CHAIRMAN’S VIEW

It was great to watch 27 LRC athletes compete in the Scullers Head on 23rd September, many of whom donned the blue and white for the first time in a singles event. Finishing positions ranged from 27 to 471 with many rising up the order. We were one of the most represented clubs and taking on the Championship Course in a single is no mean feat. Well done to all who took part.

On Thursday 2 November we have a talk by LRC member, former resi and OUBC President Donald Macdonald on the famous 1987 Boat Race mutiny. It really is a fascinating and dramatic story that made front page news in the national press at the time. LRC has another connection as our own late Dan Topolski was chief coach of the crew. Come and hear about it from the main man. Donald will be showing footage and taking questions.

I was reminded how much interesting rowing content there is on YouTube when a friend sent me this film on Tony O’Connor, Irish world champion, teacher and coach of the New Zealand 2020 Olympic gold medal eight. There are plenty of other clips out there with lessons on technique, mental approach and coaching.

For those who like old motors make a diary date for 19 November when members and guests will bring down their interesting vehicles (weather permitting). Come and mingle with friends over coffee or a drink.

Bill Baker
Chairman, London Rowing Club

CAPTAIN’S REPORT

The 2023/24 season bar has been set high with 5 wins at the scullers head. New member, Georgia Minansarow won women’s champ singles and was the fastest woman over all. Laura Bates, a resident at the club, won the lightweight women’s single in her first appearance for the club. Harry Dorrance-King’s comeback to rowing saw him take the masters novice pennant and James Lindsay-Fynn proved his return to form with the Masters C win. David Gillard continued his winning streak post Doug Melvin Challenge with the Masters D pennant. Jamie Sanders, Aoife Keane and Yas Griffin all placed second in their categories.

We have seen a large increase in members to the senior squad this year, especially on the women’s side. After a few weeks of training it was time to put down a marker with 2km erg tests - there were plenty of PBs which is great to see so early in the year. The top women’s spot was taken by Gaby Morton with an impressive 6:49.8 and Rui Xu put down his time from Canada with a 6:06.9 to take the top men’s spot. Well done to everyone for setting a great bench mark to push on from.

Rui Xu has been trialing for the Canadian national team and I wish him a wholehearted congratulations on being selected with Michael Ciepela to race the double scull in the upcoming Pam Am Regatta in their bid to qualify for Paris 2024. Whilst Rui is banging the drum across the pond he continues, with great support from his wife Devin Ward, to act as safety officer and we are very thankful for their continuing contributions to the club.

The Sunday just gone was probably the balmiest Pairs Head on record where LRC had entered 18 boats. Wyfold winners George Cowley and Edoardo Marshall came third overall in their champ double. We had 5 2nd place finishes for Jess Eddie and Akos Forczek in Mix MasB/C 2x, Jack Keech and Jamie Sanders in Op Lwt 2x, Evan Grace and James Brooks in Op MasC 2x Championship, Caroline Newbury in her composite with the Lea RC in W MasB 2- and Tom Killick and James Young in Op MasC 2x Club. Sadly no pennants were won, but the competition and racing was fantastic and I was very proud to be part of such a large female contingent, our largest women’s entry into the event so far. Well done to all who raced.

Next up is Vets Fours Head and Fours Head!

Bang the Drum!

Elizabeth Cottrell
Captain, London Rowing Club

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

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

IRREGULARS REPORTS

A wonderful Club Supper was held on the 20th September and attended by many Irregulars – young and old – really special was the presence of Meike Laurenson and Caroline Keat (both recently widowed) and John and Valerie Pearson among other “oldies”. These dinners are really valued by such as these so that club connections can be upheld and the sense of the “London Family” maintained. It was lovely to see John Pearson (a huge supporter of the Club) being introduced at the end of the evening to the Captain and Vice Captain. A great Club evening enjoyed by all – 60 attendees – well done Annabel and all our lovely staff.

Club Pride Day was well attended by many Irregulars – three quads managed to get out prior to the 10am start of “work”. Not exactly an early rise but not bad for a Sunday morning!

Various gardening jobs, balcony cleaning and bar brass burnishing were the usual Irregular “not too strenuous” tasks performed with aplomb. A few of us stayed on afterwards to enjoy a well earned beer.

Evening outings are still continuing on a Thursday although obviously with the light going they will shortly cease for the Winter months. Last Thursday evening we had a lovely quad with a Guest Rower ( photo below ) – used to rowing on the Hampton Court stretch and a relative newcomer to the sport Yemi found it “interesting” especially when we hit the Chiswick Eyot bit where there was a wind against tide scenario. Introduced by Anne Lury (a relatively newish member), the two of them then joined Johnny Akehurst’s team for the Quiz night which followed straight after.

I believe they came second. Well done them!

Finally, a number of us participated in the Club Pride Day last Sunday and, as is befitting for us older lot, we were well to the fore with gardening tidying up duties!

