CHAIRMAN’S VIEW

Very well done to all who rowed in the Remenham Challenge on Saturday. It was great to see so many LRC crews competing and four overall winners. As well as winning, which is testament to all our athletes and coaches, what is really encouraging is the number and spread of our crews in so may categories, showing that we really are catering for a wide range of ages at the Club. With 71 finishers this also indicates the health of rowing in the member clubs.

I recently read the British Rowing interview with Olympic Silver and multi World medallist Cath Bishop about her book The Long Win.

In sport and other aspects of our lives we often focus narrowly on winning, beating the oppo, that much sought after gold medal. This is a large part of why we row but it is worth considering the bigger picture. Cath cites top sports people’s reactions to winning and these can be very negative.

Interestingly, when asked after the event the gold medallists can feel deflation, the silvers can feel unhappy that they nearly achieved gold, but the bronze medal winners often feel happiest.

Rowing is a particularly demanding sport where hours of training reap rewards. As we all know, there are no short cuts and if you haven’t done the training you will be found wanting. When I rowed competitively many of my friends played rugby and most were baffled at the hours I was putting in. In hindsight, the losses invariably resulted in deep disappointment and even some of the wins didn’t always produce the expected elation. It’s crucial to enjoy the process of training and the striving to improve rather than thinking about getting over the line first. If you get the process right the winning often follows. Sometimes other factors get in the way, the wind, injury or just better opposition but those are beyond our control.

Cath talks about the three Cs, Clarity, Constant learning and Connectivity with others. When applied to the process, these are very rewarding. This week I am meeting old friends (many of whom are LRC members) in town for our annual Christmas lunch. The rowing wins are memorable but the friendships made are far longer lasting.

Save the evening of Thursday, 18th January in your diaries as we have Pearson Cycles coming to the club with a pro cyclist to present and discuss training, physiology, nutrition and the similarities of cycling with rowing. They will be bringing some bikes and showing videos.

Wishing everyone a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Bill Baker
Chairman, London Rowing Club

CAPTAIN’S REPORT

A spectacular end to a spectacular year.

I am happy to officially welcome the HSBC members into the fold as our newest LRC members. Whilst I take no pleasure in seeing the closure of rowing clubs, we have gained some terrific members and, generously with them, boats. This has been a tremendous gain for our masters members across the board and for the whole club. I hope our new members will be very happy with us.

Since my last report, I have returned from a ‘first class’ visit to Kolkata where I and 21 other members experienced the delights of Indian hospitality and sportsmanship. This was the 2nd Friendship Regatta, to mark 100 years of reciprocity between us and Calcutta Rowing Club - a crazy, wonderful experience. We had the privilege of giving children from the Future Hope and the Hope Foundation their first taste of rowing and got to know the budding stars of Bengal junior rowing. For my full report, please read on below.

For the first time since 2012, London Rowing Club has won the Remenham Challenge! This was a long overdue and well deserved result for the squad top men’s boat. LRC boated ten eights and six quads for the head last Saturday. Quads were a new and very welcome addition to this year’s event and proved very popular. Our top women’s quad put in an impressive performance to win the pennant for women’s championship quads and the men’s masters quad won their pennant with a speedy run down the track. The blossoming women’s masters group turned up the heat to win their first pennant of the year. A great day with solid performances across all crews.

Whilst the majority of LRC racers were braving the elements at the Remenham Challenge, Phil Clapp was in Birmingham at the British Indoor Rowing Championships. ‘Big Phil’ had a big result in the Open 500m where he took the gold medal with a monster 1:12.0. His first 100m was 13.9 seconds, something for us all to strive for the next time we are on the erg! Congratulations, Phil.

This weekend we have the Christmas Pudding Races at 12 noon on Sunday - please all join in and if you don’t fancy the races, the bar will be open and mince pies will be aplenty.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas - bring on next year!

Bang the Drum!

Elizabeth Cottrell
Captain, London Rowing Club

100TH ANNIVERSARY TRIP TO KOLKATA

2ND INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP REGATTA

AT RABINDRA SAROVAR KOLKATA

20th - 26th NOVEMBER 2023

It had been fifteen years since the first International Friendship Regatta at Calcutta RC, but as we said our goodbyes, the departing members of London RC, Molesey BC, Southampton RC, Victoria Lake RC and Aukland RC all felt that it had been well worth the wait.

