CHAIRMAN’S VIEW
After a very busy month of work at the Club, I am pleased to report that the redecoration works and remedial works to the men’s showers are complete and the Ashton Room has been furnished. The work to the Fairbairn Room and the main entrance have transformed the clubhouse and I am grateful to Eddie Markes for making it happen. Thanks to the efforts of Abby Leek and the membership subcommittee, the Ashton Room now provides an area for members to relax or work. Whilst we have further plans to develop the area, these are subject to planning permission and will take a few months to develop. Meanwhile, please enjoy the space and take care to keep it clean and in the condition in which you would want to find it.
On the water it feels good to be able to report a return to competitive rowing. The draw for the Metropolitan Regatta was held at the clubhouse on Saturday 29th May and included a very healthy LRC entry. By the time that you read this we will know the results and will be turning or attention to future competition leading up to Women’s Henley in July and Henley Royal Regatta in August. We have also been hearing some positive developments regarding Hammersmith Bridge although it is still too early to predict when it might re-open to navigation.
Our plans for the Annual General Meeting on 15th July are developing. It will be held as a hybrid meeting giving members the opportunity to attend in person in the clubhouse or join online. Andrew Boyle will send out login details a week prior to the meeting.
Simon Harris
Chairman, London Rowing Club
ROWING REPORT
Senior Squad
The squad continues to grow! The Women’s squad is now the biggest it has ever been. The increasing size of both the Women’s and Men’s squad undoubtedly reflects the positive steps that the Club and its coaching team have taken to nurture an inclusive and engaging environment for all.
The whole squad did the final (they hope) 2,000m erg test at the beginning of May. Special mentions go to Graham (“Grum”) Ord and Lizzie Cottrell for getting the fastest scores. Another mention must also go to new joiner Rui Xu, a former lightweight, who went 6:08 delivering 5.54 watts per kilo. Across the squad, there were a number of personal best scores with good progress made since the last erg test a few months prior.
As the squad targets Henley Women’s (early July) and Henley Royal (early August) there has been a slight split in terms of fixtures and training focus for the respective men and women in the squad. For that reason, individual reports now follow. However, the squad remains very much a single unit.
Women’s Squad
The Women’s Squad.
Dissatisfied with merely holding the title of “Best Women’s Squad on the Tideway” the Women have taken to challenging St Paul’s boys to fixtures. On the wettest day on record for the month of May the Women fielded an 8+ and a 4x, racing from Hammersmith to UL. The first race was a draw followed by two hard fought pieces where St Paul’s came out on top.
LRC Women A race Imperial College London (Bow: Meg Jackson, 2: Jenny Arthur, 3: Fleur Crosby-Tavare, 4: Marije Plak, 5: Lizzie Cottrell, 6: Catherine Grayson, 7: Devin Ward, Stroke: Deryn Esterhuyse, Cox: Abby Leek).
The second fixture was against Imperial College (photo above) where again the squad fielded an 8+ and a 4x. The results were one win, one draw and one loss with some extremely hard fought and exciting races. LRC did however come out clear winners when there was a blade clash and I think we can all agree that this tips the scales in our favour. LRC1: IC0. Clearly, James Meade’s weights programme of core and bench is paying dividends.
Men’s Squad
The Men have enjoyed regular fixtures against Westminster including two useful trips to the London Docks to get still water side-by-side racing under their belts. With the Bousted 8+ there were dominant wins in all pieces and with the Thames eligible 8+ there was close racing with Westminster coming out narrowly on top to win 2:1.
LRC Men A race Westminster School (Bow: Gregor Maxwell, 2: Rui Xu, 3: Matt Reeder, 4: Harry Dorrance-King, 5: Louron Pratt, 6: Ben Sthamer, 7: Ed Thomas, Stroke: Borja Portos, Cox: Rosie Margolis).
The Men’s Squad after seat racing including half of Coach Stu Heap.
Met Update
A fantastic weekend of racing at the club’s home regatta saw the squad come away with wins in the Men’s Championship 2-, Men’s Club 4+ and Men’s Club 4-.
Winners of Men’s Club 4+ and 4-: Tom Westbrook, Finn McGahan, Heather Scott, Nick Musson-Cottrell, Louron Pratt (back), Ed Thomas, Joe De Banks, Ben Sthamer and Troy O’Reilly (front).
Against the best in the country, LRC also got both the men and women into the top finals in the W4-, 4-, and 2x. It was B Finals for the W8+, W4x (Sat & Sun), W4+, W1x, W2x (Sat & Sun), 8+ (Sat & Sun), 4+ and 4-. This firmly put the club on the map as one of the top performing clubs in the country. As well as fantastic results, the squad also learnt a huge amount that will be taken forward to future races.
