CHAIRMAN’S VIEW
As we enter the fourth month under some form of lockdown with our activities curtailed, I would like to thank every member for your continuing support to the Club. Whilst some have been able to enjoy the best sculling conditions imaginable on the Tideway, others have trained in isolation, volunteered to support the wider community or worked hard on the front line tackling the pandemic. Through all of the this the rowing season came to a premature end and, as I write this, many of us should be somewhere in Henley meeting up with old friends and enjoying the highlight of our domestic rowing season.
Like many others, I was disappointed that the changes to the lockdown provisions announced last week did not go a little further. I had hoped that we would be allowed to use the gym with the right precautionary measures in place and see a progressive return to rowing. We will have to wait. If reports in the press are to be believed, this could be only a matter of weeks. Your committee and sub-committees are continuing to work to ensure that there is no delay in any resumption to our activities as soon as government advice permits. With the coaching team in place for the coming season we are well set to start training and preparing for whatever the rowing season might offer.
In parallel with the return to rowing and training, work is underway to open up the events space and to continue to secure what revenue we can by working with third parties. The bar was opened to members on Saturday 4th July for the first time for over three months. Subject to demand, we will continue to open the bar to allow members to meet up whilst complying fully with the rules for social distancing. More information about this will be in the coming editions of the Weekly Brief and The London Roar, as things develop.
The clubhouse is able to offer plenty of open space for meetings, drinks or meals. With the right precautions in place, it is an ideal location to meet face-to-face under the current lockdown rules. Please consider whether you, your family or your business are able to take advantage. Shane, Tommy and the team will be very pleased to assist and make everyone welcome.
Last month I reported that due to the lockdown restrictions the decision had been taken to postpone the scheduled General Meeting and AGM. With the opportunity for limited access to the club house and the continuing uncertainty over when there will be a further lifting of restrictions, further work has been undertaken to work out how these meetings may be conducted. It is now planned to hold the General Meeting on the 5th August and the AGM on 2nd September. The aim of the General Meeting will be to discuss and agree a series of changes to the rules of the club including the structure of the committee. The agenda for the AGM will look familiar to many and, in addition to other business, we will elect individuals into the new roles agreed at the General Meeting. Please take time to read the papers and return the registration form by Monday 3rd August to let us know whether you plan to join the General Meeting in person or online.
Finally, and importantly, I would like to record my thanks to Rob Dauncey who will be stepping down from his position as Chief Coach after three years. Rob, supported by Steve Salter, has invested a great deal of time and effort to support the Club and develop our elite squad. It is disappointing that Rob, Steve and the LRC squad were not able to showcase the results of their efforts on the river in recent months. I join all other members in wishing Rob well in his future career.
Simon Harris
Chairman, London Rowing Club
CAPTAIN’S REPORT
Tim Grant
In the final weeks of my captaincy, I thought I would take this last opportunity to write a few words of thanks.
First up, despite not finishing how we planned or wanted, I would like to give Rob Dauncey and Steve Salter my sincere thanks for the focus and drive they put into the LRC squad rowing and the Club. We were relatively low in the water when we kicked off with a plan three years ago. It’s been a slog, but we are certainly on the right path towards success at Henley and back on the map as a club. Your efforts and dedication are truly appreciated, the level of work behind the scenes is far more significant than many realise to get the systems process and infrastructure in place for an elite level senior squad. Thank you both.
We got the gym built thanks to the efforts of Simon Harris, Peter Halford and the whole build sub-committee. Hopefully, we’ll be able to use it again very soon!
Thanks to my vice-captains, Mark Lucani, Matt Reeder and Meghann Jackson, who have kept the pressure on while quite often performing thankless tasks and having to hold the line. Your drive in the squad, creation of the Millennials group, battle paddles and greater involvement of women’s rowing at LRC have been some of the most positive steps seen at the Club for some time.
Mark Lucani has my wholehearted support as Captain for the next season and is already driving the recruitment and support for re-opening and rowing pending election at the AGM. His approach is exactly right for the next phase.
Finally, thanks to you the members for continuing to support the Club through these turbulent times. The more time we can spend at the Club bringing more people to it, enjoying the facilities, the better. Please do take every opportunity as the Club reopens to get back in, go for a row, buy a pint (or ten), bring friends, welcome visitors and non-rowers, welcome new members and bang the drum.