As a rowing competition, the event provided some exciting racing at Squad, Masters and Veteran levels. CRC has a 600m course on a lake surrounded by a park in central Kolkata. There were a number of tight races in both the club representative events and the Masala categories. Each club had its heroes, including CRC with its very popular win in the Squad single sculls by Bobby. The Masala races were particularly enjoyable as they provided the opportunity for rowers from different clubs to row together. As the regatta closed, there was a series of fun events including impressive balancing of a single scull by CRC juniors, rowing blindfolded around an island and rowing backwards, which is harder than it sounds.

Although the competition was intense, friendships developed very quickly. We all had a common interest in rowing, but more significantly our hosts created an atmosphere of warmth and fun in which conversations and laughter flourished. The visitors all felt lucky to be participating and wanted to seize the opportunity to the full.

Overlooking the lake, a row of ergs had been set up. This was the scene of an intense and noisy 4 x 500m relay race with LRC being pushed hard by Auckland. At other times is provided a serene venue for warming up or training. Another often noisy place was the club’s swimming pool. This featured water polo and other more ad hoc games.

During the week, Stu and Elizabeth organised some coaching of CRC juniors and children from the Hope Foundation. This was a very rewarding experience. The children were very enthusiastic and charmed everyone.

The programme also gave time for us to see aspects of Kolkata. We were immediately struck by the unique style of driving on the roads. At first, we watched the drifting from lane to lane without signalling and the battling for priority with much apprehension. We soon realised that our drivers were highly skilled. We came to enjoy the exciting experience of being in a real-life video game, amplified by constant use of car horns!

It was fascinating to visit the prestigious heritage clubs of Kolkata in addition to CRC. We appreciated the history and tradition of these institutions. We were treated to delicious curry lunches and dinners, which enhanced our stamina for the many races of the regatta. Our visits to the Royal Turf Club and Calcutta Ladies Golf Club were particularly memorable. The former because of its impressive position on the racecourse in the vast parkland in the centre of the city and the latter because of the delightful lunch in its secluded garden hosted by Dr. Shashi Panja, a minister in the government of West Bengal, and the club’s Captain.

We were also able to go shopping in the New Market and visit other locations including Mother Teresa’s house, the Victoria Memorial and the Botanical Gardens. Some younger members of our party even managed to sample the exciting nightlife of the city. On the final day of our trip some of us went to the Birla Temple and were anointed at the shrine dedicated to Durga. This was very fitting as our visit to CRC had been flagged-off at the Durga Parade on the Thames in October.

Our accommodation at the Vivanta Kolkata hotel was very comfortable. We enjoyed its delicious breakfasts before departing to CRC each morning.

The opening and closing ceremonies of the regatta were impressive. A large stage had been erected on the lawn of CRC. We were honoured by the attendance of many dignitaries. At the closing ceremony prizes were awarded by the Mayor of Kolkata, Mr. Firhad Hakim, Lt. Gen. Kalita, GOC of India’s Eastern Command and Andrew Flemming, British Deputy High Commissioner. We witnessed the warm protocols of welcome, which included elaborate gift-giving, before the medal ceremony. The evening ended with dancing to a live band. One squad member from Auckland RC took to the stage to give us a very powerful rendition of a Taylor Swift hit that was truly unforgettable!

The event would not have been possible without the hard work over many months of the Hon. Secretary of CRC, Mr. Chandan Roy Choudhury. He thought of every detail during our stay and was frequently making minute-by-minute arrangements. He maintained his very cheerful disposition in spite of the pressure that he must sometimes have felt looking after 60 overseas visitors and distinguished local guests.

We are also grateful to the President of CRC, its other committee members and Mr. Richard Twining, who welcomed us and supported the organisation of the regatta.

We departed with a deep sense of gratitude for the hospitality we had received. It was a unique experience that renewed the historic links between LRC and CRC and made new friendships with the other clubs involved.

Andrew Boyle

Entertaining the kids with acrobatics in the rowing club pool.

Stu and Beci with our great friends, Swapan and Suynana who have rowed from LRC this year.

Andrew meeting the minister at the Ladies Golf Club with our Chandan to his left.

Calum and George taking some of the older boys out for a paddle.

LRC Vets collecting their medals for 4+.

Elizabeth and Mike at the opening ceremony.

