CHAIRMAN’S VIEW

Welcome to the first London Roar of the new decade! I hope that everyone has enjoyed the festive break and is feeling fully refreshed as we move into the new year.

The head racing season is upon us with the Quintin Head on the 25th January followed quickly by the Hammersmith Head on Sunday 16th February. We have eight boats entered for the Quintin Head and the level of activity in the boathouse continues to increase. This inevitably puts a strain on the fleet and we will be borrowing boats from our neighbours to ensure that everyone can race. Equally, it is important that any damage is reported immediately in order that we can arrange the necessary repairs and get the boats back in use.

At the December meeting your committee approved a paper proposing changes to the governance structure of London Rowing Club. Details will be published in good time to enable you to have your say on the proposals. Our aim is to have the new structure in place ahead of the AGM in July.

In the clubhouse, I am pleased to report increasing sales in the bar and events’ space. The revenue is important to the Club. Please encourage friends and colleagues to consider London Rowing Club for any events that they are planning.

Simon Harris
Chairman, London Rowing Club

CAPTAIN’S ROWING REPORT

Happy New Year!

As we get into the sharp end of the head season and start to look towards Henley on the horizon, you can feel tensions starting to build. The squad, after a short break, are back at it and racking up miles and strength on and off the water. Still some time to go before the days get longer and the weather warms up!

We have had great uptake from the rest of the Club in outings throughout the season thus far as well as on the land training side. Circuits continue every Thursday; meet at 19:00 for 19:15 start. We will be running a couple of gym inductions to make sure all members are confident (and safe) using the equipment to make the most of it. Look out for sign up links in the Weekly Brief.

Finally, on the non-squad training side, we are putting together a basic training programme. All scalable with water, land and strength training. You can pick and mix or follow to the day, making sessions appropriately hard for your ambitions. We will have details online and work out a way to keep a hard copy to hand in the gym as well.

Remember, as we get older, strength and conditioning to maintain muscle mass and joint condition are unsung heroes. Do please make use of the amazing facilities we now have at the Club.

On the social side annual dinner is looming and I look forward to seeing you all there! Tickets will be available using the links referred to in Mark Lucani's piece below. All my best wishes for 2020 and look forward to a great year for LRC.

Bang the drum

Tim Grant
Captain, London Rowing Club

LRC ANNUAL DINNER

The Club President is delighted to invite all members and their guests to this year’s London Rowing Club Annual Dinner – the first one of this new decade.

Tickets are £55 per person and details for the evening are as follows:

Date: Friday 31 January
Drinks reception from 7:00pm in the Fairbairn Room where bubbly will be served
Guests are asked to take their seats in the Long Room for 7:45pm to enjoy a delicious 3 course menu* - the full LRC wine list will be available. Our Master of Wine will recommend the ideal pairings for each course.
Our guest speaker is currently being finalised but we can look forward to something a little different.
Dress Code: Black tie or black tie with rowing blazers and cocktail dresses/rowing blazers so expect to see your fellow members turned out in their finest.
*Most Dietary requirements can be catered for.

We will once again be using the ‘Go Cardless’ system so please utilise the links below to book your seats:

- Single Ticket: https://pay.gocardless.com/AL0002TKEN9ZR7
- Two Tickets: https://pay.gocardless.com/AL0002TKEVWV7K

Please note that despite being labelled as a Direct Debit this will only debit a single payment per entry.

If you would prefer to utilise a different payment method, if you have dietary requests or have any further questions please email events@londonrc.org.uk

The President and I look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible to usher in a new decade at London Rowing Club.

Mark Lucani

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

25 January: Quintin Eights Head

31 January: LRC Annual Dinner

01 February: Hampton Head

05 February: Irregulars’ Dinner

09 February: Bedford Eights and Fours Head

09 February: TRC v LRC – Boustead Cup

15 February: Henley Fours and Eights Head

15 February: Molesey Head Races

16 February: Hammersmith Head

04 March: Irregulars’ Dinner (provisional)

07 March: Women’s Eights Head (14.30)

14 March: Kingston Head

15 March: Lightweights Boat Race

18 March: Schools’ Head (12.30)

21 March: Head of the River (14.45)

22 March: Vesta Veterans Head (15.00)

29 March: University Boat Races (Women’s 15.44, Men’s 16.44)

01 April: Irregulars’ Dinner (provisional)

See more detail for these events, visit our Calendar of Events…

IRREGULARS’ REPORT

Traditionally of course, a quiet time of year on the rowing front but an indulgent and festive one off the water!

The Club Christmas Eights took place on the 15th December - should I be calling them Christmas Quads? - our group had their normal outings albeit shortened for those that wanted to take part in the racing. About eight of our group took part with our own Philip Carré steering the winning boat!! It was a great and well organised event thoroughly enjoyed by all.

The Christmas dinner followed on the 18th December, which was also a great success.

We’ve had two Sunday outings (a third had to be cancelled due to Red Flags on the Tideway) with 15 to 20 attending - a great effort during the Christmas period.

We are now getting geared up for sweep rowing and hoping to make an entry or two in the Vets’ Head in March and possibly one or two of the local earlier Heads.

