want a give-it-away clue then here's one written in white (highlight to read it): Dark Side rower who could also be known as Sir HRR Money
- Terralba Toscana (Italy) run Eliza rowing camps in Tuscany and Sicily, and still have a couple of camps in October this year before the end of the season. Looks gorgeous....
- Where are they now part 9: news from the British Cycling Time Trial Championships. "Former Olympic Rower Rebecca Romero caused an upset in the women's event by beating her team mate Wendy Houvenghel.... Romero 26, who took up the sport only a few months ago, headed back home to Twickenham with the champion's jersey on her shoulders, having beaten all the leading contenders." Of course the really big road-racing guns (eg Nicole Cooke) were absent on other duties, but it was still impressive. More from British Cycling and Rebecca's own website. Thanks NL.
- Another notice to mariners from the PLA (Tideway, UK) about the new code of practice.
- Results from Cambridge Autumn Regatta (UK).
- A link to the rowing section of Super Sport Systems, also known as 3S (USA), who provide customised training programmes and analysis tools. (It's not clear whether the favourable comments from Valery Halduk, a former coach of Karsten, refer to her training of the Olympian or her training of her current students).
- The University of Surrey (UK) finally have a permanent web address they hope will last, at http://union.surrey.ac.uk/usbc.
Thursday 14th September 2006
- From the FISA World Masters Regatta (USA), official results from Powerhouse Timing, and a report for the Rowing Service from the GB perspective.
- With discussion on RSR over availability of Olympic Obsession (UK), author Martin Cross has been in and checked that there are still copies in Borders, Kingston-upon-Thames (address 6-9 Market Place, Charter Quay, K-u-T, KT1 1JT, tel 020-8974-9444). Apparently the store have been claiming not to have them but Martin says there are plenty on the shelves, and they have a new boxful.
- British International Rowing are looking for a new performance coach for their adaptive boats (UK, PDF format). It can be someone with limited experience with disabled athletes as they will be working with the adaptive crews' lead coach.
- The River & Rowing Museum (UK) is running a creative writing workshop course this autumn called River of Words, to be inspired by their exhibitions. There are other workshops/courses, the most relevant of which to rowers might be 'Preparing your boat for the winter', for owners of wooden boats. A reminder that as of last April any entry ticket for the Museum becomes valid for readmission for 12 months from the date of first entry.
- A plaintive plea: "We are a few rowers from Sweden who want to visit the Henley regatta in 2007. We need accommodation and a guide. Can someone help us? Please contact ake.elfving@telia.com." (I presume they mean HRR or HWR, but no idea which - ed.)
- Luxembourg International Rowing Club (Lux) has a website at www.luxrow.org, in tricoloured trilinguality. Their glossary is particularly handy, but does beg the question of what language they use during outings.
- A dedicated email address for Swansea University RC (UK) - swanseaunirowingclub{@}hotmail.com.
Wednesday 13th September 2006
- The latest FISA circular (PDF) is out, including such gems as the 2006 Congress reports, umpiring seminars and nomination forms, the upcoming event calendars and information on the 2007 Youth Coaches' conference.
- A website for Rock Rowing Club based in Rock, Cornwall (UK) and largely involved in gig rowing. Bonus points for their webmaster for putting the Rowing Service first in their non-gig links list.
- University of Western Australia Boat Club's website address has changed recently to http://www.uwarowing.org.au/.
- Beresford set the gold standard, a letter in last Friday's Daily Telegraph (UK).
- A link to boat manufacturers AusRowTec (Australia).
Tuesday 12th September 2006
- The visitors' book kept by the Worlds 2006 volunteer gang (UK) is being auctioned for the Rowing Foundation via this Yahoo Groups site. Yahoo account-holders can bid directly, others can bid by emailing to visitorsbookauction@yahoogroups.co.uk and non-members can see the scans of the book at this separate website. The auction ends on 28th October 2006.
- ULBC (UK) are doing this year's boat club dinner on 1st December, and would like to invite all their alumni. If you think they should have your details but don't, please contact them via their website.
- Thanks to a bit of sneaky parental dobbing in, the Rowing Service has been alerted to this honorary doctorate for a FISA top-ten rower (UK, second item).
- A link to Mosman Rowing Club (Sydney, Australia).
Friday 8th September 2006
- Abingdon School (UK) are sending a trailer to Strathclyde/Glasgow to deliver an eight. If anyone needs anything taken up or brought back they should contact Ben Lewis - contributions to petrol would be welcome.
- FISA have put up the new top ten rowers following the Worlds results. A bit of movement, but it's still flipping difficult to break into the top ten without a couple of Olympic or worlds successes.
- The Surf Nation blog includes mention of the latest antics of the UK Surf Rowers League, the final event for which takes place tomorrow on Portreath Beach at 2pm (UK). I gather two crews from Bristol Rowing Club (Bristol Buccaneers and Bristol BroadCiders) are challenging the experts, following Leander and Marlow's efforts last month.