Tim Grant
Mark Lucani
As we slowly begin to emerge from these challenging times, I find myself on the precipice of jumping feet first into numerous sets of very large shoes. Even in the most stable of periods, taking on the role of captain at LRC is a daunting task, however it is thanks to my predecessors and the teams that supported them, that I step onto the best of foundations. Surrounded the new team that we are quickly growing, I am extremely confident that we will continue building our club into a rowing powerhouse that we can all be proud of.
From my perspective the foundations cannot be underestimated: 3 years ago Tim Grant and Jason Gray took things by the scruff of the neck and firmly pointed the club in the right direction. We brought in Rob Dauncey as Director of rowing and Steve Salter continued to grow under Rob as assistant coach. Stepping into the captaincy, I am seeing even more of the incredible behind the scenes work that went on before me and the robust systems that were implemented. I cannot thank this group enough for providing such a solid platform for the club to spring to the heights we all know it can reach. We reach higher by standing on the shoulders of giants.
Looking ahead - I am truly excited by what lies in front of us. A highly potent team that is coming together with the momentum of a rampaging snowball! With the Stu Heap at the helm and the support of the incomparable Robin Williams - we are creating a high-performance environment that I am incredibly proud of. A structure I believe is capable of delivering on the club’s ever exacting expectations.
Alongside this we have already recruited some incredibly strong athletes and continue to do so, with membership numbers swelling despite these difficult times. More importantly we seem to be successfully creating a culture long term membership of London Rowing Club where members continue feel included in the life of the club no matter where they currently are in their rowing career. With any luck, some in the number of our newest members may one day end up filling the shoes of Stu or Robin’s - both of whom being longstanding members of LRC.
Finally, I am immensely excited to have already seen great strides on the women’s high-performance side, with hopefully much more to come. This is one of my principal aims I look to take into the upcoming season - to further build a thriving women’s squad capable of competing and winning at the highest domestic level.
With the confluence of all of these elements, and with your continued support, I am very much looking forward to next season with unbridled anticipation and am champing at the bit to get going.
BANG THE DRUM!
Mark Lucani
Stop Press: We will shortly be introducing a system to facilitate erg training which will be done in a socially distanced and safe manner on the balcony. We will set up an online booking system and a safety protocol. Please keep an eye out on further comms in this regard.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
05 August: LRC EGM
12-14 August: Supper Club on the LRC Balcony
31 August: Bank Holiday
02 September: LRC AGM
See more detail for these events, visit our Calendar of Events…
IRREGULARS’ REPORT
We are all missing each other terribly but things are slowly easing - the bar opened last Saturday and Tom was spotted on the previous Wednesday at the Club – he had come in to get things ready. Real excitement!!
Dampening spirits somewhat, please be careful and alert and especially follow the protocol if taking out singles or doubles.
A real plus just lately has been the influx of new certified steers. To join others reported on last month, we have two more, Matt Thorogood and Ronnie Maddox, both of whom have passed the dreaded test and are competent scullers.
Additionally, we welcome a new member Robert Ledger (you’ll get to know him when you’re allowed!) who has joined from Barn Elms having sculled there for three years. He also joins our ranks as a certified steer. As a group we now have a glut of steers, which is great!
We also welcome to the Club some new young members who are either offspring of members or their friends. The list is not exhaustive at all but Irregular’s offspring include Jasmine and Ollie Moore, Georgia Coni, Tom O’Sullivan, Laura Akehurst and Rosie and Toby Thorogood. As I say, there are more but I would especially like to thank Ben Helm and Meghann Jackson for their tireless work and enthusiasm facilitating all this.
At this time of year, we have usually just had our annual visit to Henley. To commiserate with ourselves, some of us had a small photo remembrance ‘email flurry’. I think we will keep the majority of the photos to ourselves but I publish one below - off to sit on the boom in our skiff to support our Wyfold crew in 2018. The skiff, as you will note, can take 5! - more about the skiff in the next edition. I bet you can’t wait.
Eddie Markes
WHERE MANY LRC MEMBERS HAVE COME FROM…
It is a good time to celebrate the beginnings and successes of learn to row courses by LRC and to recognise that many LRC members have joined us having learned at other tideway clubs.