LRC Women’s 8+: Abby Leek (cox), Marije Plak , Deryn Esterhuyse, Catherine Grayson, Lizzie Cottrell, Jenny Arthur, Devin Ward, Harriet Lowe, Meg Jackson.
There are however some exceptional performances that deserve specific recognition. In the men’s Championship 2- James Temple and Matt Curtis delivered the biggest winning margin of any A Final for the whole regatta when they finished 13 seconds clear.
Winners of Men’s Club 4-: Troy O’Reilly, Joe De Banks, Ben Sthamer and Ed Thomas.
Marije Plak, Lizzie Cottrell, Catherine Grayson and Deryn Esterhuyse put in a huge performance to place 7th in the A Final in the W4-.
Ed Thomas, Ben Sthamer, Joe DeBanks and Troy O’Reilly powered through in the 4- to reach the A Final placing 8th and winning the club pennant.
Winners of Men’s Club 4-: Troy O’Reilly, Joe De Banks, Ben Sthamer and Ed Thomas.
Louron Pratt, Finn McGahan, Nick Musson and Tom Westbrook delivered the goods in the B Final, placing 3rd and winning the club pennant.
Winners of Men’s Club 4+: Tom Westbrook, Finn McGahan, Heather Scott, Nick Musson, Louron Pratt.
Finally, Meg Jackson took on the huge field in the W1x to place an impressive 4th in the B Final.
Well done to all that raced. #BangtheDrum.
Squad Calendar
11 June: Women’s seat racing at Eton Dorney
13 June: Bousted Cup (London v Thames) Men
19 June: Marlow Regatta at Eton Dorney
02-04 July: Henley Women’s Regatta
TBC July: Rayner Cup (London v Thames) Women
11-15 August: Henley Royal Regatta
15 August, evening: pints at the bar to celebrate the HRR win (at Mark Lucani’s expense).
Millennials
Summer racing is on the horizon for the Millennials and this, in combination with the bar re-opening, has seen a fair bit of activity at the club.
The group’s top aim is to qualify an 8+ for HRR, which will go on to race at Henley Masters (MasB.8+). This group will also look to race at both Metropolitan and Marlow.
However, the racing season is well underway with a fixture against the Vesta Masters 8+ in early May seeing the LRC 8+ bring home wins in both of the pieces. A quick start and an aggressive pace through the middle saw Vesta outgunned. A positive start to the year and a good opportunity to dust off some cobwebs.
The 8+ would go on to race a class Thames Master crew where a spirited effort wasn’t quite enough on the day. Nevertheless, valuable lessons were learnt that can be taken forward to the summers racing.
In addition to the 8+ the Millennials also have 2 crews looking to race at Henley Masters being a 4x (MasD.4x) and a 2x (MasC.2x).
MasD.4x: Bob Silver (bow), 2: Colin Christie, 3: Evan Gracie, Paul Mascaro (stroke).
As well as taking on the big traditional summer regattas, the group is also on the hunt for pots at local races. So expect there to be an influx of tankards presented to the bar on a Thursday night as the Millennials race Chiswick, Kingston, Molesey and others.
Millennials enjoying an evening session.
As always, the Millennials are open and welcoming to any new joiners and if this is something that you are interested in, please reach out to the coach – James Sexton-Barrow.
Gregor Maxwell
LRC Squad member
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
11 June: Women’s seat racing at Eton Dorney
12 June: British Rowing Masters Championships
13 June: Bousted Cup (London v Thames) Men
19 June: Marlow Regatta (Dorney)
25 June: Doggett’s Coat and Badge 2020
26 June: Marlow Town Regatta
02-04 July: Henley Women’s Regatta
03 July: Chiswick Regatta
09-10 July: Henley Masters Regatta
10-11 July: Kingston Regatta
15 July: LRC Annual General Meeting
17-18 July: Molesey Regatta
23-30 July: Olympic Games rowing (Tokyo)
25 July: Barnes and Mortlake Regatta
27-29 July: Paralympic Games rowing (Tokyo)
31 July: Henley Town and Veterans Regatta
07 August: Maidenhead Regatta
10-15 August: Henley Royal Regatta
28-29 July: Gloucester Regatta
29-30 July: Ross Regatta
08 September: Doggett’s Coat and Badge 2021
All these dates are provisional and subject to postponement or cancellation, depending on Covid 19 regulations and/or whether Hammersmith Bridge remains closed.
See more detail for these events, visit our Calendar of Events…
IRREGULARS’ REPORT
Long may the gradual and measured road back to former times continue!
There are signs.
