CHAIRMAN’S VIEW

Over the past few weeks our crews have raced in the three main Head races of the year with some excellent results being achieved by the women, men and masters. More details are provided below and I would like to congratulate the crews and coaches for all that they have achieved over the winter campaign. From all reports, a brief video that I have seen and the bar receipts, the Club also hosted an excellent party after the Head of the River Race. Thank you to Heather Scott and Harry Smallman who led the organisation of the event supported by Ed Thomas, Ed Davies and Joe Debanks. It has been a very busy period for the events team. We have received some very positive feedback from our clients on Boat Race Day, the income from which is important to the Club. Thank you again for your efforts. Our attention now turns to the regatta season, warmer days and longer evenings to spend on the river.

I am delighted to report that the Club has received a very substantial donation to the Boat Fund from Mike Williams, a Vice-President and former Treasurer and President. We have committed to purchasing a new Filippi coxless four which should arrive in time to be raced this summer, a set of blades and some sculling blades. We are in the fortunate position of considering further additions to the fleet. Where appropriate, existing squad boats will be rolled out to the wider club. With additional racking being built for TopRow alongside the sculling shed and the racking in the boathouse being reworked, we will be able to retain some hulls and increase the number of seats available to members.

As part of our work to develop the Club’s facilities, your committee is preparing plans to refurbish the Resis accommodation. This will include changes to create a larger and better equipped kitchen. Eddie Markes has prepared plans for the works which will be presented to interested members and former residents at the Club during May. Further details are provided below. As part of the campaign to help to fund the project we are seeking to reconnect with former Resis and other members and, if their membership has lapsed, encourage them to re-join. Please encourage any friends or former crewmates to consider signing up, being part of the LRC community and helping the current cohort of younger members to enjoy their rowing as we did just a few years ago.

Simon Harris
Chairman, London Rowing Club

THANKSGIVING SERVICE FOR OUR LATE PATRON, HRH PRINCE PHILIP, THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Along with the many other organisations of which he was Patron, the Club was honoured to be invited to send two representatives to the service at Westminster Abbey, which took place as members will be aware on Tuesday 29th March.

The Club was represented by Mike Baldwin, our President, and by Sophie Hosking MBE, one of our Vice-Presidents. As most members will know, Sophie won a Gold medal in Women’s Lightweight Double Sculls at the Olympic Games in London in 2012 when the rowing took place at Dorney Lake.

His Royal Highness accepted the Patronage of LRC as long ago as 1952, and he visited the Club on two occasions – in 1981 for its 125th anniversary and in 2006 for its 150th. During his 2006 visit, he christened a new eight, ‘Edinburgh’ (a name he suggested himself), went afloat in the launch ‘Casamajor’ to view Club crews, climbing unaided onto and off the launch at the age of 85, and unveiled a copy of the 1860 ‘London portrait’ painting. This painting was executed by Theo Ramos and replaces the original by A F de Prades which was lost through enemy action in World War II; it hangs above the mantelpiece in the Members’ Room.

To mark his visit in 2006, Theo Ramos also painted a portrait of HRH wearing a Club tie, which was donated by Christopher Sprague, at the time the Chairman of the Committee; this portrait is located in the Fairbairn Room.

Prince Philip was always very ready to help the Club over the years by e.g. providing messages for the centenary in 1956, and in support of fundraising for appeals for development projects, including those in 1969-71 and 2004-06.

*The order of service at Westminster Abbey. Prince Philip’s coat of arms, his cypher below, and the surrounding border were printed in his livery colour of dark green.*

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

I would like to give notice that the Annual General Meeting of London Rowing Club will be held in the clubhouse at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, 6th July 2022. It is intended to provide access via Zoom for those not able to attend in person. Zoom access details will be circulated beforehand.

The customary business of the meeting is to receive a report from the outgoing Captain and to elect a Captain for the coming year. Details of the nominations and any additional items of business will be circulated nearer the time. Please note that the accounts of the Club for the year ended 31st July 2021 were presented to members at a general meeting of London Rowing Club Limited on 28th February. The Hon. Treasurer will update members on the financial position of the Club at the Annual General Meeting.