- Entries for Bradford Autumn Regatta (UK, PDF format) close at 3pm on Sunday 10th September.
- The currently-running FISA Tour 2006 (Switzerland) has a subsite of its own this year which is very creditable, except for the fact that the photolinks off the index don't work. Fortunately the links from the site map all work, so hit those if you want to see the tourers rowing round Lake Lucerne and other bits of Swiss water. For webnerds, the organising committee page uses a cunning ploy to minimise spam, featuring email addresses just as images, without even the code for the mailto: link. Worthwhile, if a bit laborious for readers, but it certainly cuts down the spam.
- The next Poplar club races (UK, 24th September, Word document) will contain a number of eminent club members and alumni. Past, present and potential members all welcome to turn up to the club and help celebrate.
- The updated Great River Race (UK, September 16th) website. I notice that they recommend two books, Rowing with my wife by Dan Williams and The Coat about the Doggett's Coat & Badge Race, by Bob Crouch.
- On the Thames Regional Rowing Council website (UK), details of capsize drills at Dorney Lake, if you prefer to test yourself in a more realistic environment than a swimming pool. Cold bumpy water guaranteed at least twice a month and allegedly more....
- Evesham Junior Head (UK, 7th October) has cunningly included 'must be born after' notes for their age categories so that poor sods whose birthday falls around the entry date can work out what they're eligible for. PDF poster available to download.
- A poster for Monmouth Autumn Head (UK, September 24th). Entries accepted by email, post or telephone until 12 noon of Sunday September 17th.
Thursday 7th September 2006
- Draw and general/safety information for the Cambridge Autumn Regatta this coming Sunday (10th September, UK). The Saturday features the Dragonboat festival using the same facilities.
- An unusual design for a rowing website - Huntingdon Boat Club (UK) has gone the My Fair Lady route with an elegant concoction in pale blue and pink. I especially like the siting of the New Members link at the top of the main index. The site also includes details of their head of the river in October.
- University College London Boat Club has had to shift its URL (UK) - now at www.uclbc.co.uk with just a message board but plans to expand shortly. Bentham BC (their alumni) is no longer active but you can contact UCLBC about BBC via their main site.
- The new PLA incident form in PDF and MS Word formats (UK).
Tuesday 5th September 2006
- Derby City Regatta details (September 16th, UK).
- A stock-everything website, the 'Rowing Machine Superstore' (USA), clearly an offshoot of a vast commercial operation. Just the place to find your Tunturi, Schwinn or other pseudo-erg, though to their credit they do also stock WaterRowers (but not, I see, C2s). Just don't offer it to novice boat rowers as the solution to all their questions.
- Waikato beat Cambridge in the annual Great (University) Race (New Zealand). Bundles of stories on the linked website.
- Solo transatlantic rower nears home (Yachting Monthly a few days ago, UK).
Saturday 2nd September 2006
- A massive pile of UK notices including some which answer each other's queries (UK). More coming in a couple of days.
- I'm told by a Rowing Service readers that in relation to the EUSA/FISU anthem (see second item under Friday's news) "by repeated clicking you can create rather a jolly fugue effect." Niiiice.
- Details of Derby City Regatta (UK) can be found on their website.
Friday 1st September 2006
- Concept 2 UK have launched the Model E - it can be bought from from their website as of today. For details see their picture gallery and press release subsite. Wireless PM4 monitors make erg racing easier, and the thing appears to have a bundle of new 'games' to keep yourself amused while rowing, and all the Model D features.
- Going on now in the mid-south of France, the second EUSA championships (European universities), with a choral rendition of what I think is the FISU anthem when you open the window, if your computer's speakers are unfortunately turned on....
- At the same time, the World Coastal Rowing Challenge in Guernsey (UK).
- And in Princeton next weekend, the 2006 FISA Masters (USA).
- Sad news from Hereford (UK): "Mick Williams has passed away. He was 66 and had been a past Captain (87-89) and President (89-91) of Hereford Rowing Club as well as serving as bar manager. His funeral is on Tuesday 5th September at 1:30pm at St Martin's Church in Hereford and afterwards at the rowing club. Donations to St. Michael's Hospice. There will also be a collection towards a pleasure boat in his name."
- The Tideway Slug (UK) has amongst other choice items some pictures from AKRC's summer rowing antics, 'Club Hopping 2006' now open for business, and a link to the PLA Launch Exemption form (PDF format). Oh, and all the editions of Dorneyworld from the World Championships (the volunteer newsletter) as large PDFs.
- Tideway Scullers (UK) are after Community coaches (PDF format file linked).
- ROW Scandinavia (Sweden) are based in Stockholm and sell recreational sliding-seat rowing and coastal touring boats. Details on their website.