Lots of Hope for the Future of Rowing in India

Calcutta Rowing Club is located on the banks of the very peaceful Rabindra Sarobar Lake, with water like glass and a figure of eight circulation pattern that still leaves me wondering if I followed it correctly. The club itself has 900 proud members, the majority of whom enjoy the tranquil location of the club and the very fine bars. The vast membership provides rowing to a large junior contingent and a small number of enthusiastic masters. Indian hospitality is unlike anything I have ever experienced and the celebrations of 100 years of reciprocity between London Rowing Club and Calcutta Rowing Club are truly unforgettable.

The size of the population in India makes applications for further education fiercely competitive which puts participation in sports on the back burner for most kids. As members of a rowing club we know how valuable participation is for not just health and well-being, but for time management, work ethic, goal setting, accountability and of course, forging friendships. We were very happy to see that despite exams lots of the CRC junior members were keen to take part in the regatta and wanted to know more about rowing in the UK and our training.

At the flagged-off at the Durga Parade on the Thames in October, Henley resident Shiuli Davis, discovered that London Rowing Club would be going to Kolkata and saw a terrific opportunity to combine the regatta with her work as a trustee of the HOPE Foundation. Bengali by birth, raised and educated in Kolkata, Shiuli is all too aware of the plight of vulnerable street children in Kolkata and has been actively involved in HOPE’s child sponsorship scheme for the past seven years. HOPE provides protection, education, healthcare and life skills programmes to equip vulnerable street connected and slum dwelling children, providing them with better opportunities and a happier path for the future.

So, Shiuli joined forces with CRC and brought children down to the club to learn how to row. And we are so happy that she did. The foundation is clearly successful; the children we met were happy, excited, well looked after and very sweet. The LRC members took it in turns to coach the children on the ergs and on the floating punt - we all loved it. Personally, it was one of the highlights of the trip and unlike my love/hate relationship with the rowing machine, it was fantastic to see the kids enjoying themselves so much that they were reluctant to put the handle down.

Already associated with CRC, Future Hope is a charitable organisation which provides opportunity through its homes, school, sports and medical programmes for some of the most vulnerable children also from the streets and slums of Kolkata. The charity was started when, founder, Tim Grandage, was the Bank Manager of an HSBC branch in Kolkata in the 1980s and befriended a group of street children who looked after his car. Through talking with them Tim became aware of the numerous problems and needs of these children. Tim started to take street-children into his home and soon had thirty-five children sleeping safely on the floor in his flat, eating three regular meals a day. Within a couple of years he had left HSBC and enlisted the bank’s support for his new charity. A school was set up to try to meet the huge demand for the at-risk children. As a big rugby fan, Tim would often watch rugby with the kids he took in and they wanted to learn how to play. Future Hope believes in the transformative effect that playing sport has on the children, helping them to overcome their extreme lack of opportunity and trauma. Teaching children who always had to look out for themselves how to work as a team. Future Hope boys have gone on to represent their country in rugby and cricket is now as important, both for boys and for girls. Rowing is the latest addition to the roster and the kids now look forward to competing in regattas against and maybe even against CRC in the future.

GNOs estimate that there are 300,000 child beggars in India and that every year, 44,000 children fall into the clutches of gangs. The number of trafficked children are in the thousands. I am saddened that organisations like these have to exist but so happy to see that they are run by such passionate people doing good. We have given the children from these foundations their first taste of what the rowing community can offer and I hope they continue to enjoy the sport and the camaraderie for years to come. The new relationships with the CRC junior rowers and the equipment purchased for the Friendship Regatta should provide a positive legacy for their future rowing endeavors.

If you are stuck for Christmas present ideas this year, perhaps a donation or a gift of education or healthcare would make a good option this giving season? Links below: · The HOPE Foundation · Future Hope

I would like to continue our new friendships with these foundations and support them as best we can in the future - it was truly wonderful seeing the joy that rowing brought to these children.

Me with a mix of New Hope, Hope Foundation and CRC kids.

Mark, Graham and Amy on the floating punt.

Calum and George teaching the older boys how to pull hard.

Mark was very excited to see how talented and enthusiastic the kids were.

Stu giving a masterclass with his assistant, Mark.

Matt and Zac proving very popular with the girls.

Andrew and Shiuli at the closing ceremony.