Eddie Markes

MILLENNIALS AND MASTERS REPORT

After a good break over the summer months, the Millennials and Masters are back on the water in force. Our group has been growing, with new members and a number of masters women making the move from squad rowing to our ranks. At the Scullers Head, our group represented LRC across a range of categories including B, C, D, lightweight, Novice and even Club. The results showed who of us had been spending time training in their singles this summer, but also that a season of opportunity to gain speed lies ahead of us yet! Last weekend at the Pairs head, five crews of double sculls in MasBCD categories. Kirill and George, who had won the doubles together at Henley T&V earlier in the summer, placed 5th in MasB. Tim Leppard and Charlie Pryor raced in MasD, just a few weeks too young to make the cut for Masters E. In Masters C, James Young and Tom Killick placed second in the Club event, missing the pennant by just 4 seconds. In the champ event, Brooks/Grace finished second, and Benton/Robinson just behind them in third. Now our training turns to fours in preparation for next month’s veterans fours head on November 4th, unusually falling on a Saturday this year. So far 8 LRC masters crews are entered across categories MasA-E in sweep and sculling events. We are looking forward to a good day’s racing and a fun after-party at the LRC bar!

Richard Benton & James Robinson (MasC 2x).

Will Randall

YOUNG IRREGULARS REPORT

September has found many Young Irregulars on the water regularly!

At the time of writing - we are preparing for 14 rowers going out on a sunny Saturday afternoon - including 2 rowers trialing and 2 doubles training for upcoming races.

Watching the fun atmosphere and success of LRC at Scullers’ Head last year, Amy Johnson was inspired to enter herself this year. One slight drawback: despite many years of squad rowing under her belt, she had never sculled a fine single. Freshly signed off to steer the tideway (and coming out of winter hibernation..), Amy finally ventured out in April to battle the spring winds and slowly set out to achieve her goal. 42 outings later and race day arrived and was successfully completed, albeit at a sedate rate of 22-24. Amy passes a huge thank you to all those across the Club, who encouraged, offered coaching tips, and supported this achievement.

MasC 2x Winners proudly displaying their wood.

Notably, in the YIs’ spirit, there were 4 dedicated supporters on Scullers Head race day - 3 arriving the 2 hours ahead of race time for boating - Kathryn Roberts, Rachel Evans and Camille Lanckneus. Kathryn and Camille kept Amy company at the (hours long) marshaling point and cycled along the course. Victoria Wilson has mastered climbing over the railings at Harrods Wall ,with her partner keeping her company, who has now learned a good deal about rowing. Rachel Evans moving along, keeping us all updated on Amy's position on the course and cheering loudly from her station at St Paul's.

Those who attended the Wednesday Club Supper enjoyed it very much. Nice to sit with Kate McDonald, herself a Young Irregular, for her farewell from the Events Role.

Kathleen Curran

NEW MEMBERS

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

Isabelle Slee
Nina Thomas
Andrew McArthur
Daniella Genillard
George Christian
Sophie Watson
Emily Davenport
Gabriela Morton
Arun Jackson
Rachel Ellingham
Annabel Thompson
Axel Reay
Emmylie Borg
Georgia Hellard Timm

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 you 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

F.C.CARR

We are sorry to report the death at the age of 78 on 23rd June of Fred (Francis Christopher) Carr, who was Captain in 1975.

Fred had a distinguished rowing career. Before joining the Club, he rowed for Eton in 1963 and 1964, Isis in 1965 (when he won the Thames Challenge Cup) and 1966 (when he reached the final of the same event) and he was in Oxford’s winning 1966 Boat Race crew.

After joining LRC in 1969, he stroked the Thames Cup crew which reached the final in 1970, losing to Leander (whose crew included the editor of The London Roar at 5 !).

Weighing in at around 14 stone, Fred went on to stroke four more London Thames Cup crews in 1971-2 and 1974-5, reaching one semi-final and two quarter-finals.

The President, Mike Baldwin, has commented that Fred was extremely good in the boat and rowed in an exceptional Oxford crew. A claim to fame was that he was one of two people who could row that were pulling Tommy Steele along in a four in the 1967 musical film “Half a Sixpence” !

SIMON NEWMAN

We are sorry to report the death on 19 August of Simon Newman, who joined the Club in 1983. Our sincere condolences go to his widow Anne and family.

TRUE BLUE

True Blue, The Oxford Mutiny 1987, 7.00pm, Thursday 2 November

Come to London Rowing Club to hear the story of the famous Boat Race as told by Donald Macdonald, Oxford President and London Rowing Club member. A fascinating story of triumph against the odds and true rowing grit!

Footage will be shown and Donald will take questions after his talk.

This is a ticketless event but members and their guests are invited to make a minimum donation of £5 a head. All proceeds will go to the LRC boat fund.

WINTER CORPORATE PACKAGES

We have a revised offering for Winter/Christmas corporate packages at LRC this year! We have a flexible offering for all types of organisations, large, small, local and far. If you know of anyone who this may be interested, please share the below images.

Kiri Madhani

CLASSICS AT THE CLUB

Bill Baker

MYSTERY BUTTON

While all our members will be familiar with the very splendid LRC buttons which adorn our blazers, does anyone recognise the mystery button below?

Does anyone know when the present button design was first introduced and does anyone think that the Club may have had an earlier design of button - and perhaps that the one below might be it? Apparently, the mystery button may have been silver originally and gilded at some point.

If you are able to throw any light on this, please will you email me at miles.preston@londonrc.org.uk

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 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.