CHAIRMAN’S VIEW
Well done to the crews who competed in the recent Tideway heads. To place 7th and 10th in HORR really is a great result and the best we have had for some years. I saw LRC 1 and 2 coming down the track at about the halfway point and was very impressed with their smooth, effective and relaxed rowing. Congratulations to the coaching team on producing such good crews. The Vernon remains just out of reach but we will certainly win it in the not too distant future.
A day later, a second batch of LRC crews did us proud in the Vesta Masters Head and some were doing the weekend double. I hope you had Monday off! The Masters scored high rankings including a win in the men’s A/C quad - it was great to win a pennant.
I was away for Easter so watched the Boat Races on TV. It is always fascinating to see matched racing over the Championship Course and, for eights at least, the Boat Races are almost unique in this apart from our very own Boustead Cup.
The course demands many more tactics than the heads and 2000m six lane racing and often causes the umpires major challenges, as we saw. Some Boat Race coaches adopt the tactic of going out with the sole aim of getting clear water early on and taking the fastest stream and opponent’s water, sending down puddles to disrupt the other crew’s rowing. The ‘win it by Hammersmith’ tactic can work but if you are racing a well drilled, high quality, confident crew, it can be your undoing. In both races, Oxford appeared to me a touch desperate which showed in tight upper bodies and shoulders. Some members of the men’s crew looked over at Cambridge, always a sign of lack of focus and over concern with one’s opposition. Blasting out, of course, takes its toll later in the race. The Cambridge crews, by contrast, looked calm and focussed, achieving the correct body angles before leaving backstops resulting in a long effective stroke and a finish fractionally longer than Oxford’s. In the women’s race, when Cambridge started to move through they put themselves in a very powerful position with Oxford seeing their early lead diminish. Lots of racing lessons in there!
It feels a blessed relief that the days are getting longer and winter is behind us. If the rain will abate, we can look forward to the end of red flags and a great summer of racing and for some, me included, recreational rowing and sculling. Good luck to LRC rowers and scullers of all ages and categories.
Bill Baker
Chairman, London Rowing Club
CAPTAIN’S REPORT
And just like that, the head season comes to a close.
The real March Madness did not disappoint with fantastic performances across the Club at the Men’s and Vet’s heads.
At the Head of the River Race, London Rowing Club had its best finish position since the 1990s and was one of only three clubs to have two crews finish in the top 10. The 1st VIII finished in 7th, gaining 6 places on the previous year and the 2nd VIII finishing at an impressive 10th. All four squad boats finished in the top 75, with the 3rd and 4th boats stepping on significantly from last year. The MasD crew came 2nd in a very competitive field and finished 184th.
Taking their success into the night with the Abba Voyage themed after party. Headed up by Ed Thomas, the party was a triumph and won the title of best party on the tideway in spite of most of the Resis stage invading and upstaging the Abba tribute band.
The next day, the Vet’s Head of the River Race brought some more excellent results with the MasA-C4x winning a pennant. The quad of Paul Mascaro, Sean Sinclair, Matous Michnevic and Basil Amin picked up the pennant in a tightly contested category with only four seconds between the top three crews. Silver was the colour of choice for the women’s boats, with both the WMasB4x and the WMasA8+ coming second in their division. The MasB and MasC 8+ came in third alongside the MixMasE 4x. Blink and you might have missed us, but several of the General Committee took to the water that day: our President backed up by our Hon. Secretary were in one crew, I was in the Woman’s MasA 8+ with my Vet’s head debut, our Safety Officer was in the MasA 8+ a little hoarse from his singing the night before, one of our Vice Captains was in MasB 8+ and our new Facilities Manager was in one of the MasC 8+. An honorable mention goes to our outgoing Facilities Manager who would have been racing had the filth of the Thames not struck him down.
It was great having the balcony filled with supporters on all the days with all crews being clapped/drummed out to battle. Thank you to everyone who helped with launch driving, crew organising and coaching. A real club wide effort, yielding fantastic results.
On to regatta season. Bang the Drum.
