Rowing at our Regatta – a coxes view!
Thanks to Mark Phillips of Skullduggery for letting us use the video.
New boats!
In recent weeks we have been very fortunate to be donated 3 new boats – a coxed pair, a coxless pair and a single scull. The two pairs need a little TLC before they go onto the water (the coxed pair needs a lot of TLC) . The single scull , however , is ready to be rowed. It was built in the late 1970s by Browns Boat builders in Durham, and compared to our other sculls it is a very stable boat – ideal for your first experiments with sculling.
Rowing Report from our Captain
Goeff writes:
I am delighted to see so many existing and new members at Club sessions and in a wide range of boats. In the run-up to the Goring & Streatley Regatta, I just wanted to share the following news items.
Learn 2 Row
Our second L2R course of 2013 will complete on Saturday, 8th June. This has been a shorter but more intense course ably led by Captain Hugh and we look forward to seeing the eight participants graduate with flying colours. Hopefully they will go on to become active members and we also hope that at least four of them will enter the Regatta. Thanks to all the volunteers who have supported Hugh over the past 4 weeks.
Coaching Team
Hugh Baker-Smith has nearly completed his British Rowing Level 2 Coaching qualification and only has the final assessment to go. I am confident he will qualify later this month. This means that the GGBC will once again have 3 BR qualified Coaches.
Capsize & Curry Evening
A two hour coaching session has been organised for Tuesday 11th June at the Oratory School Swimming Pool. This is to ensure that up to 12 single scullers and others members are properly trained and know exactly what to do should they capsize while out on the river. This will be coached by Hugh and myself and is already oversubscribed. We may have to run another…
British Rowing “Explore Rowing” and “Social League”
We are still pursuing this exciting British Rowing initiative and following a meeting with the British Rowing lead last week-end, two options for the GGBC to host an event are currently under review. One option is to include some specific races as part of our Regatta programme on 20th July; the other is to host a one day event after the Regatta.
Regatta Training
As you are aware from an earlier post, Regatta Training will start on Monday, 17th June. As ever, we will need volunteers to Session Manage, Cox/Coach and to assist. Some 20 members have already volunteered a few hours a week for what is always an intense but fun 4 weeks. If other members would like to get involved, please contact me as soon as possible. We only have a week to go…!
Club Sessions
Because of Regatta Training, which will take place every weekday evening and Saturday morning for the four weeks from 17th June, there will be no Club sessions on Thursdays or Saturdays until after the Regatta on 20th July.
Call for Regatta Volunteers
The Goring Gap Boat Club will be hosting the Goring & Streatley Regatta on Saturday 20th July 2013. During the coming weeks, we will therefore need as many members as possible to volunteer a few hours to help with:
- Training Regatta Crews
- Distributing Publicity and
- Setting up the Regatta site.
The immediate challenge is to resource crew training: As in prior years, each crew entered will receive 4 progressive training sessions spread over a four week period starting on Monday 17th June
- Training sessions will run Monday to Friday (6:30 pm to 8:45 pm) and on Saturday mornings (10:00 am to 12:15 pm)
- We can expect to have to have up to 4 restricted fours on the water for each training session and each boat will need to complete 3 outings of 45 minutes per crew.
- This adds up to a staggering 12 individual outings per training session, 72 outings per week or 288 outings over the 4 weeks of training!
We therefore need:
- Session Managers for a total of 32 sessions
- Cox/coaches to steer and encourage the Regatta Crews through their preparation
An email has already been sent out to members but if you can help in any way, please contact Geoff Arnold at captainofrowing@goringgapbc.org.uk as soon as possible. Even if you have not been involved with this before, please join us. It is always great fun and you will be supported all the way. A successful Regatta will give real momentum to our fundraising drive and secure a permanent home for the Club.
Geoff Arnold, Captain of Rowing