Andrew Boyle
LRC, Hon. Secretary

CAPTAIN’S REPORT

The days are getting longer, the weather warmer and the booms are going in at Henley. The prospect of summer racing is in the air and across the club there is much excitement in the air for the regatta season to come.

Before all of that though, there was the small matter of the climax of winter training in the last month, with the Head of The River Races. All of which went ahead as planned and without (much) bad weather for the first time in a many years. It was fantastic to see so many clubs visiting the Tideway and the pageantry of these events back in full swing.

For LRC's athletes, these races represent the culmination of a long hard winters training. All the miles put into the erg and on the water on those cold mornings finally coming good, as they tested their speed against crews from up and down the country.

First up were our women, at the Women's Head of The River Race on Saturday 12th March. Before I write of our own results this year, I feel it's important to give some historical context. Before 2022, LRC had never boated more than one crew for this event, and (except for a 'visitors' crew in 2012) had never placed higher than 178th. Because of this LRC is still considered to be a Medium Club, by the race organisers, making us eligible for that pennant.

So with that being the scene set, what was achieved by our women at this year's race was extraordinary. We boated three crews, all of whom broke the benchmark of our previous best finish, and our top two crews finishing 1st and 2nd in the medium club category, as well as in the top 50 overall. The strength and depth of our women's squad is quite simply remarkable, and every single athlete in blue and white that day should be so proud, each of you have made club history.

Women's Head of The River Race

London A - 25th overall, 1st medium club
London B - 45th overall, 2nd medium club
London C - 150th overall, 6th medium club

London A, winners of the Medium Club Pennant. Bow: Flora Emeney, Claudia Williams, Lizzie Cottrell (VC), Claudia Turley, Vicky Brock, Angela Hitchens, Grace Bake, Stroke: Jenny Arthur, Cox: Heather Scott.

Two weeks later it would be the turn of the men to race down the Championship course and test their speed against the rest of the country. We entered five crews, displaying incredible depth. One of which (LRC C) was in fact a lightweight crew, the only non-academic crew in the category in fact. This was a fantastic nod to LRCs honoured heritage in lightweight rowing and made for a lovely anecdote during the speeches of the Lightweight Boat Race, which was hosted at LRC the week earlier.

Across the board a fantastic set of results were achieved by the whole squad. Our A crew finished 16th, matching the best result for the club in the last 10 years, and we put 4 crews into the top 100. I am so incredibly proud of the results. Our athletes have shown just how much speed they have and should all be looking ahead to the prospect of an exciting summer's racing season.

Head of The River Race

London A - 16th overall, 3rd Vernon
London B - 29th overall, 8th Vernon
London C - 54th overall, 13th Vernon, 3rd Lightweight
London D - 90th overall, 19th Vernon
London E - 105th overall, 22nd Vernon

*London A. Bow: Matt Reeder (VC), Zac Baxter, James Harrison, Rui Xu, Harry Smallman, Tom Westbrook, Ed Thomas, Stroke: Graham Ord, Cox: Rosie Margolis.*

Not to be outdone by the young guns, the very next day was the Veteran's Head of The River Race and another history making day for LRC as for the first time ever we boated a women's crew. The idea of developing a 'women's millennials' has been whispered around the club for some time now, so it was incredibly pleasing to see such a crew taking to the water in the Masters A category, and what's more, finishing 2nd in it. A big “congratulations” goes out to the nine women in the boat, and to Abigail Leek for masterminding the entry.

The 8s bay was cleared out on race day, with so many crews racing all our shells were on the water. It was truly special to see so many masters racing, proving that LRC is a club for life and gives the opportunity for all age groups to get out and row competitively.

A special shout out goes to our Masters D and F crews, both of whom won their respective age categories in fine form.

Veteran's Head of The River Race

Masters D (Quintin composite) - 8th overall, 1st category
Masters B - 15th overall, 3rd category
Masters B (Twickenham composite) - 18th overall, 4th category
Women's Masters A - 30th overall, 2nd category
Masters C - 75th overall, 7th category
Masters E (Thames composite) - 84th overall, 20th category
Masters F - 107th overall, 1st category
Masters C - time only

London/Quintin/UTRC, Winners of master's D Pennant. Bow: Stewart Harries, CD Riches, Mark Chatwin (Quintin), Stewart Bell (UTRC), Adrian Theed, Jonty Williamson, James Brown, Stroke: J.P. van Tiel, Cox: Julia Norton.