10 years ago, LRC decided to run LTR courses to grow membership; Iain Laurenson was the first leader and a young Stuart Heap the coach. British Rowing provided a grant to fund 50% of two stable coxed quads and a generous member funded the remaining 50%. In addition to these two boats being used to teach many to row, they have been used for corporate rowing events, countryside rows and Vogalonga; valuable assets in our boat inventory.
The early LRC LTR courses had produced a number of strong rowers – Tom Neeld exceptionally became a Resi and raced in our first boat. Amy Fenton who learned on the first course, led the second course, when Georgina Mitchell was welcomed, and raced for LRC in her 4 years in crews with Victoria Prior who is still rowing at LRC.
In 2014, Sophie Hosking, LRC Captain wished to expand the traditional 6-week British Rowing LTR course. Eddie Markes and Kathleen Curran led the expanded course. At that time, there were over 400 people on a wait list! We conducted an open trial evening; and with Sophie, designed a comprehensive 18-month LTR course, increased the fee, hired Lina Brazinskaite as coach, and returned a substantial profit to the Club. Alan Foster, Hugh Samuel and Stuart Suckling gave countless hours volunteer coaching.
Some of the graduates of that expanded course are now at LRC for 5 years! They are members of both Young Irregulars and Irregulars. The Young Irregulars include former School and University rowers. It is great to see the YI’s an established group, it has expanded our membership.
A number of YI’s are contributors to LRC workings – Bethan Corlett on the Membership Sub Group, Lucy Hargreaves on the Finance Sub Group and Sehrish Rafique has led many initiatives for the YI’s. True thanks are due to Sehrish and Bethan who have steered boats sometimes doing double sessions to get other YI’s out. The recent TopRow graduates who have joined the group valued the extra time spent helping them across the bridge needed between TopRow and the self- sufficient groups of LRC, for which we will have a formal plan going forward.
It is nice to reflect on those who in recent years, learned to row at various tideway clubs and have been contributors to the work required at LRC – Jacquie Grosch, Philip Carre, Jason Dancinger and the great Eddie Markes. There are many others who have generously contributed to the gym fund and have been stalwarts at Club Pride Days and LRC member events. Most referred to LRC by Stephen Feeney and Steve O’Connor, coaches at Barn Elms in their early days.
How much we owe Iain Laurenson, not only for running the first course but for being an incredible Commodore, growing the Irregulars, supported by John Pearson – the group started by John Pepys in the 60’s. Thanks to them, there was a home in LRC for recreational rowers and how LRC has benefited these years from those rowers.
Kathleen Curran
YOUNG IRREGULARS – THE LOCKDOWN EDITION
July marks five years since London Rowing Club ran its most extensive and robust Learn-to-Row programme in 2015. Many of the graduates from this programme went on to form the Young Irregulars in combination with ‘young’ recreational rowers from university and alike who want to stay on the water. Most recently, the group has welcomed TopRow graduates who have quickly made the LRC their home. During lockdown, the YI’s like everyone else have really missed being on the water, but have kept our spirits up! A few YI’s have been involved in PPE packing for the NHS and some have even been working on the front line during the pandemic – including in the Nightingale Hospital in London. On that note, we would like to give recognition and big thanks to Anna Izaro and Isabel Palmer who have been working tirelessly along with other medics & scientists during the pandemic to keep us all safe!
Packing PPE with the OneDegreeofSport Initiative: Sehrish Rafique
Ana Izaro (top); Isabel Palmer (above right, background), Bethan Corlett (above right, foreground)
Given the five-year anniversary for many of us at London Rowing Club, below is a compilation of quotes from some of our members on their rowing journey:
“‘I joined the YIs after a stint of rowing sweep at university outside London. Due to work commitments rowing during the week wasn’t an option and the YIs provided a great, sociable weekend alternative. The YIs are an important group within LRC, bridging the gap between the full-time squad and the Learn to Row groups. I would thoroughly recommend trialling one of their sessions if you’re new to LRC.”
– Hugo Meredith, University Rower
“‘I started with LRC through the LTR programme back in 2015. We had regular land and water sessions weekly where we were coached how to row. I thoroughly enjoyed the programme, met many cool people, enjoyed the rowing sessions and the socials. I am now part of the Young Irregulars group with my fellow LTR teammates and look forward to getting back on the water together after the lockdown and work towards becoming a qualified steer. It is a privilege and honour to be part of LRC.”