Elizabeth Cottrell
Captain, London Rowing Club
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
12-14 April: GB Senior and U23 Invitation Trials
14 April: Abingdon Head
27 April: Hammersmith Amateur Regatta
4 May: Chiswick Regatta
5 May: Wallingford Regatta (Dorney)
18 May: Putney Town Regatta
24-26 May: National Schools Regatta (Dorney)
25 May: Twickenham Regatta
1-2 June: Metropolitan Regatta
15 June: Barnes and Mortlake Regatta
15-16 June: British Rowing Masters Championships (Nottingham)
15-16 June: Reading Amateur Regatta
21-23 June: Henley Women's Regatta
22 June: Marlow Regatta (Dorney)
28 June: Henley Royal Regatta qualifying races
2-7 July: Henley Royal Regatta
9 July: Doggett's Coat and Badge
12-13 July: Henley Masters Regatta
13 July: England Trials for Home International
13-14 July: Kingston Regatta
See more detail for these events, visit our Calendar of Events…
IRREGULARS REPORT
Last month saw the culmination of a two and a half months campaign for the Masters Eights Head. The conditions were good, unlike for the majority of our training outings, and the crew performed creditably in a much younger field – for some reason (known only to the organisers), handicap times were not taken into account in the final reckoning.
L to R: Mike Baldwin (Str.), Andrew Boyle (7), Chris Callaghan (6), Ronnie Maddox (5), Henry Dunlop (Cox and coach), Mike Newsom Davis (4), Nick Wykeman (3), Keith Swabey (2) and Tom Blackett (Bow).
Anyhow, all enjoyed the row and a lot of enthusiasm has been raised for future sweeping events. Thanks must go to Henry Dunlop – our wonderful cox – who cajoled and endlessly encouraged us to improve our techniques and efforts – a true coach and cox!
The crew about to set off for the start.
The next event on the racing calendar is the British Rowing Masters Championships weekend in Nottingham on 15th and16th June. All members of the Club of Master’s age (over 27) are being encouraged to participate. Several Irregulars have already signed up and more will be very welcome. It should be a great weekend and a wonderful way to meet up with other Masters groups in the Club.
Eddie Markes
YOUNG IRREGULARS REPORT
March saw the Young Irregulars on the water a great deal and in the gym quite a bit. Posts on our chat group about erging, including agreements to join are on the rise! There is much to be proud of with our group. For the water training sessions for our Vets Head crews, often there were seats needing filling and they were always filled by non racing YI's who pulled hard!
My thanks to the friends who helped with coaching in the lead up to the race....absolutely this improved our performance. What I am most proud of is the enthusiasm and joy within our group, and most importantly, the sincere support they show to each other.
Supporters - Tom Downes and Silvana Schloegl.
Below is by Rachel Evans - on behalf of the Young Irregulars Vets Head Crews.
Following our growth and strength in numbers and successes of last season, the Young Irregulars continue to make LRC proud with two Quad entries for the Vesta Masters Head Race. Both crews showing incredible commitment and determination in the lead up with unwavering support from the wider group to finish 2nd and 7th in the Masters B category. Wonderful to see the speedy integration and supporting strength of the new HSBC joiners with rowers in each crew!
Thanks to Kathleen, those who helped us coaching, the Young Irregulars Group and supporting friends and family for what was a great day and an excellent start to the 2024 Masters races!
Crew 215 - Finished 2nd in W Mas B 4x-
Soraya Nidai (Bow), Rachel Evans (2), Heather Hopkins (3), Camille Lanckneus (Str.)
Crew 218 - Finished 7th in W Mas B 4x-
L to R: Victoria Wilson, Eilidh McCormick, Isabel Palmer, Liz Hichens
Kathleen Curran and Rachel Evans
BRITISH ROWING MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS
The campaign to win the Victor Ludorum at the British Rowing Masters Championships on 15th and 16th June has begun.
On a dark and gloomy evening on 28th March, around 50 members from across our masters community met in the Long Room and via Zoom to look ahead to warmer summer racing, and to kick off LRC's bid to win the overall club prize, the Victor Ludorum, at this year's British Rowing Masters Championships.