Winners of the Masters F Pennant. Bow: Tom Blackett, Ben Phillips, Eddie Markes - House Steward, Philip Carré - Treasurer, Ronnie Maddox, Andrew Boyle - Hon. Secretary, Brian Starr, Stroke: Mike Baldwin - President, Cox: Juliette Hanford.

*Women's Masters A. Bow: Chloe Ramambason, Bev Goodchild, Isabel Zakers, Jenny Arthur, Vicky Brock, Angela Hitchens, Flora Emeny, Stroke: Marije Plak, Cox: Abigail Leek.*

So there we have it, Head season is done, and LRC have come away with three pennants from the various Heads of The River Races. After a well-earned (but short) break, we can now look ahead to the summer season. Our senior squad will be off to their training camp on Lake Varese at the end of April and preparations for the Vogalonga have already begun.

I can't wait to see what comes next.

Bang the drum,

James Sexton-Barrow
Captain, London Rowing Club

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

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

IRREGULARS’ REPORT

A pretty busy month really but not good for Sunday outings as two Sundays were taken up with the Vets’ head and the Boat Race. We managed to get back to normal last weekend.

Our Vets’ Head crew were entered in the Novice category and then promptly won against six other crews of varying ages.

We were extremely pleased to be racing in an Empacher, which lifted our spirits and we quite easily beat the opposition on handicap. Crew consisted Juliette Hanford (cox) Michael Baldwin, Brian Starr, Andrew Boyle, Ronnie Maddox, Philip Carré, Eddie Markes, Ben Phillips and Tom Blackett (who gallantly filling in for David Whitten who, unfortunately, got COVID). Well done to all of you star studded crew. Thanks go to our coach, Miles Preston.

An Irregulars’ Dinner was held on the 30th March with 47 attendees – many of whom had not been to the Club for some time. Also there were quite a few who had not attended before – hopefully they will return. This was a great response and a very good evening was had by all.

*Someone looks particularly pleased to be drinking out of the pot he won at the Vets Head!*

On Boat Race Day, the Club was represented on the river by two of our Irregulars, Jason Danciger and Miles Preston, who formed part of the crew of the Gloriana which made its way over the Championship Course, supported by a flotilla of other rowing boats before the races began.

*As the Gloriana went over the Championship Course, the crew saluted (raised their oars to the vertical) five times.*

*Irregulars Jason Danciger at bow on bow side and Miles Preston at eight on bow side - note the LRC caps. Also on board were four former Cambridge, and four former Oxford, Blues.*

Thanks to a very generous donation towards the Boat Fund, the benefits are being filtered down to our motley bunch! There are some yellow boats appearing down our end of the boathouse! This is very exciting – we won’t know ourselves. We all get attached to boats and their particular foibles. The difficult task now is to choose which boats should make way for these newcomers – tricky decisions indeed.

Spring is with us! After a very cold spell, at last temperatures are on the rise.

Eddie Markes

STOP THE PIER

A large cloud has been gradually threatening the Fulham straight in the form of a proposed pier from the Craven Cottage Estate that would project 85 metres into the river. Various pictures have surfaced, not in the press, but on social media and the supporters’ site. They look great in the pictures, very glitzy and alluring, the problem is any pier and the hulls utilising this location are an existential threat to rowing at Putney and racing on the Championship Course.

Here are a couple, the first taken from a PR video on You Tube posted by Angelo Giannuzzi, the Project development officer for Fulham FC.

In neither instance is there any acknowledgment of the impact on water sports in this location. The pier would block every course used by the local sailors. As your Club Safety Advisor, I would be prohibiting any crew or sculler below Expert from transiting inside the outer moorings of the second and none with the first pier. Rowing events would be faced with a very constricted bottleneck with the boats just two hundred metres downstream.