– Lawrence W.K. Ho, LTR Graduate
“I started rowing at University of Surrey in 2006, predominately sweep, bow side. It was so much fun, and over those 4 years I competed at W8HORR, BUCS and others. Fast forward to 2015: I’d done the “getting a career” bit, just finished a marathon and wanted a more sociable hobby – the water called! LRC’s YIs offered the right balance of training, outings and pub/fun that I was hankering for. I joined in Dec '15 (a terrible month to start rowing again!) and was racing again at W8HORR by March, and haven’t looked back since”
– Bethan Corlett, University Rower
"I became part of LRCs YI's after taking courses with TopRow's Learn to Row program. I joined with some of the others that did the TopRow courses with me and we have had lots of fun continuing to row together, along with rowing and meeting the very welcoming and supportive group of YIs and 'regular' Irregulars. I was excited for the Vogalonga adventure this year, but it will have to wait until the next!"
– Amy Hinterberger, TopRow Graduate
“‘I joined the YIs through London’s own LTR five years ago. It’s a less traditional route into the sport after university but the warmth of the group coupled with the comprehensive tuition we received and depth of knowledge & experience we’ve had access to at London made it an excellent introduction to the sport. In what can so often be such a full on sport the YI group make a great refuge.”
– Tom Fitzpatrick, LTR Graduate
Throwback to last Summer at the Duke’s Head (left to right): Niki Symeonidou, Bethan Corlett, Sehrish Rafique, Timothy Bedingfield, Lucy Hargreaves, Raphael Tomi-Tricot, Hugo Meredith.
A number of our members have got back on the water sculling in recent weeks and we look forward to getting together for group sessions (and post-paddle drinks!) in the coming months.
Happy faces back on the water: Isabel Palmer (left, background), Bethan Corlett (left, foreground); Sehrish Rafique (right).
As always, thanks go to Tim Grant, Captain, who reinstated circuits and encouraged the YIs to attend, and to Kathleen Curran, our leader, who has been with many of us for 5 years.
“It gives me such joy to see what the Young Irregulars themselves say about rowing, LRC and their group. They have persevered and settled themselves into the Club, even more than that, a number of them are greatly contributing in the subgroups. I am proud of them...”
– Kathleen Curran, YI Leader
Sehrish Rafique
ROWING ON THE THAMES IN THE 50s & 60s
PART 3 – BOATBUILDERS AND BOATMEN
Ayling’s Boathouse.
Oars were then were made out of wood, usually two pieces carved with a hollow in the middle of the loom. This made them more flexible and lighter. The blade was comparatively thin and even though it was reinforced with a copper strip at the end it was susceptible to damage when crews clashed or on the booms at Henley.
There were then two forms of construction for boats, clinker built or shell, the latter involved spreading a thin wooden skin, a few millimetres thick, over a wooden frame. These boats were much lighter than the heavy clinker-built boats but more liable to damage. In the days when pleasure rowing boats were allowed beside the Henley course during the Regatta, one LRC four was effectively sunk when the blade of a pleasure boat sliced through the skin of a fine four.
During this period the key to any large club was the boatman. He had three main roles, seeing crews out and back, maintaining the club’s boats and supervising the transport of boats to regattas.
Tom Phelps 1960.
London was blessed to have the lovely Tom Phelps who was over sixty then, so he was helped by the redoubtable Fred, who was a very cheerful character. Tom was from the famous Phelps boating family and his brothers in addition to the boat builder were boatmen at I believe Thames, Jesus College and Winchester. For much more on his illustrious career, see - https://heartheboatsing.com/2015/01/29/who-was-the-man-at-the-bow/
In those days a stool was used, so that the crews could get in the boat without using wellington boots. The demise of the stool came with the loss of boatmen, as oarsmen forgot to move the stool far enough up the hard to prevent it floating away on the incoming tide.
Boating from a Stool in the 1950s.
Hugh Dulley
Part 4: ‘Coaching and Training’ will be published in the August edition of The London Roar
FORGETTING MAY: ON DEMENTIA, LOVE AND LOSS
One of our Club Members, Helen Broadbridge has published her debut novel this spring.
Helen set out to write a book to help her Dad come to terms with his Mum's dementia. Now she wants to share Forgetting May with other people who have a loved someone with this condition or who are simply curious to find out more about it.
"Beautifully written, very moving and very insightful story which helps to understand the many aspects of dementia, and how it affects both the sufferer and their loved ones."