A very Happy New Year to all.

Eddie Markes

2021 ANNIVERSARIES

Two important 150th anniversaries for the Club fall in exactly a year’s time – the construction of our original clubhouse building, and the formation of the limited company, the London Boat House Company Limited, both of which events took place in January 1871.

The clubhouse soon after its completion in 1871, at a cost of £1,700. This comprised the Long Room and grandstand above, with boathouse below. The building was extended to the east, off to the left, over the winter of 1875-76.

Ebenezer Cobb Morley, who was the Club's Hon. Solicitor for many years. He was also a founder of the Football Association, and had numerous other sporting interests.

A sub-committee has been formed, reporting to the main Committee, to research and write up the story. It is one of typical determined endeavour by our Victorian predecessors. The building (now much expanded of course over the years) is probably the earliest purpose-built rowing clubhouse in existence and the company (now enjoying a slightly altered name) is one of the earliest to have been registered under the Companies Acts.

The sub-committee’s work is about to get under way, when we will start by looking to see what is in the archives and picture collection, and allocating tasks. We have a lawyer, a building surveyor, an architect, and a design and layout expert, amongst others, on board. If anyone else would be interested in joining us, though, do please contact me on julianebsworth@hotmail.com

Julian Ebsworth
Club Archivist

CLUB MEMBERS’ TRAINING AT LRC

Having indulged in one or two too many mince pies over the festive period, I have resolved to be more disciplined with my own general training and fitness in the new year. Since I prefer to do things with friends, I have been working with Tim Grant and a number of other members to put together a basic training outline that ALL members can join in with, should they so desire.

These ‘sessions’ are specifically designed to cater for all fitness levels, from those who haven't trained in years/looking for something very light and accessible, to those used to squad level training (and everything in between). Of course, this is all optional and can be done anytime and anywhere (such as in the work gym) but there will typically be groups training at LRC at prearranged times.

The basic format for now is as follows - with the caveat that we train around the senior squad so this may be subject to change in the future to accommodate their training:

Monday from 7:00pm: Endurance erg

Tuesday from 6:00pm: Strength and conditioning

Wednesday from 7:00pm: Higher intensity erg/row

Thursday @7:15pm: Circuits

Friday: Recovery

Saturday circa 9:00am: Erg / Row / Cycle / Run

Sunday circa 11:00am: Erg / Row / Cycle / Run

Erg sessions will be published each week in the Weekly Digest or monthly in The London Roar and will always include easy, medium and challenging options.

Strength and Conditioning (weights and flexibility): Still TBD but it is likely that this will be published weekly and placed on the gym notice board. We will also aim to have an experienced member around each week to assist if anybody needs pointers.

The aim is to build in some periodisation, timed around the major events throughout the rowing calendar. Accordingly, as an introduction the erg sessions for the coming week will be as follows:

Monday 13th: 30 mins @20:
easy option (2 or 3) x 8mins with 2 mins rest
medium: 2 x 14 mins 2 mins rest
advanced: 30 mins no rest

Wednesday 15th: 500m @28 with 2 mins rest
easy: 3 sets
medium: 5 sets
advanced: 8 sets

Please remember that this is open to the entire membership and I encourage you to come and join in. Training with others is infinitely more enjoyable - we are a rowing club after all!

Any questions please do not hesitate to ask! I look forward to seeing you in the LRC gym.

Mark Lucani

PHYSIO CLINIC NOW OPEN IN LRC GYM!

For those of you I have not yet formally met, I am Aidan O'Flaherty. I have been a member of the Club for the past three years and am the lead physio at the new Bodies Under Construction Physiotherapy Clinic that recently opened within the gym.

I specialise in treating all types of musculoskeletal injuries with a background working in professional sports. For anyone that may be struggling with a nagging injury or pain then do come and see me and let’s get you in the right lane for 2020!

Clinic open 8am - 7pm

LRC member discount available. Family, friends and non- members all welcome! Recognised by most insurance companies.

For more information or to book please give the Bodies Under Construction reception a call on 020 8788 7804. Be sure to mention that you would like to see me in the LRC Clinic.

Alternatively contact me directly at aidan@bodiesunderconstruction.com or on my mobile 07470 493145.

Look forward to seeing you soon!

Aidan O’Flaherty

A PROPOS OF NOTHING

With the squad and other LRC rowing numbers on the rise and the Chairman talking of our having to borrow boats from neighbouring clubs, perhaps we should start thinking out of the box and buy a couple of these babies!

Best wishes to all our readers for the New Year. Have a very happy and healthy 2020!

Miles Preston
Editor of The London Roar

REPORTING SAFETY INCIDENTS

All members are reminded that if you are involved in or witness a water safety incident, you are required to report it on safety@londonrc.org.uk

The Club will file any necessary reports on your behalf with British Rowing and the PLA. Members should not submit reports directly to either body.

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

My thanks to everyone who has contributed to this edition of the London Roar. If you have an idea for an article or would be interested in submitting a piece for inclusion in a future edition, please email me on miles.preston@londonrc.org.uk

Please do not submit an article without first liaising with me.