Aside from the pier itself, FFC are proposing that the river Uber route RB6 is extended to run to this Pier. They also wish to transport hotel guests and corporate hospitality guests via the river. This would dramatically increase the level of large hull traffic in this area. As anyone who is boating knows we do not proceed down below Putney Pier while the Uber boats are operating; this is for safety reasons, even at dead slow the swell is a danger to our hulls and the draw off at low tide at they pass resulted in a grounding, one moment plenty of water under the hull the next thumped down on the river bed. This is bad enough now at low tide when a class 5 with significantly less mass heads up or down river, but putting these larger hulls in our area will dramatically increase the risk.

We also see a future risk to any night training as it will take just one evening with distracting conditions for the master of the vessel and the steers of a rowing hull before an Uber is abreast of the river while a rowing hull is swept down onto and under the hull. The other scenario is the light pollution from the grandstand and pier obscuring the bow light of a hull that is a little clear of a fleet or launch with a steers that assumes the skipper has seen the hull. Big boats and rowing hulls do not mix; this is why we accept the time restrictions and controls when we row down river.

The rowing community have been aware of this looming but, until it is confirmed that FFC are applying, there was not much we could do. The regional safety advisor had a meeting with Nash Maritime, who are the consultants hired by FFC for an assessment. The Nash report is not public, but they did their assessment during Covid-19 restrictions; hence it will not tell the truth of the leisure traffic on the river.

Our information is that despite having all of the above relayed to FFC by many individuals they will be pressing ahead with an application this summer. They need two separate approvals, planning from Hammersmith and Fulham and from the Port of London Authority. They have had pre-planning conversations with both and have been lobbying other entities ahead of the application. Our local MP, Fleur Anderson, has met with FFC and they seem certain that it will be built. Apparently, Hammersmith and Fulham, Transport for London, and the GLA all back the pier. There was no mention of the PLA. On the basis of the PLA’s forward plan and their existing safety views on large hulls and rowing boats they should not approve the pier. If that occurs FFC would appeal to Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport.

Now that it looks certain that FFC will attempt to get this through planning, the sports and other river users have started a campaign to stop the pier. This will be a rolling campaign with various events and strategies forming into the summer ahead of the application.

It has started with the Stop the Pier Campaign, the link is here: change.org. As I write it has reached 10,000. There is no target, the bigger the number the more the politicians and governmental bodies have to take note. Please do share on your social media.

Our local MP, Fleur Anderson, is campaigning with us, here is her press release and it has been raised in the House of Commons.

The Club urges you to contact your local councillors and MPs particularly if you live in Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, Richmond or Hounslow. Tell them about the impact this will have on your ability to enjoy the river for sport and leisure, and the risk that this poses in terms of safety.

You might have noticed the posters and banners on Boat Race Day which link to the petition; expect to see more of them. We can share a pdf if you would like to post one on a prominent noticeboard, but please do ask for permission prior to posting.

This is already hitting the press, anything you can do to further the exposure of the campaign will be helpful.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/commons-thames-cambridgeshire-bob-stewart-mark-spencer-b2048446.html

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/commons-thames-cambridgeshire-bob-stewart-fulham-football-club-b991814.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10675383/Future-Boat-Race-risk-new-Fulham-FC-redevelopment-plans-ahead-campaigners-warn.html

https://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/20037459.future-putney-boat-race-risk-thames-pier-plan-warns-mp/

For those who are boating, we need to demonstrate the use of the river, not just in numbers but in showing where we row. The campaign wants to ask every crew and coach to record their outings on STRAVA or any platform that records GPS and share a link with us to let us see the GPS map of the session. There is a simple form for you to submit the link here. Please can you also share with your friends at other clubs who may not yet be aware of this useful tool display our use of the water. The sessions can be from any time you have been on the Barn Elms stretch.

This proposal has not yet reached a formal planning stage. However, we must make it clear that it is unacceptable and poses a significant risk to all recreation users on the river; the best outcome is that FFC abandon the pier before planning.

Ben Helm
LRC, Vice President

SILVER STEERS TO SUCCESS

LRC member Georgia Silver won the Academic pennant at WEHoRR 2022 coxing Liverpool University Women's 1st eight. This was the highest the LUBC women’s boat had ever been placed and just shows that a little local knowledge can go a long way.