"This book has made me realise that we weren't alone when we encountered this reckless disease."
"I couldn't put it down."
You can find out more about the book and enjoy free excerpts by searching @forgettingmay on Instagram.
If you like what you see, ebook and paperback are available here and you can find out more about the author here.
You can also sign up here if you would like to hear about Helen's next book.
Helen Broadbridge
THE TIDEWAY OF TIMES
The photo below is part of a small display on the north bank of the river between Hammersmith and Barnes Bridge, which I came across recently while walking with my family as part of our regular exercise.
Spectators on a wharf located just downstream of the Old Ship Pub, watch the University Boat Race in 1949.
Initially, I glanced at it without thinking too much but the more I looked the more it told me about the river, rowing and the pace of change over the 70 years. So here are my thoughts and hopefully you will have more of your own:
1) The river was incredibly industrial even this far up until the 1950s. All those warehouses were the equivalent of today’s Amazon distribution centres, which served as vital links in the distribution chain, as well as crucial places of work for many local people. It is easy to forget how crushing the closure of these warehouses would have been for employment in the local (then largely male) workforce.
2) All these people are crammed in to see a sporting event that they probably did not understand: how many had ever been in a rowing boat or thought they could ever join a rowing club, given the elitist reputation of the sport. Their enthusiasm shows how quirky the Brits are when it comes to following sports and it is re-assuring to see that that aspect of our national character has not changed. Today, still over two hundred thousand people turn up to watch the Oxbridge races, despite the fact very few have ever been in a rowing boat. Long may this attitude continue.
3) Health and safety had clearly not been invented and everyone seemed very relaxed about that, especially those on the scaffolding. This would certainly not be allowed today and maybe we are better off- who knows?
4) Dress code. Not only were the men all wearing ties and probably suits, but the women were mainly wearing hats. This would have been completely normal in those days and is a very long way from the current uniform of lycra, jeans and hoodies. It strikes me that we have simply exchanged one ‘norm’ for another and still look uniform but in a different way.
So these are my impressions of this seemingly unimpactful picture and I hope this article has stirred some reaction from the readership.
Keith Swabey
AUGUST SUPPER CLUB
HOSTED BY ‘THE DINNER LADIES’
In mid-August, the Dinner Ladies will be bringing their Supper at Sea to the LRC.
They will be serving a five-course seafood feast of fresh and sustainable favourites on the balcony between 12–14 Aug.
Dietary preferences are welcomed – please contact Lily here.
To maintain social distance, we ask that you book in tables of four and there will be a max. of 20 people per evening.
£30 per person, please book here.
Shane Dorsett
General Manager, London Rowing Club
PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION
Thank you very much to everyone who submitted entries for our second Photographic Competition. The theme, as you may recall from the June edition of The London Roar, was ‘LRC, its members and the Tideway since lockdown started on the 23rd March 2020’.
The judging team, comprised of the Editor of TLR (Miles Preston), the Membership Secretary (Jessica Salter) and the Hon. Secretary (Jeremy Hudson), have chosen the four photos which they rated most highly;
Gold Medal – Justin Stokeld: ‘Four! You’re late’, taken on Father’s Day, 21st June.
Joint Silver Medal – Paul Bachler: ‘Sunset’ taken on 2nd May @ 20:53.
Joint Silver Medal - Joe Boultbee: ‘The Thames at its most serene’ taken on 27th March.
Bronze Medal – Sherish Rafique, ‘Single life.’
They also wanted to include some of the other photos that were submitted. They appreciate that judgment of photographs is very subjective (beauty being in the eye of the beholder etc) so wanted members to see more than just their selection.
Runners up, in no particular order:
Simon Smithson: ‘Mr Turner get your paint box out’, taken on 9th April @ 07:16.
Joe Boultbee: ‘The Sentinel’ taken on 27th March.
Paul Bachler: ‘Sunset’ taken on 1st July @ 21.17.
Although for the sad but true reason that it could not have been taken before the commencement of lockdown and, as such, was ineligible for the photographic competition, I thought our members would like to see this photo sent in by Andrew Keat of the late lamented Rob van Mesdag. None of the entries to the competition were of LRC members, so I thought this one made up for the omission.
‘Rob van Mesdag - the spirit of LRC’
Miles Preston
Editor, 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.
Miles Preston
Editor of The London Roar
