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October Newsletter

Hello All,

As I write the river is on red boards and rowing is restricted to large boats with crew line-ups subject to the number of available experienced rowers and coxes. Please watch out for FitClub messages which will let you know what is happening regarding the river conditions and the impact on rowing. This applies to anyone using club boats both during sessions and outside of sessions. If you have your own boat, it goes without saying that you should also follow the safety guidelines.

You can familiarize yourself with the safety guidelines and particularly the boating restriction guidelines here.

Our priority will always be to keep members rowing safely as often as possible so please support those whose job it is to make the decisions.

Out of hours rowing – a reminder

Paul (Cpt of Rowing) will be reviewing the out of hours Summer/All Year memberships to make sure that we are confident everyone will be safe on the water this Winter. Please don’t be offended if you are asked to do a quick demonstration of your abilities to reconfirm or confirm your place on the Winter OOH list.  

AGM – 21st November, 7.30 – 9pm, Pangbourne WMC 

Hopefully you will come along. There is no parking (they are enthusiastic with their fines so watch out), but parking is free in the village hall car park round the corner or there is a small one across the road. The good news is there is a bar.

If you would like to put yourself forward for a committee position, then please email me by November 7th.

Click here to see all the committee posts and what they entail. If you would like to know more about any role, contact the current post holder or email me at chairman@goringgapbc.org.uk.

If you have something you would like to raise (AOB) at the AGM then please let me or the Club Secretary know the details by November 7th.

Session Managers and Coaches

I want to say a huge thank you to Gillian for the work she is putting into organising the session managers. And thank you to everyone who is sacrificing their rowing time to session manage or coach. In Winter it is especially important. You are all awesome.

Dates for your diary

Sunday 17th December – Santa Row – we’ll try and get everyone in boats out on the water at the same time this year for a bit of light racing, and some carols and general merriment with refreshments after.

Friday 8th December – Christmas Party

We are returning to the Bull in Streatley for more festive fun this year. There will be music, food and a drink for just £25 a head. The party is now on FitClub so please sign up and pay the Club referencing your name, party, number of tickets.

An evening in January – The Boys in the Boat

For anyone who, like me, can hardly wait to see The Boys in the Boat on release in cinemas next January, then we thought we could make a club outing out of it. Location will be the Biscuit Factory in Reading. Date to follow.  

Finally, a big welcome to the latest Learn to Row graduates. Hopefully the river will calm down enough to get you on the water very soon!

Best wishes,

Lorraine

Club Chair

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Supporting the Thames Pollution Awareness Expedition

On Friday 15th September two GGBC crews accompanied 5 members of the Thames Pollution Awareness Expedition along the Goring to Henley section of their 10 day Thames Marathon. The expedition’s aim was to call for Government action on river pollution .

We had two crews who shared the trip, with a pit stop over at Reading Canoe Club for the change over. Thinking the non regular rower crews would need assistance, we were quite wrong and and had to work hard to keep up! Which was lucky as that meant that the bar was open at the Leander Club who had kindly offered their premises to load the boats onto the trailer for the return home.

Tim Wakefield and Ben Covey from the expedition then went to swim and paddleboard the rest of the way.

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Race Day and BBQ

This year’s race day in lieu of the G&S regatta (for now) was originally set for July. However, the weather was against us (strong winds and rain in July – why are we surprised?) and we had to postpone to September.

About 70 members turned up on the day to race, help and generally enjoy a burger. All with an excellent view of the scratch crews sprinting, limping but always somehow, crossing the line. The winners were? Well – it’s hard to remember. But they were pleased and got pots!

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GGBC Return to Swanage

Another fab weekend in Swanage, gig rowing with the very hospitable Swanage Sea Rowing Club.

Gig rowing takes a bit of getting used to but once in the zone it’s remarkably hypnotic. Not to mention being great exercise. Mind you, any health benefits are probably swiftly cancelled out by fish and chips and cooked breakfasts, along with liquid refreshment in the evenings.

This year the sea conditions enabled a row out to the chalk coastline just out of the bay along towards Old Harry Rocks bringing with it an interesting geology and botany lesson as well.

Thank you to Tom for organizing and to everyone who came along to make this another great GGBC-on-tour experience. Can’t wait for next time.