Georgia is in her first year at Liverpool University studying Veterinary Medicine. Her success at WEHoRR follows on from winning the Academic Challenge Pennant coxing the LUBC men at the Fours Head 2021, a silver medal at Agecroft Head coxing the LUBC Women's eight and a bronze medal coxing the Women's eight at BUCS in Newcastle.

At HoRR last month, Georgia coxed LUBC Men to take 3rd place in the Academic Challenge (Medium) – LUBCs highest placing in 30 years.

When Georgia’s not called on to cox she rows and sculls as part of the women’s squad.

*On the podium with Jess Eddie at WEHORR.*

*A blast from the past – at the age of 7, Georgia spent many hours rowing on the old LRC tank with her brother Max.*

Bob Silver

NEW MEMBERS

We would like to welcome the following new members to the Club:

Kathryn Barnhill
Ed Birrell
Chris Callaghan
Edward Cawthorne
Ashley Cowley
Duncan Croft
Jonathan Davidson
Steve Ellis
Zain Hashmi
Donald Hickey
Jeremy Kirsa
William Kong
Chelsea Morgan
Anton Nieboer
Stephen Pinkster
Richard Staveley
Emily Walters
James Woodford

We hope you will enjoy being part of the London Rowing Club community and will help us build an ever happier and more successful club.

We are always pleased to have more members so, if you know of anyone who think might like to join the Club, please either let us know or encourage them to get in touch with us themselves.

There is information on becoming a member on our website: https://www.londonrc.org.uk/membership-enquiries or you can contact the Club’s Membership Secretary, Jessica Salter, whose email address is membership@londonrc.org.uk

Andrew Boyle
Honorary Secretary, London Rowing Club

LRC MENTORING INITIATIVE

As many of you know, LRC members have been discussing the possibility of implementing a professional mentoring programme across the Club for a number of years now. With the support of the Membership Sub-Committee, it gives me great pleasure to be able to introduce and pilot this programme, which we will refine over time with your feedback and support.

At its heart, the programme is designed to attract all members across the Club to connect with people with similar career interests for guidance, support and advice. While we are clear about what the programme currently is not (e.g., a job board), we are sure it will have the added benefit of promoting stronger social networks across the membership, and we look forward to seeing what other possibilities it may open up. As with everything else, the more people we can get to participate, the stronger the result is likely to be – we have some amazing professional experience in our Club and it’s time that got to shine!

If you are interested in serving as a mentor, or are seeking a mentor, or both, please click here and complete the survey (it will only takes a few minutes). I will start to make matches and introductions soon after.

Any questions, please let me know. You can email me on mentoring@londonrc.org.uk

Many thanks,

Michael Shasha
LRC, Membership Sub-Committee member

BBC MARY BERRY’S FANTASTIC FEASTS

Some of you will know that an episode of Mary Barry’s Fantastic Feasts was filmed at LRC last December.

The series started earlier this week on BBC1 but the episode filmed at the Club will be aired at 8pm next Monday, 18th April.

To read about the show, please click on this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/programmes/m0016ldv

Kate MacDonald
LRC, Business Development Manager

HADAWAY HARRY RETURNS TO LRC

Many members will remember the excellent play that was performed in the Long Room several years ago about the days when rowing was a huge sport – arguably the National sport - in this country. Thousands of people would turn out to watch rowing and sculling races by professional watermen. With the advent of football in the 1860s, things changed.

If you haven’t seen this play and you are interested in the fascinating history of rowing, you must come to one of the performances in the clubhouse in June. Those that came before might well wish to do so again. A treat not to be missed and, indeed, seen a second time.

You might also like to read about Hadaway Harry’s previous visit to LRC.
https://heartheboatsing.com/2017/02/20/hadaway-harry-the-knot-retied/

All the information can be found on the links below.

Direct link to the event: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/VonFox/e-dxaeeq
General tour dates: https://www.hadawayharry.co.uk/tour-dates

Alternatively, here's a QR code directed to the event page:

Don’t miss this.

Kate MacDonald
LRC, Business Development Manager

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 using the following email address – 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