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Cygnet update 2nd November
Author: Neil Pickford |
2nd November 2015
Hi Cygnets,
A weekend of sharp contrasts, gorgeous autumn sunshine on Saturday, crews training hard for Vet Fours Head, doubles and pairs, single scullers and the GFAR squad exploring new stretches of the rive above Kew Bridge and getting to know the joys of power strokes...Sunday, old fashioned London pea-souper, couldn't see Barnes or the bridge from the club and no chance of getting out onto the water. I've never seen such a queue for ergs in the Shed or so much steam rising from the hard working athletes doing their 4x relay races...
This week:
Tuesday 7:15pm: Circuits with Maxi - essential for your core conditioning and overall fitness, please make an effort to get along...
Thursday 7:00pm : Squad erg in the Shed, this week something a little lighter than last weeks endurance test.
1x15', 1x10', 1x5', r20 (5' rest), drag 129 so time to do some weights afterwards.
Plan ahead and stay for food, Helena helenasmith@yahoo.com is cooking let her know if you are partaking.
Saturday:
Fours Head of the River at 12:45. From Chiswick Bridge to Putney with a stellar cast of GB internationals racing for their clubs. Really worth coming down and seeing top class rowing outside our front door. Eat hot dogs and cake, drink beer, what not to like.
Any outings will need to be at 8am to get off the river before the river closure for 4s Head.
Quite of lot of guys off to row in Gloriana so we may not have enough guys to get the GFAR 8 onto the water, but if you can make it get your availability on the sheet and we'll see what we can get together.
Sunday:
Vet Fours Head of the River at 13:45 with a stellar cast of Cygnet rowers. Come and cheer on Cris, Charlie, Tom and Rob (Mas C 4x) in boat 14 and Bart, Gav Jez and Ian (MasB 4-) in boat 22.
As with Saturday, get your availability up to date to see what we can get together for an outing at 8.
Further Ahead...
December 5th Scullers Head, Lots of interest in racing we'll get sculling pods organise to get race like training for all those planning to race, probably on Sundays when the river is quieter.
The GFAR team are starting to get river miles under their oars and should be ready to go out and doing some semi serious racing in the Plum Puddings before Christmas. The more outings you can make the, the more circuits and ergs you do, the better the result!!!
Finally, for the GFAR team, we've got a few applications filled in and on the board, can I encourage the others to get their applications done in time for the committee meeting on the 15th November that will vote you into the club .
Have a good week,
Jez
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Cygnet update 26th October
Author: Neil Pickford |
26th October 2015

Fun on and off the river at the weekend.
On Saturday we held our annual lunch in the hallowed surroundings of Leander RC in Henley. Many generations of Cygnets present including Ronnie Lambe who joined the club in 1947, plus guests from BBL RC our guest speaker Robert Treharne Jones (The Voice of Rowing) and Tichel from Ruder Gessellschaft Benrath.
Katie M organised an all star crew packed full of ex captains to go out with Tichel on the Tideway at a very civilised hour in lovely autumn sunshine. Before that our GFAR grads were out again exploring previously unknown stretches of the river beyond Hammersmith Bridge and then rowing all 8 from Harrods back to the club and getting 300 or so strokes in in the process. Thanks to Robin (especially), Tom, Cris and Iain G for helping out with the outing.
This Week:
Tuesday 7:15 Circuits with Maxi at Cavendish School, Edensor Road. Make up for last week by putting double the effort in.
Thursday:Squad Erg: 50 min tower, 5 x 4' r20, 3' r22, 2' r24, 1'r26 (in one go) to build up an appetite for Captn's Chicken Curry afterwards...
Saturday:Senior outings at 8, focus on the Vet 4s Head Crews (4x Charlie, Cris, Tom & Rob, 4- Bart, Gav, Jez, Ian)
Other outing TBS
GFAR squad outing at 10 (get the spreadsheet updated to get a seat in the boat!) (will be looking for willing helpers to boat sit/cox...)
Sunday:More 4s Head Training outing times TBS
GFAR squad outing at 10 (will be looking for willing helpers to boat sit/cox...)
Crews and outing times will be confirmed by Friday noon.
Ahead:
Saturday 7th Nov 4s Head at 12:45- come and watch some seriously good crews battle in out and see how many GB rowers you can spot
Sunday 8th Nov - Vets 4s Head at 13:45 - 2 Cygnet crews to come and cheer
Saturday 5th December - Scullers Head. We will look to organise sculling pods a suitable non peak times at the weekends in the run up to the event to get some serious race training against each other.
That's all for now, have a good week, see you for the killer erg on Thursday.
Jez
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Cygnet update 20th October
Author: Neil Pickford |
20th October 2015

Afternoon all,
Last weekend saw the graduation of the Get Fit and Row students. They had more water outings on Saturday and Sunday with the excitement of rowing on choppy water. Thanks for all those who have helped in all the sessions, on land and on the water. We now have a group very keen to carry on their rowing careers at Cygnet and we've invited them all to join the club. For the time being we will still need experienced rowers in the outings as well as coxes. The plan is to keep their outings late morning on Saturdays and Sunday to get a quieter river and make it easier for boat sitters to do their own outings first.This weekend with the Henley Lunch I think we will be short handed on Saturday but we will need helpers for Sunday.
This week:
Tuesday Circuits I've just heard Maxi is ill so can't run circuits tonight. Suggest an extra erg and weights as a substitute. Sorry.
Thursday 7:15 Squad Erg 15 min steady state warm up. Then 5 x 1000m @ r26 with 1 minute light pressure in between. There should be some of our new recruits attending, please give them any assistance they need. Matt is cooking afterwards.
Weekend:
Please update the spreadsheet and I've get crews out by Thursday. We should be out training for Vet 4s Head (see below).
Henley Lunch @ Leander - Cris has sent an email about organising taxis, please reply asap if you want to take advantage.
Sunday: I'll need a couple of boat sitters for an 11am outing for the new guys
Vet Fours Head Sunday 8th Nov: We have 7 people committed to racing. We need one more and we can race two boats (a 4- and 4x). Don't be shy, it's better to be in it than watching and it's all valuable race experience. Entries close in a couple of days so now's the time to come forward.
Scullers Head 5th December
Let me know if you plan to enter. We will get sculling pods organised to get you hardened for the race.
That's all for now
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