Henley is being talked about - some of our members are helping out at the Met Regatta - Hammersmith Bridge now has traffic lights and there is real hope that outings upstream will be possible in the near future. Sightings of fishing herons and overhanging willows "flashing past" are long awaited. During the last month or so we have taken quite a few trips downstream (PLA rules allowing of course) which has added interest - karma waters are sometimes to be found off Battersea Park!!
Attendance at our Sunday morning outings has been good, averaging around sixteen participants in number. Spirits are high and although by the time this article comes out the Met Regatta will be over, I cannot help thinking in the present and wishing the squad every success over the weekend.
On a personal level, I would like to thank all those from all sections of the Club who have helped with redressing the Fairbairn Room and hope that you will all like the "new look ".
Eddie Markes
CASAMAJOR CLUB UPDATE
Now that we’re all back on the water, our boats have started to require maintenance again. And what better way of funding this than by joining the Casamajor Club lottery where all the profit is used for the benefit of our fleet.
For only £5 per month you could be one of our lucky winners of £75 each quarter – or even £600 in our special Christmas draw.
You can join in the fun now by clicking on the link below to subscribe to Casamajor – Easy!
https://pay.gocardless.com/AL0002R9Y4C4S8
This quarter’s winners are…
£75 prizes:
Stuart Heap
Ronnie Maddox
Andy Donaldson
Andrew Bokor
£30 prizes (old lottery):
Alan Foster
Gordon March
Chris Woodall
Henry Dunlop
And £15 prizes to:
Henry Wheare
John Hobson
Chris Sprague
Now you know it is a good cause… AND you will be entitled to wear a special Casamajor Club tie or scarf.
So I look forward to lots of you joining up – especially newer members who may not yet have even heard of the Casamajor Club!
John Auber
ROWING WITH DAVID KING: Part 2
1960
In 1960 David and I ended up in the Grand VIII. Farn was now Club Captain and introduced a serious new training regime. Happily no ergos in those days, but in the winter heavy duty work outs in Edward Sturges’ gym, long runs and chilly night time outings. Saturday night was a time to let our hair down and often we would all take off to the West End have a large meal and misbehave a bit. Colin Kester’s Goggomobil always looms large in my memory, with on one occasion going round the Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace on two wheels with five people inside.
The Goggomobil: Built in a small Bavarian town, the engine was two-stroke, two-cylinder, originally only 250 cc.
Messing about in a Messerschmitt: Chris Harris, MB, Peter Ament and DHK (spec. 191 cc two-stroke, single cylinder).
In those days microcars were very popular, because they were cheap to buy and run. Roger Wingate, who was in the Thames Cup VIII in 1961, also owned a Messerschmitt. I recall, in the photo, Chris and I were trying to start it to take it for a spin, it was a bit temperamental but we did get out eventually along the Henley Road. A bit hairy from memory. I recall there was an opinion that this car was made from the cockpit cover of the WW2 Messerschmitt fighter (the bubble car was designed by a German aircraft designer).
While on the subject of cars, it was said that Graham (Beechy) Beech, winner of the Wingfield Sculls and renowned double sculler with sculling partner Doug Melvin, held the record for Medmenham Vicarage to Henley. Many will know this is a narrow and very winding road. Beechy drove a superb vintage Riley 2 litre drop head. One had to be pretty nerveless to go out with him. He lived at my flat in Fulham for a while, so I had first hand experience!
The 1960 HORR proved the value of the training, as we started 25th and finished 9th. David was at 6 although he ended up at 3 in the summer which I suspect he was not happy about.
LRC II in the 1960 HORR, finished 9th, time 19.13. Crew so far as I can make out: C Harris; MB; P Barnes; P Coni; Tubby Bryant; Dave King; Paul Littleton; Colin Kester; Rob Walker(?), Fred Walker replaced Peter Barnes for Henley.
The rest of the season was fairly uneventful. One highlight was that we won the Vesta dashes against Thames. It usually only took about 80 seconds or so. LRC took off at a rate of close to 50 strokes a minute; we must have looked like a flailing windmill. Soon after we managed senior VIII wins at Thames Ditton and Walton. At Henley we drew Molesey the eventual winner in the Grand. They beat the OUBC Blue Boat in the final. These crews made up the two fours and eight for the 1960 Rome Olympics.
The balance of the season was not terribly memorable. We did win Thames Cup VIIIs at Hereford. We could have been disqualified before the start of the final. The stake boats were not anchored but attached to a rope across the river and we realised that if we took a very light stroke our boat would go forward and our opponents backwards. Much protesting understandably, but the umpire set us straight.