Elizabeth Cottrell
Captain, London Rowing Club

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

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

IRREGULARS REPORTS

While four of the ‘regular’ Irregulars were swanning away in Kolkata, the rest of the group were wrapping up in Putney and trying to manage. I believe good outings were had by all.

Following the recent influx of HSBC boats, some of the boats that used to be available to us have now gone and we welcome two yellow boats, the Fothergill and the Maurice Rayner. Things are looking up and all are looking forward to trying these out.

Wednesday morning, 6th, was extremely cold but absolutely beautiful – smooth unruffled water, no traffic and wonderful sunshine. I received some very jealous making photographs of two quads setting out, which I share.

Women’s quad – Sharon Rowntree, Kate Pearson, Fiona Young and Diana Bartley.

Men’s quad – Alan Foster, Patrick Wilson, Ronnie Maddox and Christopher Grainger.

We now look forward to the Christmas party and I wish everybody a good Christmas and New Year.

Eddie Markes

MASTERS REPORT

December saw the first real test of our masters crews following the disappointing cancellation of the vets' fours head in November. Sunday’s Remenham challenge results included wins in the Masters Quad and Women's Masters eight, and strong performances against local rivals in the men's masters eights. We have good momentum heading in to 2024.

After the disappointment of the Vets Fours head cancellation last month, our crews rallied and reformed to prepare for the Remenham challenge to close out the calendar year. Continued poor weather kept us on the ergos for many more sessions, building a competitive edge and filling the group WhatsApp threads with erg scores, mutual encouragement and occasional trash talk!

We also welcomed several new masters members from HSBC who have been valuable additions to our racing crews, and we are already benefiting significantly from the windfall additions to the fleet for masters rowing.

LRC had a strong Masters entry at the Remenham challenge, across age and gender categories in eights and quads. Congratulations to our pennant winners in the women's eight and open quad.

Women's Masters Eight pennant winners: Chloe Ramambason, Emily Walters (S), Kirstyn Luton, Angela Hitchens, (Vicky) Hannah Brock, Cecilia Collins-Taylor, Saskia Gill, Alexandra Hammerberg, Flora Emeney (B). Photo: Joanne Harri.

Womens Masters Eight: Marking their first race of the year, the newly established “Millenigals” clinched the Women’s Masters 8+ victory at the Remenham Challenge. Although the crew might have been heard laughing together in marshalling area, the race was filled with gritty determination and years of experience; a testament to the depth of women’s rowing at LRC. This strong performance undoubtedly sets the stage for the season to come.

Masters Quad pennant winners: James Robinson (S), Paul Mascaro, Tom Killick, James Young (B). Photo: Mark Ruscoe.

Masters Quads: The ”used-to-be lightweights” C4x used their experience to take advantage of the new quad category and avoid the stacked Masters 8+ category. With a “less-is-more” approach to outings and, crucially, limiting Aussie crew composition to 25%, the boys had a fun day out. The race

culminated in a 4-abreast pile up at the black buoy, but with James Young steering the crew expertly, they threaded through the gap to take the pennant! Elsewhere in the event, the ”Aussie” Quad posted the 3rd fastest raw time with the Masters E quad close behind them; with the age-adjusted times the E quad moved higher in the final standings to overtake the Aussies. The mixed quad finished ahead of their opposing crew of Young Irregulars in an all-LRC duel.

Open Masters Eights: The three LRC crews faced strong competition across all age categories. Our Masters B crew finished second behind a Crabtree Molesey crew of ex-internationals and boat race alumni, holding them off all the way to Harrods. In Masters C it was a 2-3 finish, behind several familiar faces in a Kingston crew! After the Christmas break, our group focus now turns to the winter heads in the run up to the Vets Head in March.

Will Randall

NEW MEMBERS

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

Adam Chida
Giacomo Bellini
Emma Ralley

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

MEMBERS FOURM

On the 9th November, the Club held its first ever Members’ Forum. Around forty members gathered in the evening to engage in an open discussion with the General Committee.

In the weeks leading up to the Forum, members had been encouraged to submit questions or discussion topics they wanted the Committee to address. The Committee took time to thoroughly prepare answers to properly respond to all questions received. Topics ranged from prospective renovations to the Club, regatta plans and the cost of membership.

After the Committee had shared their insights, the floor was opened for further questions and answers which were facilitated by me. Members appreciated the opportunity for a lively back-and-forth with some of the club leadership, and subsequently shared feedback that they found the evening valuable and enjoyable.