Former Club Captain, James Sexton-Barrow (2021 - 2022) gave an overview of the Championships and the strategy which it is hoped will bring the prize (in the form of a trophy and £1,000 cash) to LRC for the first time ever.
Following James' presentation there was a lively discussion by those in attendance as the strategy was debated, as all good ideas should be, over a few beers.
The Championships themselves will take place at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham, over the weekend of 15th and 16th June. They offer 1km, 6 lane racing for all boat types from masters age groups B and up.
Last year a dozen or so of our masters entered and thoroughly enjoyed themselves, notably winning gold in the C.8+ category.
This year, with the significant growth in our active master's numbers, and in particular on the women's side, it is hoped that a coordinated assault on the larger boat types (from which the most Victor Ludorum points can be won) will be what is needed to claim the prize for London.
If you are aged 27+ and would like to get involved, you can do so by joining the WhatsApp group and adding your details to the team Google Sheet (links shared within your internal groups).
If you would like to know more, you can read the slides which were presented at the meeting last month y contacting James Sexton-Barrow. Alternatively, please contact James Sexton-Barrow on james.sextonbarrow@gmail.com
James Sexton-Barrow
4 DADS ROW THE THAMES
These chaps all have sons in the GB Team for Paris Olympics this year and are raising money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and Love Rowing.
LRC are very pleased to be welcoming them to the club at the finish of their row on 6 May, providing showers and racking for their boat.
If you would like to donate in support of these terrific charities please see this link: https://givestar.io/gs/4-dads-in-a-boat-row-the-thames
NEW MEMBERS
We would like to welcome the following new members to the Club:
Lucia Vigilante
Matthew Hudson
Oscar Rowland
Bronwen Prosser
Arun Das
Emma Horsnell-Shave
Giles Adu
Frank Goble
James Pitt
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.
Read here for information on becoming a member on our website, or you can email the Club’s Membership Secretary.
Andrew Boyle
Honorary Secretary, London Rowing Club
DAVID (J.D.V.) PHIPPS
We have been sorry to learn of the death earlier this year at the age of 93 of John David Vincent Phipps, who was our member of longest standing, having been elected as long ago as 1950. He was a Resi.
David represented the Club at Henley in 1951, when he rowed in the Thames Cup and also stroked a crew in the Wyfolds. He was a member of Remenham Club.
Pursuing a career as an insurance inspector with the National Employers Mutual Association he was posted later in the 1950s to Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia, when he rowed on the Zambezi. On returning to the UK he was a member of the Irregulars 1977-82. He later moved to France, where he was an active member of Port Marly RC on the Seine near Paris. He was involved in twinning Marly with Marlow; this gave him an opportunity to invite a party from Marlow which included Sir Steven Redgrave. He retired permanently to Marly in 2003.
'TUBBY BRYANT' HISTORIC SKIFF
A syndicate of 12 members of the Irregulars own and run this historic sculling skiff which was built in the 1890s and used to be the LRC training tub.
With 2 sliding seats, a comfortable seat for 2 in the stern (one steering) and a spot for someone light and agile in the bows, she is ideal for river touring. Based at Woottens Boatyard just downstream of Marlow, what better way could there be to introduce a young family to rowing and take in a picnic or a pub whilst enjoying the Thames over a weekend.
For HRR, she is moved to Henley and can be taken out and moored on the booms to have unrivaled viewing of the racing and further boost the LRC profile! A truly unique and special experience.
We are looking for more members to carry on the tradition. Please contact me at eddie.markes@londonrc.org.uk should you be interested in joining the syndicate.
Eddie Markes
CASAMAJOR CLUB WINNERS
Congratulations to the Casamajor winners for the recent quarterly draw, who are:
£75:
Jonathan Andrew
Christopher Dodd
Peter Fraser
Ciaran Hayes
Michael Gormley
Matthew Reeder
Henry Wheare
Ben Helm
£30:
M B Burrow
C J Coffin
N J Howe
M J Broome
H W Dunlop
Anyone who would like to contribute towards our boat maintenance for only £5 a month and join in the fun of the club lottery – please follow this link.
It’s easy!
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