1961
This was a most enjoyable LRC year in my mind. Henley Crew: Bow Ament ,2 Coni, 3 Chris Wormald, 4, David, 5 Don Legget, 6 John Hopkins, 7 Harris, 8 MB, and Robin Weller cox. We all got on well together. It was certainly the fastest VIII I have rowed in although David subsequently would have been in better crews.
We also travelled to Antwerp to compete in the Golden Oar and Boulogne for the local club’s centenary and as well Cambridge for side by side set pieces with CUBC. The HORR effectively set the stage with a 5th place finish, the best for the Club in some years.
HORR 1961; LRC I; finished 5th; time 19.13. Barn Cottage won in 18.47. Crew P Ament; P Coni; C Wormald; J Hopkins; D Leggett; D King; C Harris; MB; R Weller.
We won the “Golden Oar” long distance race in Antwerp, sometime in March I think. On the way we got into trouble with customs at Ostend, I think because they were concerned we were trying smuggle in our oars. Then someone nearly broke one of the oars going on an escalator at the station and we were severely warned to keep the oars well clear of the overhead catenary wires.
Our blades receiving careful scrutiny by Belgian Customs (note the cloth wrapping and Peter Ament with his “bloody officials” look).
After the event at a champagne reception we came close to offending our hosts when one of the crew said quite loudly of the champagne that “of course this stuff is dirt cheap over here”.
On the train from Ostend to Antwerp. Facing Chris Harris, David King and Donald Leggett.
The crew outside clubhouse in Antwerp.
Preparing for the return journey; coach Mike Delahooke.
The Cambridge trip was cold and bleak but good from the rowing point of view. I wonder how many years the Boat Race will take place there? It will certainly not have aura of the Championship course.
The up-river rowing season was fairly successful with a number of wins. Henley was great fun, with Henley House at Medmenham Vicarage. Images of “aggressive” croquet.
Pre-dinner drink and croquet at Medmenham Vicarage.
A fun middle weekend with a great picnic and then at Goring again (including launching Robin Weller out on a skiff without oars; in light of events several years later not the brightest idea that day).
Robin Weller set adrift at Withymede, Goring. (most of the non-rowing photos were taken by John Hopkins, a keen photographer, who was in the Grand VIII in 1961).
The Grand race was against the Russian Navy crew (who won the final against Leander which was essentially that year’s Oxford Blue Boat, which beat Molesey). The winner was basically a professional crew. They took off before the go but we did not disgrace ourselves and the time was the fastest of the day.
1961 Grand VIII finishing a practice course.
Post Henley and with one crew change we twice raced and beat the Henley Thames Cup winners University of London, in the Met Grand VIIIs and at Molesey in pouring rain.
Somewhere in there we went across to Boulogne as guests of the Boulogne RC who were celebrating their 100th anniversary. We were up against the local club and the French National VIII over about 1500m in the inner harbour of Boulogne. The National team won.
I seem to recall there was some trouble over throwing unripe peaches from hotel bedroom windows into the street below which involved some polite but firm response from the gendarmes. Later there was a big party for the local club at the casino where again we were not all that well behaved; David as usual would have been a great restraining influence. In the morning I woke up to find some fish in the bath which Harris had haggled for with local fishermen on the way back from the casino. Not the best way to start a hung over morning.
Mike Billinghurst
VOGALONGA 1600
For all those of you who had hoped to take part in the Vogalonga this year and those of you who have taken part in previous years, you may be interested to hear how things panned out on the 23rd May.
In the end, the Vogalonga organisers did arrange for a number of local Venetian rowing crews and gondolas of various shapes and sizes to row a slightly different course. This ended by rowing through the Arsenale rather than rowing down the Canareggio Canal and back to Salute via the Grand Canal. I suspect that they opted for this route because the Vaporetti and water taxis kept going throughout (unlike normal years when they are suspended while the row is taking place).
Peter Roberts, one of the Irregulars who had signed up for this year’s trip, was the first to spot a thirty minute video of this year's event. If you would like to look at it, just click on the link below to watch the Vogalonga 1600 video:
https://youtu.be/oU4wjM7Q_Eg
In the video, you will see some good examples of both Venetian rowing and gondolas, both small and large.
Apparently, this year is the 1,600th anniversary of the founding of Venice so the organisers decided to call this year's row the 'Vogalonga 1600'.
Unless something goes very wrong, the Vogalonga should return to its usual format in 2022. Pentecost next year is the 5th June so, if you may want to take part, please pencil the date in your diary.
I will be in touch with everyone who signed up for this year's event in the autumn to give them priority for next year's trip and will then be inviting others to join our group.
Miles Preston
Vogalonga group organiser
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