We appreciate all the members who took the time to submit a question and/or attend this inaugural event. We are already looking forward to incorporating your ideas and hosting another forum in the near future.

Be on the lookout for a summary of the event’s questions and answers – plus, more about the recent membership survey results – which will be released soon. We continue to welcome your feedback and appreciate your interest in ensuring that LRC remains strong long into the future.

Mike Sasha
LRC Membership Director

ROWING TOUR IN HOLLAND

Our wonderful member Frank ter Voorde, who is based in Switzerland, is organising another rowing tour in Holland. This one will be from 25th to 29th April 2024 and will explore the Province of Friesland in the north.

Accommodation and the base will be on a traditional Dutch sailing barge and the tour will start from Wamme’s (the skipper) home port of Harlingen. From there inland to the capital Leeuwarden then south to Sneek and Bolsward and back to Harlingen to complete the circle.

Following the row there is an option to take a sailing trip for a couple of days to the Wadden Islands. There will be a strong attendance from Frank’s home club in Zurich but any LRC members will be very welcome and indeed encouraged to join the party. I have been on one of these myself and thoroughly enjoyed it. Please consider it and of course it is open to anyone. Wives and partners are welcome.

Please contact me should you be interested at eddie.markes@londonrc.org.uk and I will provide you with more details.

THE RIGHT REVEREND LAUNCELOT FLEMING, KVCO DD

At the recent 6s and 7s lunch, Julian Ebsworth mentioned the name of Launcelot Fleming. This was a name I hadn’t heard mentioned for a number of years.

Launcelot Fleming was a remarkable man. He was born in Edinburgh in 1906. After going to Rugby, he went up to Trinity Hall, Cambridge and subsequently went to Yale University and Westcott House, Cambridge.

He started out as a geologist and went on expeditions to the Arctic before a complete change of career when he decided to become ordained. After being a fellow at Trinity Hall, he became Bishop of Portsmouth, Bishop of Norwich and completed his career as Dean of Windsor. He died in 1990.

I was privileged to meet him on several occasions in 1971 shortly after he became Dean of Windsor. I was in the Leander Grand crew when Launcelot paid us a visit shortly after we had completed an outing. I remember him showing great interest in what we were up to - what our training programme was and so on. He then asked two of us to go to Windsor Castle for tea. Although he had recently discovered that he had a rare spinal disorder, he swam regularly in the pool at Dolphin Square, where I joined him on a few occasions.

His preface to the History of Trinity Hall Boat Club written by D.I. Sparkes in 1988 includes the best summary I have come across of what he calls the ‘art’ of rowing.

‘It isn't easy to explain to the uninitiated the lure and attractions of this form of sport. It seems illogical to take your exercise sitting down, not able even to see where you are going, and then to submit to long outings in all weathers repeating the same cycle of movements in endless monotony. Like many other pursuits, you have to try it out before you can begin to appreciate its merits. Only then will you come to discover why this highly strenuous and demanding pastime has so strong a hold, is so rewarding and yields such enduring friendships. For rowing combines all the physical effort of which you are capable, with a gentle finesse of balance and control, a precision of timing and coordination and a sense of rhythm. Rowing is not only a sport; it is an art. Furthermore, its character as a team sport is of a quite distinctive kind. Members of a crew are more closely knit than perhaps in any other sport; the oarsman has to row for the crew and not for himself. The boat is a single unit or should be recognised as such. Any fault, lack of balance or easing off affects the others and upsets the run of the boat. On the other hand, when, even if only for a few strokes, things go right and the rhythm, timing, balance and power are properly coordinated, it is as if the crew were taken over. The boat moves forward mysteriously and without struggle. It is the experience of physical power transmitted to the blades in unified rhythm which yields one of the greatest delights of rowing and which makes all the hard work and training seem eminently worthwhile’.

Happy Christmas everyone and happy rowing!

Miles Preston
LRC, Editor

CASAMAJOR CLUB DRAW

I am pleased to announce the latest Casamajor Club winners:

£75:
Zac Baxter
Andrew Bokor
Stuart Heap
Jeremy Hudson
Roger Marsh
Simon Peach
Grum Ord
Adam Randall

£30:

Timothy Cox
Robin Cameron-Cooper

£15:
T G Collins
John Hobson
Christopher Sprague
Best wishes to you all for Christmas and the New Year!

John Auber

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